OUTSTANDING WORKBOATS OF 1991

Ranging from a small, maneuverable coastal and inland multi-mission environmental boat to a large new generation deepwater supply vessel, this year's top ten workboats built by second-tier U.S. and Canadian shipyards represent a wide range of hull styles, technical innovations, operational environments, horsepower ranges and service requirements.

Half of this year's "Outstanding Workboats of 1991" are drawn from the Gulf of Mexico's offshore sector, comprising three supply boats, a crewboat and a utility boat. The others include two towboats for the American inland waterways, two vessels specially designed for the oil spill recovery market (one for the California coast and one for the Florida coast) and a Z-drive harbor tug operating out of the Port of Vancouver, B.C., from the lone Canadian builder represented among this year's award winners.

CAPEHATTERAS Leevac Shipyards Circle 176 on Reader Service Card The MV Cape Hatteras is a 200- foot by 40-foot by 15-foot offshore supply vessel that was built by Leevac Shipyards, Inc., for Sea Mar Operators V, Inc., and delivered in December 1990. The Cape Hatteras is presently under charter to Western Petroleum Services operating out of Venice, La.

The Cape Hatteras is more than just a straight supply vessel. In addition to being powered with a total of 3,000 hp provided by a pair of EMD 12-645 diesels coupled via Falk reduction gears to twin Avondalebuilt, four-blade stainless steel screws, she has a 600-hp Schottel S- 300L bow thruster which allows the vessel to maintain station, whereas other vessels might have to head for safe harbor. Her main engines were rebuilt by Design Power International.

Auxiliary power for the vessel is supplied by two Detroit Diesel 8V71 diesels and two 125-kw generators.

Her thruster is powered by a Detroit Diesel 16V92 NA with Twin Disc reduction gears. Her thruster and generator engines were supplied by Stewart & Stevenson Services.

Of particular interest is her "Tech Deck," which is a fully air conditioned 300 square foot room at the aft 0-1 deck overlooking the expansive 4,250 square foot clear back deck area. The equipment carried on the back deck may be controlled from this technical room with full visibility through windows that oversee the operations. The elongated after pilothouse station also provides excellent visibility for the vessel's master to oversee the entire operation and maintain full navigation visibility.

In addition to the cargo that may be carried on deck, the Cape Hatteras has built-in capacity in the hull for 5,000 cubic feet of dry bulk products in SMATCO 4-P tanks and 1,755 barrels of liquid mud in four hull tanks. All tanks are controlled from the after control station in the pilothouse.

The Cape Hatteras includes accommodations for 21 persons. Tankage includes over 62,000 gallons of fuel, 11,000 gallons of potable water and sewage holding for 2,000 gallons.

The vessel is classed with ABS as Maltese Cross A-l and AMS, Circle E, full ocean supply service.

Admeasured domestic gross tonnage is under 300 gross tons.

CATES 3 Allied Shipbuilders Circle 177 on Reader Service Card During the past year, North Vancouver, Canada builder Allied Shipbuilders Ltd. delivered the 74- foot-long by 28-foot-beam tug Charles H. Cates III (Cates 3) to C.H. Cates & Sons Ltd., also of North Vancouver. The vessel, constructed to the design of Robert Allan Ltd., is the latest in C.H. Cates & Sons' fleet of Z-drive ship-assist tugs for service in the Port of Vancouver.

Configured as a shift boat, with day room facilities only for the crew of two persons, the Cates 3 is essentially identical to other Z-drive tugs in the Cates fleet, with twin Z-drives in a "reverse-tractor" configuration.

The wheelhouse is designed for oneman operation and has now been refined through three vessels to the point where every feature is situated optimally for safe and effective control of the tug. Visibility is virtually unimpeded through 360 degrees, with excellent downward and overhead vision all-round.

Main engines on the Cates 3 are a pair of Cat 3512 TA diesels, each rated 1,175 bhp at 1,600 rpm for the ship-berthing service. Each engine is connected to a Niigata Model ZP- 2A 360-degree azimuthing drive through a Niigata Model RGC-130K clutch/reduction gear, and Geislinger torsionally resilient coupling.

The electrical generating system on the Cates 3 comprises two main generator sets, each a 95-kw, 1,800- rpm Cat model 3304 B. The sets are connected for nonparallel operation, with automatic load transfer.

One of the many features of this tug is the use of electric power for the main steering motors and hawser winch. By use of a Mechtronics Series 59000 frequency controller, full variable speed control is obtained on these standard AC motors.

As well as demonstrating the exceptional maneuverability and control associated with the twin Z-drive configuration, the vessel recorded sustained bollard pulls of 34,015 kg ahead, and 30,720 kg astern, and a free running speed of 11 knots.

One of the unique features of the Cates 3 is the line-handling crane on the foredeck. An Atlas extending, knuckleboom crane is used to trans- mins diesel, with Twin Disc reduction gear and one 20-inch by 16-inch four-blade propeller. Mr. Doyle said the boat is extremely maneuverable and can "pivot on a dime." Other equipment featured on the ECO-llO includes a 300-gpm fire pump, 230 gpm oil transfer system, self-dumping trash bucket, 50-hp hydraulic system, Furuno 1750 radar and FM-2510 VHF radio and a Northstar 9000 combination GPS/ Lor an.

Marc Stanley, general manager of Bollinger Machine Shop & Shipyard said, the ECO-llO has an oil recovery rate of 200 gallons per minute. She is set-up to pump her recovered oil into rubber bladders or directly into barges or ships.

Formed in November 1990, Ecomarine USA provides advanced technology and services for oil spill response, marine pollution control, and marine monitoring and mapping.

The company leases fleets of environmental vessels to government agencies, businesses and other groups concerned with keeping the nation's waterways clean.

Ecomarine USA's strategy is to form partnerships with regional companies knowledgeable about the local maritime market.

KAREN K.

Avondale Boat Circle 182 on Reader Service Card The first of a new generation of advanced towboats, the Karen K., was christened and delivered by the Boat Division of Avondale Industries to owner National Marine, Inc., New Orleans, La. The 168-foot Viking 2000 Class towboat will be operated by the Stokes Towing Company, Inc., Greenville, Miss.

On hand at the New Orleans christening ceremony were John P.

O'Toole, p r e s i d e n t of Viking Maritec, Inc., Oakdale, Pa., whose firm designed the boat, Barry Heaps, vice president/manager of Avondale Boat Division, Capt.

David L. Stokes, Stokes Towing Company, Inc., and Dominic J.

Verona, president of National Marine, Inc. The principal speaker at the event was Wayne Rogers, the actor from the TV show "MASH." Mrs. Karen Miller Kappel, wife of Joseph J. Keppel, president and chief executive officer of the Vectura Group, Inc., was the vessel's sponsor and namesake, while Patricia L. O'Toole, Mr. O'Toole's wife, served as Matron of Honor, and LeAnna Jo Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Wylie Thornton, served as the Flower Girl. Mr.

Thornton is the assistant general manager at the Avondale Boat Division.

The design for the Viking 2000 has been in development since September 1989. She has an overall length of 168 feet, beam of 45 feet and draft of 11-1/2 feet. The Karen K. is propelled by two 3,400-hp Caterpillar 3612 diesel engines with Reintjes WAV 4450 gears and fiveblade 115-1/2-inch variable pitch stainless steel propellers. Karl Senner, Inc., New Orleans, La., supplied the Reintjes reverse reduction gears with internal hydraulic propeller shaft brakes and two Rexroth pneumatic remote control systems.

Avondale's Harvey Quick Repair Propeller Shop manufactured the vessel's twin screws.

Electrical power is provided by two 165-kw Caterpillar SR-4 generators driven by Caterpillar 3306T diesels.

Viking Maritec, who is an affiliated company of the Vectura Group and who has about 5,000 vessels of their design, including 70 Viking Class boats, operating on America's inland waterways, claims that the Viking 2000 design offers the advantages of 50 percent less lube oil consumption, 50,000 hours before engine overhaul, full ahead to full astern in "eight seconds flat," lack of rudder shutter, more durable Kort nozzles, double the potable water capacity of boats of similar sizes, isolated vibration-free deckhouses and greater crew comforts.

According to Mr. O'Toole, Viking Maritec is currently developing updated versions on its 1,800-hp hull through the 8,400-hp hull, with future plans to update the design of the 10,500-hp, triple-screw hull.

The designers say that the new class has retained the best features of previous models, while incorporating a number of design improvements to give Viking 2000 owners a greater competitive advantage. At 168 feet by 45 feet, the Karen K. is larger than previous Vikings. Horsepower has been increased to the 6,400-through-6,800 horsepower range. Potable water tankage has also been expanded to hold 30,000 gallons.

Less noticeable improvements include a hull framing which has been designed for greater strength and to minimize operating sound and vibration.

The upperdeck and pilothouse, in fact, are vibration isolated with house isolation mounts from Vibration Eliminator.

LINDA Service Marine Industries Circle 183 on Reader Service Card The utility boat M/V Linda was recently christened and delivered by Service Marine Industries to Gilbert Cheramie Boats, Inc. of Golden Meadow, La.

C h r i s t e n e d by Mrs. Linda Raphael, daughter of owner Gilbert Cheramie, the M/V Linda has a length of 145 feet, beam of 36 feet and depth of 11 feet 6 inches. She has a capacity of 1,200 barrels of 22 pound liquid mud, 180,000 gallons of fresh water, 32,000 gallons of fuel oil, 380 long tons of deck cargo on 2,800 square feet of deck space, quarters for 18, and EEP certified for 150 persons.

The two main engines are Detroit Diesel 8V149 rated at 760 bhp at 1,800 rpm, with Twin Disc MG-520 gears. The two generators are Detroit Diesel 6-71 model 1063-70005 DDAD with 75-kw gensets. The boat has a Schottel S-103-L bow thruster rated at 226 bhp at 2,100 rpm driven by a Detroit Diesel 6-71 through a Twin Disc 509 gear.

The M/V Linda is equipped with a 5,200 gpm fire monitor system. The pump is a Peerless horizontal split case pump, type 10AE20 rated at 5,200 gpm at 175 psi, driven by a Detroit Diesel 16V92 developing 675 bhp at 1,900 rpm.

Electronics were furnished by Frank L. Beier Radio. The switch- board was furnished by Power Panels.

Main engine controls are Kobelt and furnished by the A1 George Company.

The Orbitrol steering system was furnished by Skipper Hydraulics, Inc.

Air conditioning was furnished by Harris Refrigeration. Insulation was done by Insulation Incorporated.

Gilbert Cheramie Boats, Inc., operates one of the largest utility boat fleets in the Gulf of Mexico, with more than 20 boats, the last three of which have been built by Service Marine Industries.

MR. VICK Trinity Marine Circle 184 on Reader Service Card When the offshore oil and gas industry was saturated with supply boats in the 1980s, construction of the support vessels virtually stopped for almost 10 years.

However, naval architects and marine engineers at Trinity Industries, Inc., Trinity Marine Group, Gulfport, Miss., and their customer, Oil and Gas Rental Services, Inc., Morgan City, La., were hard at work.

They were busy reassessing and redefining the role of supply boats for the beginning of the 21st century.

It was determined that the new generation of supply boats would have to be more versatile in order to work just about anywhere in the world to assist in the exploration and production of offshore oil and gas. They would have to carry more cargo, to greater distances, more economically and more efficiently.

And, they would have to take advantage of technological advances while being more ergonomically friendly to crews and easier to maintain.

"It was a tall order, but all of these goals have been achieved in the Mr. Vick, the first truly all-new supply boat of the 1990s," said John Dane III, president of the Trinity Marine Group.

She is the first of four identical 220-foot by 44-foot by 16-foot sister ships being built by Trinity for Oil and Gas Rental Services, Inc., Morgan City, La.

The most obvious difference is the size of the new boat—220 feet when compared to a typical 180-foot counterpart of the 1980s.

Mr. Vick can carry 2,224 barrels of liquid drilling mud in four tanks, and 8,000 cubic feet of dry mud in her six dry mud tanks. The six dry mud tanks were built by Trinity's tank division in Tulsa, Okla.

Her 150-foot by 34-foot aft deck provides 5,100 square feet of space for up to 1,000 long tons of cargo.

Mr. Vick's 44-foot beam and 16-foot depth enables her to work in both shallow and deep water and her 61,000 gallon fuel capacity gives her long range capability.

She is powered by two remanufactured General Motors EMD 16-645CE6 diesel engines developing a total of 4,000 hp which can drive the ship to 14 knots.

The engine room is a showcase for much of the innovative thinking in the vessel's design. The big EMDs are easily accessible because the auxiliary generators and main switchboard are installed on a raised "mezzanine" at the rear of the engine room. The result is more space for each piece of equipment which translates to easier, quicker maintenance.

Two small additional 90-kw ONAN hotel generators driven by two Cummins 6BT5.9-G/GC2 diesels on the split level eliminate the need to operate larger 360-kw ONAN generators driven by Cummins KTA19-G/GC2 diesels and its attendant noise, vibration, and fuel consumption while in port.

Access to the engine room is through the 100-foot-long centerline companionway separating the mud tanks and through unique port and starboard stairways from the aft deck.

"We wanted to make it easier and safer for our people to get to the engine room," said Bill Hidalgo, vice president and general manager of Oil and Gas Marine Service which operates the boats.

"We eliminated the old, small, tough-to-use vertical ladders, and built wide stairways with handrails.

The result is greater, safer access to the engine room." Just above the engine room and the mud tanks, is the huge aft deck.

A 9,000-pound-capacity hydraulic crane is installed for dockside loading and unloading.

Mr Hidalgo added, "We are absolutely pleased with the vessel. The vessel is well-suited for deep-water operations in tough marine environmental conditions. We set out to build a vessel that was easier to operate, safer to operate and one with an ability to operate in an extended weather window. This is extremely important to our customers.

She has already shown an ability to operate in 10- to 12-foot seas and still discharge her cargo safely." The pilothouse is another showcase of advanced features. In a departure from the past, the captain's chair is surrounded by a "wraparound" forward console instrument cluster with panels featuring easyto- read and use instruments and equipment.

The computerized, all-digital system projects analog gauges on to a glare-free color monitor. The work station is driven by an IBM PC which allows the captain instant access to data on engines, generators, bow thruster, propeller speed, fuel and more. The computer also records and stores engine data relieving the crew of time consuming task.

Also directly in front of the capt a i n are controls for the boat's Robertson autopilot, joystick controls, and dynamic positioning system.

The Robertson DP system controls the bow thruster, main engines, and the two articulated Becker high lift rudders which can be operated independently or in unison.

Mr. Vick is also equipped with a Phoenix fuel monitoring system which permits the vessel to be operated at optimum efficiency for load and sea conditions.

Built in accordance with ABS rules and certified AMS full ocean, the Mr. Vick was constructed at Halter Marine, Inc., Lockport, La., which is building her three sisters, Judy H., Y.A. Adams, and Ronnie Roussel. When the four vessels are completed, Halter-Lockport will have built 16 supply boats for Oil and Gas Rental Services, Inc.

SAM MCCALL Gulf Craft Circle 185 on Reader Service Card McCall Enterprises of Cameron, La., recently took delivery of its eighth 160-foot by 30-foot aluminum crewboat, the Sam McCall, from builder Gulf Craft, Inc., Patterson, La. The Sam McCall is the first 160- foot crewboat in the McCall fleet to have both the forward and aft steering stations located in the pilothouse.

This style of pilothouse offers 360 degree visibility for the vessel's captain.

The Sam McCall is powered with six Cummins model KT-19M diesel engines that develop 680 shp each at 2,100 rpm or a total of 4,080 shp which propels the vessel at a speed of 24 knots. Each engine is turning a 40-inch diameter propeller through a Twin Disc MG 518 reverse and reduction gear, with a reduction ratio of 2.5:1.

Norman McCall, the owner, feels that the redundancy of the six engines has eliminated the down time problem usually associated with an engine failure. These vessels are capable of operating with one or two engines out, and with four rudders, maneuvering around the platform is no problem with the loss of those engines. In fact, during sea trials, the Sam McCall ran at 24.6 knots with six engines, 21.1 knots with five engines and 20.6 knots with four engines.

The consolidation of oil company marine bases in the Gulf of Mexico requires a vessel that is capable of serving a larger area each trip. The Sam McCall is a multipurpose vessel with the speed and capacity to fulfill this requirement. This vessel is U.S. Coast Guard approved for 101 passengers and has a stability letter permitting a deck cargo capacity of 180 long tons on its 92 feet by 26 feet back deck. In addition to deck cargo, the Sam McCall is capable of offloading 43,000 gallons of water and 13,000 gallons of fuel oil, plus firefighting ability with its 600 gallon per minute fire pump and deck mounted fire monitor.

The vessel's five man crew live in central air conditioned and heated comfort in four staterooms, crews' bathroom, and galley which are located below deck and isolated from the passengers space. These areas and the vessel's systems all receive their power from the two 50-kw Detroit Diesel 4-71 diesel generators.

In conversation with Scott Tibbs, president of Gulf Craft, Inc., it was learned t h a t Gulf Craft has designed a 1,000-passenger ferry vessel based on the 160-foot crewboat hull for a customer in the Northeast.

"We calculated the weight of fuel and water carried aboard these 160- foot crewboats to be much more than the weight of 1,000 passengers and the extra weight of the enlarged superstructure. With this calculation, we feel that we have come up with a moderately high-speed and high-capacity passenger ferry.

"These 160-foot passenger ferries will not be as fast as a catamaran, but the cost per passenger seat will be much lower and the ride in rough seas will be much more comfortable," Mr. Tibbs added.