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Andy Lebet News

14 Jan 2004

Feature: Two if by Sea

As you read this, there are two beautiful new Skipperliner luxury charter vessels "wintering" in New Orleans and will be available for tours during the annual PVA Maritrends meeting in early February. After that they will complete their delivery run down the Mississippi River, into the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast of the United States to southern California. Their trip began 1500 miles upriver at Skipperliner's factory in Lacrosse, Wisc. in December. Pacific Avalon Yacht Charters of Newport Beach, Calif. owns the two vessels and will put both of them into service this spring. The 128-ft. Ambassador will work out of the homeport of Newport Beach, while the 148-ft. Majestic will dock in San Diego, Calif.

14 Jan 2004

Feature: It's About Time and Money Willamette Star "Stretch"

About a year ago Dan Yates, president of American Waterways, Inc., (dba Portland Spirit) of Portland, Oregon had a pleasant, yet vexing problem. His fleet of three dinner cruise vessels was doing good business, but he needed a vessel that could seat 100-140 passengers for a meal function. His fleet included the Crystal Dolphin that held 50 people for dinner, the Willamette Star with a 70 person seated capacity and the 350 passenger (540 for cocktails) Portland Spirit. "We were turning away business that was ideal for a 100-150 passenger vessel. Our Crystal Dolphin was too small and the Portland Spirit too large," Yates reported. "To capture this business our decision came down to buying a new vessel that would seat 100 plus for dinner or rebuilding and lengthening the Willamette Star…

14 Jan 2004

Feature: Passenger Vessels : What's in Store in 2004?

The passenger vessel market is a classic mature marine market. Segments of it are doing well, while other parts have literally died. For example, the overnight segment of the market saw one substantial vessel delivered in 2003 with none on the horizon for 2004. The Empress of the North, a 360-ft. sternwheeler was put into service in September working the West Coast-Alaska route. Now that ice is a problem in Alaska, the vessel is working the Columbia River system in the Northwest U.S. The vessel was the largest vessel ever built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. and is owned by American West Steamboat Company, Portland, Ore. Developing overnight service is the most difficult part of the passenger vessel industry to get established.

04 Jun 2004

Emerging from Fog

The various segments of the passenger vessel industry have undergone significant transformation in the last 12 months. It looks stronger as we head into the last six months of the year with ferries and charter yachts leading the way. Frankly, a year ago the passenger vessel industry was in some disarray faced with developing a security plan to meet the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 passed in Congress in wake of terrorism threats. Developing such a comprehensive plan by the end of 2003 proved to be an almost impossible task for an industry made up of mostly small boat owners. Coming to the rescue was the industry's trade association the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA). They developed the PVA Industry Standard for Security of Passenger Vessels and Small Passenger Vessels.

24 Jan 2002

Ferries Lead the Way

There are several quick conclusions you can draw about passenger boat construction in the new millennium. First it is a smaller market than 10 years ago with far fewer boats being built today than a decade ago. Secondly almost all of these vessels are built on the east or west coast. There are virtually no passenger boats being built in the south. Third, the number one vessel type being built is the ferryboat and more specifically the all-passenger ferry that shuttles people at 25 knots or better. In the years between 1987 and 1993 shipyards all over the country were building 600-passenger excursion-dinner boats in great numbers as sightseeing and dining vessels on America’s great rivers, lakes and bays became increasingly popular.

11 Jan 2005

A Market that has Rediscovered its Rudder

The year 2004 was a watershed year for the passenger vessel industry. The first two American flagged fast passenger and vehicle ferries went into service and equally important was that business was up in all sectors of the marketplace. There is more variety as well. For the first time in several years, new casino boats are being built. One is for an operator in Michigan City, Indiana, a vessel being built at Chicago Bridge & Iron as a replacement boat for a vessel now almost 10 years old. A second is for the Lake Charles, La. Subsidiary of Pinnacle Entertainment, a Las Vegas-based gaming company. This is a 330-ft. by 225-ft. powered barge built by Leevac Shipyards, Jennings, La.

07 Jul 2003

Feature: Ferry Boat Construction Tops Passenger Vessel Industry

The passenger vessel industry continues to be mired in a construction malaise with high-speed passenger only ferries and more conventional passenger auto ferries the only bright spot. The epicenter of the passenger vessel ferry business is the New York City metro area where dozens of new ferries have been added to replace the PATH and other subway lines destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Suddenly "the way to work" for thousands of commuters was severed. Recent deliveries into the area include five 79-foot catamarans for NY Waterway. They are single deck, 149-foot passenger only ferries. The company also has purchased two 340-passsenger fast ferries from NY Fast Ferry. The ramp up in New York City ferry services has not been without difficulties, however.

07 Sep 1999

Design Analysis of Shirley Irene

The 140 x 46 ft. ferry vessel, Shirley Irene, was constructed in 1991 on the Gulf Coast, for operation in Lake Erie, out of Marblehead, Ohio. The original design concept was conceived by DeJong & Lebet, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., and Ed von Bergen. The owner's requirements were for an inexpensive, open-deck vehicle ferry, with a high degree of maneuverability, for local wind and other weather conditions, along with double-ended capability. Simplicity of operation was also important. The owner also required some increased protection for the exposed vehicles on the open deck. There were several design considerations, which ultimately determined the final vessel configuration. Most of these related to the maneuverability and thus, the propulsion system of the vessel.