Derecktor Delivers Fisheries Research Vessel

The State of Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife took delivery of “First State” to replace their current Fisheries Research Vessel, a hundred-year -old converted wooden sailboat. The new 62 ft. (19 m), designed by Nigel Gee & Associates, has been built by Derecktor in aluminum with a hard chine hull. The resiliently mounted pilot house provides exceptionally low noise levels. Behind the house, the ample aft deck has been fitted with swinging A-Frame and cargo boom, net reel, trawl winches, dredge roller and towing bit. The twin Daewoo T180VIM (641 HP@2100 rpm) engines have been resiliently mounted. They drive twin fixed-pitch propellers through ZF gearboxes. The propulsion package together with the modern fishing gear makes this boat a lot more efficient and also a lot safer than the Department’s former/current vessel. Fully loaded this new boat has a top speed of 22 knots. She has been designed to be operated with a crew size of nine. Planned uses of the new vessel include study and sampling of the fisheries in the Delaware River and Bay. The increased speed and sea worthiness of the vessel will allow for more consistent and extended fisheries sampling. In the last few years Derecktor Shipyards have established themselves as a leading manufacturer of commercial aluminum vessels in North America. Among their recent deliveries are an 85 foot (26 m) Freight Boat for Fire Island Ferries, Inc., and the third of a series of new pilot boats as part of the fleet modernization effort of the Sandy Hook Pilots Association. Derecktor Shipyards also recently delivered the first of six small passenger ferries for New York Water Taxi (NYWT) and are soon to deliver two more. Furthermore Derecktor Shipyards recently started construction on the first of two 240 foot (73 m) high-speed vehicle ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System. According to the maufacturers,among the factors in the success of the vessels are the high standard of aluminum fabrication and machinery installations as well as the weight conscious approach to vessel construction.