Simulation & Ice Navigation Training
In a anticipation of the growing need for deck officers and masters experienced in operating in ice covered waters and as evidenced by the relatively rapid increase in vessel traffic in areas of the Arctic Ocean due to the receding ice coverage, the Alaska’s Institute of Technology (AVTEC) in Seward, Alaska has developed a comprehensive course of instruction in Ice Navigation. This two week course is directed toward masters and mates without or with minimal experience in ice covered waters. The course of instruction is a combination of classroom lectures, case studies and simulation exercises, operating various vessel models in a myriad of ice conditions. The AVTEC Ice Navigation course of instruction is U.S.
Construction of Marine Science Vessels Up
Marine science is making great strides forward due in large measure to several new vessels that have delivered recently and others under construction Headlining this news is the Oscar Dyson, the first of four vessels loaded with scientific gear that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is having built at VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss. The first vessel was completed in September of 2004 and as the Oscar Dyson was being completed, the contract for the second vessel, Henry B. Bigelow was announced. These 208-ft. by 49-ft. vessels have cutting edge capabilities to gather scientific information on fish populations and the water quality of their habitat.
Peggy Jo: A Family Tradition
When pioneering king crab fisherman Oscar Dyson of Kodiak had Jensen-designed 99 ft. Peggy Jo built back in 1966, Pacific Fisherman hailed her as "the first U.S. vessel ever built specifically to fish for King crab." She was big for her day - capable of carrying 100 pots and packing 12,000 live crab. The yellowing magazine copy tells us she was equipped with the latest electronics including "a loran set which enables the skipper to establish his bearings electronically." An earlier article trumpeted another innovation, "An unusual feature of Peggy Jo is the articulated hydraulic boom mounted in the middle of the main deck working area." Built at Martinolich Shipyard in Tacoma, the new vessel carried a 850 hp Caterpillar D-398 in her engine room.
