C Raymond Hunt News

Humphree makes inroads in North American markets with vessel stabilization technology.If you haven’t yet heard of Humphree – the Sweden-based supplier of vessel stabilization systems – then, more than likely, that’s about to change. The firm’s penetration into the North American commercial and leisure marine market has seen its equipment on several vessels, including high-profile deployments like the new Seastreak high-speed commuting ferry.Founded in 2002 by a team of hydrodynamic and marine engineers…

The Virginia-based pilots say that this Gladding Hearn-built workhorse checks all the boxes: safety, stability, reliability, service support, speed and efficiency.This is not your grandfather’s pilot boat. The 55-foot Chesapeake class MKII launch built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding was delivered to its station in Virginia Beach this summer, equipped with a range of state-of-the-art technologies for improved safety, stability, reliability and efficiency.Chief among Hampton Roads’ high-tech features is its Volvo Penta propulsion system.

MarineLink was given the opportunity to ride aboard the Virginia Pilot Association's new pilot boat Hampton Roads.The newly-built Chesapeake class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding was delivered earlier this summer, equipped with a range of state-of-the-art technologies for improved safety, stability, reliability and efficiency.Chief among Hampton Roads' high-tech features is its Volvo Penta propulsion system. The vessel is powered by twin D13-700, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines…

Delta Launch Services, the operating company for the Associated Branch pilots on the SW Pass of the Mississippi, has taken delivery of a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The new 52-footer is the fifth St. John’s Class launch built by the Somerset, Mass. shipyard for the Delta pilots.The new all-aluminum launch, a sister-ship to the Mississippi Delta delivered in 2013, measures 52.6’ overall, with a beam of 16.11’ and a draft of 4.8’. The boat features the C.

The Duclos family is iconic in boatbuilding circles, as the Somerset, Mass.-based Gladding-Hearn, Duclos Corporation, has built a strong heritage in the pilot boat and fast ferry sectors, and in total more than 425 vessels have been delivered since it was founded in 1955. Today a trio of second-generation siblings run the yard, brothers and co-presidents John and Peter Duclos with sister Carol Hegarty serving as CFO. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited the yard recently…

The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a Chesapeake class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. The MKII, a new generation of the shipyard’s Chesapeake class launch, is the Virginia pilots’ eighth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat.The Somerset, Mass. shipyard has delivered 20 Chesapeake class pilot boats throughout the U.S. since introducing the series in 2003. The latest improvements incorporate the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 3 pod system, which provides for higher speed…

The Alabama Pilot, Inc. in Mobile, Ala., has taken delivery of Dixey, a newly built Chesapeake Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. With length overall of 53.6’, beam of 17.8’, and draft of 4.8’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep-V hull. It is powered by twin Caterpillar C-18 diesel engines, each delivering 671Bhp at 2100 rpm and a top speed of 27 knots. A Humphree interceptor trim-tab control system was installed at the transom.

Marine News showcases the best of North America’s 2017 workboat deliveries. There is something for everyone. Notwithstanding the lingering offshore energy downturn, there were plenty of bright spots for North American shipyards in 2017. If a hull was delivered in 2017, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For starters, it is always exciting when a domestic yard delivers a vessel – or multiple vessels, for that matter – to foreign buyers. We can compete in a foreign arena; on price, quality and on-time delivery. This year was no different. No less important is the environmental footprint of a vessel, and there was plenty to report on from that angle in the past 12 months. The domestic waterfront is indeed getting greener and cleaner.

Louisiana-based Lake Charles Pilots has ordered a fourth pilot boat from Massachusetts-based shipbuilder Gladding-Hearn. The new all-aluminum vessel, due for delivery in 2018, will join three similar pilot boats already in the Lake Charles fleet. With a length overall of 70’, beam of 22’ and draft of 6.8’, the new pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep V hull. It will be powered by twin Cummins QSK38-M, EPA Tier 3 diesel engines, each delivering 1,300 Bhp at 1,800 rpm and a top speed of 27 knots. The engines will turn five-blade NiBrAl Bruntons propellers, connected to a pair of Twin Disc gear boxes. To optimize fuel economy, vessel handling and comfort, twin Humphree interceptors, with automatic trim optimization, will be installed at the transom.

Delta Launch Services, the operating company for the Associated Branch pilots on the SW Pass of the Mississippi, has ordered a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery of the new 52-footer, scheduled for 2018, is the fifth St. John’s Class launch built for the Delta pilots by the Somerset, Mass. shipyard. The new launch, a sister-ship to the Mississippi, delivered in 2013, measures of 52.6’ overall, with a beam of 16.11’ and a draft of 4.8’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep V hull.

The Southwest Alaska Pilots Association in Homer, Alaska has ordered a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery is scheduled for 2018. With a length overall of 75.7’, beam of 20.6’ and draft of 3.11’, the all-aluminum Galveston Class pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep V hull. It will be powered by twin Cummins QSK38-M1, EPA Tier 3 diesel engines, each delivering 1,400 Bhp at 1,800 rpm and connected to twin ZF-5000 gear boxes. The launch will be propelled by a pair of Hamilton HM651 water jets. Top speed is expected to reach 28 knots.

Being safe on board any workboat has never been easier. That’s because when the Sabine Pilots in Port Arthur, Texas took delivery of their all new all-aluminum pilot boat, the Port Arthur, in May of last year, the vessel came with all the bells and whistles that operators have come to expect from tonnage produced by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Mass. For its part, the Gladding-Hearn name has over time become synonymous with cutting edge pilot boats, and the Port Arthur was no different.

The Virginia Pilot Boat Corporation has ordered a Chesapeake Class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. The MKII, a new generation of the shipyard’s popular, smaller class of pilot boats, is the Virginia pilots’ eighth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat. Delivery is scheduled for 2018. Since the Chesapeake Class pilot boat was introduced by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2003, 17 have been delivered to pilot associations throughout the U.S. The latest improvements incorporate the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 3 pod system, which provides for higher speed, lower fuel consumption, and more comfort, explained Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s president. With a deep-V hull designed by C.

The Lake Pilots Association, District 2, in Port Huron, Mich., has accepted delivery of Huron Spirit, a new Chesapeake Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. With a length overall of 52.5’, a beam of 16.7’, and a draft of 4.8’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep V hull. It is powered by twin Cummins QSM11 diesel engines, each delivering 602 Bhp at 2300 rpm and a top speed of 25 knots. A Humphree interceptor, with automatic trim optimization, is installed at the transom.

The new boat being built for the Virginia Pilots Association joins the increasing number of pilot boats powered by Volvo Penta IPS. The 55-ft. vessel, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates and built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, will run on twin D13 900 hp U.S. EPA Tier 3 engines with IPS3 drives. “Stability, reliability, support, speed and efficiency – these are the five criteria that we used to select the engine for the new pilot boat,” said Frank Rabena, a 17-year pilot and chairman of the Association’s pilot boat committee. Research began in 2011 when Rabena and the Association’s port engineer, Mark Kampfmueller, visited the Volvo Penta facility in Sweden where they saw the IPS system firsthand and realized its potential.

For more than 60 years, Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding has built steel and aluminum commercial vessels. Located on 6.5 acres on the deepwater Taunton River in Somerset, Mass., the family-owned and operated shipyard counts more than 417 vessels built as proof of its longevity and vessel reliability. A total of 38 customers own 120 Gladding-Hearn vessels. With in-house naval architecture and engineering capabilities and a cross-trained workforce, Gladding-Hearn is well-known for applying some of the most advanced shipbuilding techniques that rival many bigger yards…

C. Raymond Hunt Associates, a boat design firm that continues to expand on the legacy of its founder, C. Raymond Hunt, to produce innovative boats with rugged seaworthiness, is now celebrating its 50th year. “Ray Hunt was a genius, able to intuitively know how boats work and with the courage to experiment,” said C. Raymond Hunt Associates President, Winn Willard. “We have taken Ray's ideas and applied them, honing our expertise and knowledge from the days of the early deep-v hulls. Now we have an 11-meter RIB on virtually every large ship in the U.S.

The Alabama Pilot, Inc., in Mobile, Ala., has ordered a Chesapeake Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery of the new 53-footer is scheduled for mid-2017. With a length overall of 53.6 feet, a beam of 17.8 feet, and a draft of 4.8 feet, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the C. Raymond Hunt-designed Deep V hull. It will be powered by twin Caterpillar C-18 diesel engines, each delivering 671Bhp at 2,100 rpm and a top speed of 25 knots. A Humphree interceptor trim-tab control system will be installed at the transom. Diesel capacity is 800 gallons, which shipyard officials say will provide a range of at least 380 miles at an economical speed of about 20 knots.

Sabine Pilots in Port Arthur, Texas has received a new all-aluminum pilot boat, Port Arthur. With a deep-V hull designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, the Chesapeake class pilot boat was built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation of Somerset, Mass. The vessel measures 53.6 feet overall, with a 17.8-foot beam and a 4.8-foot draft. The launch is powered by twin Caterpillar C-18s diesels, each rated at 715 Bhp at 2,100 rpm. Loaded top speed is 28 knots. The engines turn five-blade NiBrAl propellers via Twin Disc MGX-5135A Quick Shift gear boxes.

The Delaware pilots association has taken delivery of its third pilot boat of the popular Chesapeake Class from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The delivery marks the fifteenth pilot boat of this class built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard, since its introduction in 2002. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt & Associates, the all-aluminum pilot boat measures 52.6 feet overall. It has a 17-foot beam and 4.8-foot draft, and a top speed of 25 knots. The new launch is powered by twin Volvo Penta D16 diesel engines, each delivering 651 Bhp at 1800 rpm, with ZF 500-1-A gear boxes.

The new Chesapeake-class MKII launch delivered this month by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding to the Tampa Bay Pilots Association features integrated engine and drive from Volvo Penta. The new 52.7-ft. 28-knot pilot boat, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, is powered by twin Volvo Penta D11 six-cylinder 503 hp diesel engines with IPS2 drives and Volvo Penta  EVC electronic steering and control system. Each of the IPS pods has two counter-rotating forward-facing props that pull the boat through the water rather than pushing it.

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model. Even as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversupply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. boatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of some so-called ‘second tier’ yards,  a number of U.S. boat builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and overseas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for security craft that can perform more than one function.

The Tampa Bay pilot association has taken delivery of its second Chesapeake Class launch and the first in a new generation of Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding’s mid-size pilot boats, the boat builder announced today. Since the Chesapeake Class pilot boat was introduced by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2003, 15 have been delivered to pilot associations throughout the U.S. According to shipyard officials, the latest improvements incorporate the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system.