With a length overall of 48.5’, beam of 15.6’, and draft of 4’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the Ray Hunt Design deep V hull. It is powered by twin Volvo Penta D13, EPA Tier 3-compliant diesel engines, each delivering 600 hp at 1900 rpm. A Humphree interceptor trim control system, with its Automatic Trim Optimization, is installed at the transom. The engines turn 5-blade Bruntons NiBrAl propellers via ZF400A gearboxes. The launch is equipped with a 12 kW Northern Lights genset.

Like its sistership, the new Baltimore Class launch is optimized for harbor service. With a top speed of 30 knots, the launch is faster than most larger offshore pilot boats. It is designed to cope with Baltimore’s extreme summer and winter outdoor temperatures by including heated windows, decks, and handrails, as well as 40,000 Btu’s of HVAC in the wheelhouse and forecastle. The main engine cooling systems are designed to recirculate cooling water when operating in ice. The squared-off and fendered bow improves safety when transferring pilots at docks and moored ships.

The vessel’s wheelhouse, with a small trunk, was installed amidships on a flush deck. With forward-leaning front windows, the wheelhouse’s center-line helm station is equipped with five NorSap shock-mitigating seats, a bag rack, and a refrigerator. The forecastle houses a porta-potty, toolbox, and storage for safety gear.

The vessel’s exterior features wide side decks, side and rear doors. A heated Harken TR-31 safety rail system is installed on the handrails on the sides and around the front of the wheelhouse. A control station, along with a powered J-Basket rescue system capable of lifting a pilot from the water to the deck in less than 10 seconds, is located at the transom.

Along with installing a new shaft and propeller, the yard will replace the original 315hp Detroit Diesel 8V92 engine and modify the engine bed to accommodate a new 429hp, EPA Tier 3, Mitsubishi S6B3-MPTAW-3 diesel engine, which will deliver a top speed of 11 knots. The new engine is connected to a Twin Disc MG-5114, 3:1 gearbox. The yard will replace the vessel’s exhaust, cooling, and ventilation systems to accommodate the new engine. The original Wagner steering system will be replaced with a new Dometic Seastar Optimus system.

Six electric heaters will replace the original diesel-fired boiler and heaters to produce sufficient heat for seasonal operation. Many updates will be made to the electrical and piping systems, including new LED lighting, bilge piping, and domestic systems. The engine room will be equipped with a new FireBoy GA Series fire suppression system.

The vessel’s hull will be fully sandblasted, surveyed, and replated as required. Doors, windows, and hatches will be inspected, tested, and repaired as needed. The vessel’s exterior and interior will receive a new coating system.

With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum high-speed launch measures 52.6’ overall, with a 16.8’ beam and a 4.8’ draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D16, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each producing 750 Bhp at 1900 rpm. The vessel’s top speed is over 27 knots. A Humphree interceptor trim control system, with its Automatic Trim Optimization, is installed at the transom.

The engines turn 5-blade Bruntons NiBrAl propellers via ZF500-1-A gearboxes. The launch is equipped with a Northern Lights 12 kW genset.

The vessel’s wheelhouse, with a small trunk, is amidship on a flush deck. With electrically heated, forward-leaning front windows, the wheelhouse is outfitted with five Norsap shock-mitigating reclining seats, a baggage rack, and three weathertight doors. The forecastle includes a porta-potty, a split upholstered settee/bunk, and a custom storage rack for immersion suits and other safety gear. The vessels’ interior is heated and cooled by two 16,000 Btu reverse-cycle HVAC units, in addition to electric heaters located in the wheelhouse and forecastle.

Outside the wheelhouse, heated decks and handrails prevent ice accumulation. A Harken TR-31 safety rail system was installed on the wheelhouse handrail. An aft wheelhouse ladder leads to hinged boarding platforms on the roof. A control station at the transom features a hydraulically powered J-Basket rescue system, capable of retrieving a pilot from the water to the main deck in less than 10 seconds with a single operator, said Duclos.

The custom 44-footer is based on the shipyard’s Resilient class of fast and highly maneuverable launches, designed for performance in unique maritime environments. The design is optimized for performing launch services on the Mississippi River.

“The lower Mississippi can be a harsh operating environment. The silty water is abrasive, with a lot of debris and ship wakes. Ship boardings are done at transit speed in a narrow channel with no opportunity to make a lee. This will be a simple, robust launch propelled by water jets and with a stable platform like our offshore pilot boats,” said Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding president Peter Duclos.

The new launch measures 44.3’ overall, with a beam of 13.10’ and a shoal draft of 2.5’. The all-aluminum Ray Hunt Design Deep-V hull will be powered by twin Caterpillar C-9.3 EPA Tier 3-compliant diesel engines, each delivering 476 Bhp at 2,300 rpm and a top speed of 34 knots. The engines will be connected to Twin Disc gearboxes and propelled by twin Hamilton HTX-30 waterjets. An interceptor trim control system will be installed at the transom.

The wheelhouse will be flush-mounted aft of amidships and outfitted with five Norsap shock-mitigating seats. The laminated forward-facing wheelhouse windows are electrically heated and equipped with retractable sunshades. A roof-mounted, 15,000 btu air conditioning unit will cool the wheelhouse while at the dock. Two engine-driven 24,000 btu units will cool and heat the wheelhouse while underway.

Outside the wheelhouse are wide side decks, a rear door, and a ladder to the rooftop, where there are walkway handrails and hinged boarding platforms. Tire fenders will be fastened to the vessel’s shear and transom.

The all-aluminum launch is designed and outfitted for the Pilot’s Hampton Roads harbor station. An all-new, shallow-V hull by Ray Hunt Design was created to optimize speed with a low wake while maintaining excellent seakeeping and boarding performance. It displaces about 2,000 pounds less than a similar sized offshore pilot boat. As a result, the boat accelerates faster and reaches a higher top speed, explained Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president and director of sales.

The pilot boat measures 58’ overall, with an 18’ beam and a 4’ draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D13-800, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each producing 800 Bhp at 2300 rpm, the vessel’s top speed is over 36 knots.

Each engine is connected to a Volvo Penta IPS 30 propulsion pod, fitted with dual forward-facing, counter-rotating propellers and integrated exhaust system, and Volvo Penta’s EVC integrated electronic steering and control system at the helm station and aft docking station. A Humphree interceptor trim control system with its Automatic Trim Optimization, Automatic List Control, and Coordinated Turn Control functions has been installed at the transom. An Alaska Diesel generator, with 12kW of output, provides electricity.

The vessel’s pilothouse is placed amidships on a flush deck, with the helm station on center. A lightweight canopy extends approximately seven feet aft of the pilothouse to accommodate small groups. The arrangement is designed for up to two crew to stay overnight or live aboard. The pilothouse is outfitted with four Norsap shock-mitigating reclining seats, a small galley and settee with a table. The forecastle includes an enclosed head, two berths, a hanging locker and exposure suit cubbies.

Outside the pilothouse are heated side-decks and handrails to prevent ice accumulation. At the squared-off bow is raised vertical fendering with integral steps for transferring pilots to and from docks. The docking station is located near the transom, along with a winch-operated rotating davit system over a recessed platform and Harken TR-31 safety rail for pilot rescue operations.

The 65’ Fort Ripley was designed by Ray Hunt Design and Gladding-Hearn and built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2014. With a top speed of 28 knots, it was the first commercial vessel in the United States powered by Volvo Penta IPS drives with twin forward-facing, counter-rotating propellers.

The three existing IPS 900 propulsion systems will be replaced with three new Volvo Penta IPS 1050 propulsion systems, including new 800 Bhp D13 engines, shafts, IPS-30 pods, the EVC 2.0 control system and displays in the wheelhouse. Engine speed and pod steering are controlled by three joysticks, one on the wheelhouse console and two at aft docking-stations. “The IPS system saves weight and space for additional fuel or accommodations and has proved to increase maneuverability and consume about 30 percent less fuel,” explained Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president and director of sales.

The Seakeeper gyro stabilizer, installed in the space of a redundant fire pump, is expected to reduce vessel roll up to 80%. The 4,000-pound gyro requires structural modifications for a substantial foundation located in the tank room. “This is our second Seakeeper gyro installation on a pilot boat. Its effect is noticed mostly at rest or slow speeds but it improves vessel feel and handling at all speeds” explained Duclos.

Other work on the Fort Ripley includes servicing the Humphree interceptors, bilge system, HVAC system and replacing the wheelhouse windows with electrically heated windows.

With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum launch measures 53.6’ overall, with a 17.8’ beam and a 4.9’ draft. The boat is powered by twin Volvo Penta D16 diesel engines, each rated for 651 mph at 1800 rpm. Top speed is over 25 knots. The engines turn 5-blade Brunton’s propellers via ZF 500-1-A gear boxes. A Humphree interceptor trim control system, with its Automatic Trim Optimization, is installed at the transom.

The vessel’s wheelhouse, with a small trunk, is amidships on a flush deck. It has electrically-heated forward-leaning front and side windows for deicing and four tinted windows on the roof. The wheelhouse has the helm station on center with the Volvo Penta EVC electronic control system and Furuno Nav/Comm. Aft of the helm station are four Stidd reclining seats and a luggage rack. The forecastle includes an upholstered settee and a hanging locker for exposure suits.

The decks and exterior handrails are heated to minimize ice formation from flying spray. A three-zone hydronic cabin, deck, and handrail heating system circulates heated water through tubes fastened below the main deck, handrails and through three fan-coil units, two in the wheelhouse and one in the forecastle. Treated water is heated by a 120,000 Btu Espar Hydronic 35 diesel-fired “boiler” and main engine waste heat. An auxiliary A.C. heater in the wheelhouse heats the vessel while on shore power.

A control station is located at the transom. A rotating pipe davit is welded to the deck at the forward end of the rescue stairs recessed in the boat’s transom. A self-tailing, two-speed manual winch mounted on the davit, along with a Naiad-Dynamics Mate-Saver rescue noose, aids in retrieving a pilot.

Designed by Incat Crowther Design, the all-aluminum high-speed catamaran is certified to USCG Subchapter-L and Lloyds Register Special Service Craft Rules. It has an overall length of 88.5 ft., beam of 29.5 ft. and draft of 5.6 ft. The vessel is powered by a four Scania DI16, 8-cylinder, 4 cycle, EPA Tier-3 compliant diesel engines, each rated at 788 Bhp (588 bkW) at 2,100 rpm. Each main engine drives a Hamilton HM521 waterjet through a ZF-665 reverse-reduction gearbox. Humphree interceptors, with Automatic Trim Optimization, are installed at the transom. Top speed is 29 knots.

Electricity is produced by a 55kW Kohler EPA Tier 3 compliant genset in each of the two engine rooms.

The vessel carries 6,800 gallons of cargo fuel, along with fuel pumps and a hose reel, to supply the wind turbines’ auxiliary generator.

The resiliently-mounted superstructure is located aft of midship with port and starboard side decks and working/cargo decks fore and aft. The large foredeck is set up to carry two 20 ft. ISO containers and to transfer the offshore workers over the bow. To facilitate wind-turbine landings, the bow is outfitted with a resiliently-mounted RG Seasight fendering system. On the bow is a 14.3 t-m, hydraulic knuckle boom crane with an 8.1-meter reach.

Each hull is divided into four watertight compartments, which includes two crew staterooms and a lounge. The main deck, accessible by an aft and two side doors, includes seating for the offshore workers, a galley, wet locker, two heads and showers, and storage racks.

The upper deck includes a wheelhouse and two double staterooms. The wheelhouse, with windows on all sides for nearly 360-degree visibility, is located on the second deck and accessible by interior stairs and an aft exterior ladder. It includes three shock-mitigating helm seats. The control console across the front includes centerline engine and waterjet controls and navigation and communication electronics. A 144,000 Btu air cooled air-conditioning/reverse cycle heat system services the main salon, upper state rooms, crew quarters and the wheelhouse.

The vessel is equipped with a Reygar BareFleet vessel monitoring system to continuously log performance data from various systems, including the engines, waterjets control system, accelerations at the bow, generators, fuel tank levels and NMEA navigational/weather information, and video during turbine transfer operations.

Among the myriad items to be removed, repaired or replaced, the hull received repairs as required by Class and repainted, with a goal of extending the life of the 37-year-old vessel an additional 15 years, while improving the efficiency, environmental footprint and reliability.

The vessel’s original twin Detroit Diesel 12V-71 460 Bhp main engines were replaced with a pair of Caterpillar C-18, 600 Bhp, IMO Tier 2 diesel engines, along with new controls and monitoring systems. With new enlarged shafts, seals, bearings, cooling and exhaust systems, the engines were paired with new ZF W650 gear boxes that turn 5-bladed HS Marine Ni-Br-Al propellers. The repowered ferry has a service speed of 12 knots with a full load of passengers.

In the engine room, the existing Halon fire-suppression system was replaced with a new “clean agent” fire suppression system.

Existing air controls at each of the three control stations – one centerline and one at each bridge wing in the wheelhouse – were replaced with ZF electronic controls. The original Wagner hydraulic steering, which was PTO-driven off the main engines, was replaced with a new Kobelt PTO-powered hydraulic system. The vessel also has a separate hydraulic system to run deck winches, passenger ramps and bow thruster. The pumps were replaced and moved from the main engines PTOs, to Logan Clutch PTOs on the new 99kW Caterpillar generators to provide constant speed to the pumps. The existing bow thruster was replaced with a new Sleipner SH1000 thruster.

The passenger accommodations were completely renewed or updated. The five passenger heads were refreshed with new fixtures and Headhunter toilets. The black and grey-water-holding capacity was enlarged to comply with zero-discharge requirements. In the main cabin, with seating for 150 passengers, the interior bulkheads were relined and the carpeting replaced. The cabin ceiling was replaced and the existing lights were replaced with new LED lighting. A new 36,000 Btu air-conditioning system replaced the existing HVAC.

A new integrated audio/visual passenger information system was installed in the passenger areas, and a new CCTV security system now monitors the entire vessel from the wheelhouse.

New electronics feature the Simrad NSS16 EVO multifunctional display, linked to its HALO24 radar and interfaced with the vessel’s existing AIS. The incandescent navigation, flood and search lights were replaced with new LED fixtures.

Along with installing new shafts and Brunton propellers, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat’s twin 600 hp Lugger L6140AL2 engines were replaced with a pair of Volvo Penta D-16 diesel engines, each producing 650 hp at 1800 rpm, with a top speed of 25 knots. The new engines are connected to Twin Disc MGX5136A gear boxes. To accommodate the new engines and gears, the shipyard modified the engine beds, exhaust systems, bilge system and fuel system piping, and replaced the shafting, propellors and cooling systems. The existing generator was replaced with a new 16 kW Northern Lights genset.

Other upgrades included a new sanitary system, new Seastar Optimus steering system, new doors and windows, new Norsap pilot seats and all new Furuno electronics. AquaTraction marine flooring, with one-half inch acoustical underlayment, was installed in the wheelhouse and forecastle. The HVAC units were replaced with three new Dometic 12,000 Btu reverse-cycle air-conditioning units and King Pick-A-Watt heaters.

The boat’s topsides and bottom were stripped to the bare metal and received a fresh coating system. Mascoat Delta T anti-condensation coating was applied around the wheelhouse windows and doors and overcoated with paint.

Built in 2005, CHELSEA is one of 29 Ray Hunt Design-Deep Vee Chesapeake class launches built or under construction by the shipyard. According to Duclos, the popular launch is trusted by pilots for its safe handling and comfort while offering higher speeds and fuel economy.