Page 74: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2003)

Pilot Boats • On the Cover ) Far Out With New Boat

Jacobsen Pilot Service Inc., Long Beach Calif.

Received a new 54-ft. (16.4-m) welded aluminum pilot boat from Hike Metal Products Ltd. in

Wheatley, Ontario, Canada this past July. Hike Metal was approached in the early summer of 2002 after

Jacobsen Pilots services owner Tom Jacobsen had conducted a thorough review of the market and read an article about a new Pilot Boat Hike had just built and delivered to Atlantic Canada. While

Jacobsen needed a new vessel for the growing demand for Pilot services in Long Beach, he also wanted a modern vessel, specifically designed for function, good visibility, ergonomics , and built to suit their operational requirements out of Long Beach, which is the second largest container vessel port in the U.S.

The ships calling the Port of Long Beach today are larger and the pilots have to board further out to sea, also the rush periods now demand a bigger boat with more seating for pilots. After 9/11 Jacobsen Pilots part- nered with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Sea Marshals to help deliver them to the incoming ships. The new pilot boat fulfills this mission when required. Hike

Metal, now celebrating its' 40th anniversary, provid- ed them with an ideal craft .

According to Tom Jacobsen, president of Jacobsen

Pilot Service, the new boat was built to meet the grow- ing needs of his company's services to the Port of Long

Beach. With their speed and high level of seaworthi- ness, the new pilot boats are equipped to meet

Jacobsen's piloting needs; sometimes dispatching up to eight pilots on the boat during the port's busy mornings. "The business has changed and we're now boarding ships further out at sea," Jacobsen said.

The hull form is based on a well proven , stan- dard advanced chine hull design developed years ago by Hike utilized in the construction of its' 30ft to 70ft Patrol boats, currently used on both the

Great lakes and inshore coastal operations in North and South America. Final design details and engi- neering was carried out by EYE Marine Consultants

Inc. in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The deep-V hull provides smooth fast and respon- sive handling while the flattened side chine's afford excellent lateral stability , lift and further help knock down spray. The structural design is based on LRS

Special Service craft rules while ABYC rules gov- ern systems and outfit.

Careful attention was paid to weight control , to produce a robust and yet sea-kindly craft fit for the demanding role of pilot transfer. The vessel is designed to have a minimum service life of 30 years. Maintenance and service access was of para- mount importance to Jacobsen Pilot Service Inc. and these consideration were maintained during all aspects of the design and construction process. The interior fit-out consists of a lower deck accommo- dation with day berths for four crew, a head , and a small galley area. Access to the engine room is also located there through an oversize bulkhead door allowing easy removal and replacement of large components during future overhauls. 76 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News