Art Anderson Associates has been awarded a contract to design all-aluminum 52 ft. (15.8 m) pilot boat for Delta Launch Services of Pilottown, La. Besides ferrying pilots to and from ships, the vessel will be U.S. Coast Guard certified as a passenger vessel under subchapter T. It will be powered by twin Detroit Diesel 8V2000 engines, rated at 645-hp each via propellers.
The pilot vessel, which is the first of its kind in the U.S., is modeled after the high-tech Stolkraft patented hull form. Subsequent to spending nearly two years scrutinizing this hull form by the Associated Branch Pilots of Pilottown, Stolkraft's attributes were confirmed when they traveled to Australia for a test ride on a similar boat operated by the Fremantle Pilots.
Extensive tank testing in the Netherlands and the U.S. noted that the hull provides propulsive efficiency, excellent stability and exceptional maneuvering characteristics.