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Crowther Multihulls News

12 Oct 2001

Kvichak Delivers Law Enforcement

The deployment of catamarans as law enforcement patrol vessels has become a trend among the U.S. patrol agencies. The Alaska Department of Public Safety (ADPS) recently joined this trend by taking delivery of a 65 x 25 ft. aluminum catamaran, the Cama'i. Constructed by Kvichak Marine Industries and designed by Crowther Multihulls, the Cam'i is scheduled to patrol the waters around Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay. According to Captain Al Cain of ADPS, research shows that catamarans offers a safe, stable work platform in the open seas, this along with increased fuel efficiency and increased usable deck space are factors for choosing the catamaran for the new patrol vessel. ADPS requires a top speed of approximately 25 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots.

02 Sep 2003

Blount Delivers 130-ft. Crowther Catamaran

The 442 passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it’s hailing port of Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Monday, July 21, 2003. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Florida during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 kW generators supplying the ships service power.

30 Sep 2003

Delivery: Blount Delivers 130-ft. CAT

The 442-passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it's hailing port of Portsmouth, NH, recently. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Fla., during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 Kw generators supplying the ships service power. The vessel is equipped with (4) Hamilton Jets HM651 Series and SeaState Ride Control enabling the vessel to sail heavy seas. Full load service maximum speed is 35 knots. The vessel was designed by Crowther Multihulls of Australia and is the first large, high-speed catamaran built at the shipyard.

18 Dec 2003

News: PWF Welcomes Ocean Voyager

Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) of Wailuku, Hawaii recently welcomed the Ocean Voyager, to its fleet of excursion vessels. The all-aluminum catamaran, constructed by Kvichak Marine of Seattle, Washington, is the third catamaran constructed by Kvichak for PWF. Constructed to USCG regulations for 149 passengers, and based on Pacific Whale Foundation's 23 years of marine research and leading high quality marine ecotours, the Ocean Voyager is a Crowther Multihulls design. This hull design offers unsurpassed stability and an ultra-smooth ride for passengers. The 64 x 28-ft. vessel operates for PWF's Eco-Adventure cruises, which include snorkeling, wild dolphin watching, and whale watching tours out of Maui's Maalaea Harbor.

05 Apr 2004

Vessels: Big Cat Express: A Very Fast Sea Trial

It's 8:30 a.m. as the Big Cat Express saddles up to the dock at the Port of Morgan City, La. It is Sea Trial day for the big quad engine catamaran ferry. No question she is waterjet powered as the tops of the blue "buckets" of the four Hamilton Jet 651's break the surface of the water at the stern. Just above the buckets are the exhausts, large four stainless steel pipes that curve downward toward the water. About 25 pickup trucks and my Ford Taurus wait the arrival of the 150-ft. by 34-ft. vessel. Painted gleaming white, the three-deck vessel looks like it was built for speed. Today we will find out just how fast it can travel. Emerging from the vehicles were several executives from Gulf Craft, Inc.

10 May 2004

News: Kvichak Delivers Cama'i, Awarded Contract

Kvichak Marine Industries has delivered the Cama'i, a 69 x 25-ft. aluminum catamaran to the Department of Public Safety Division of Alaska State Troopers. Designed by Crowther Multihulls, the Cama'i is scheduled to patrol the waters around Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay. The State Trooper mission requires a vessel with a top speed of 25 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots. These speeds are attained by the propulsion choice of twin Caterpillar 3196 engines 660 bhp at 2300 rpm, driving 30-in. propellers through Twin Disc MG 5114A marine gears. The Cama'i will be used for protection of life and property, enforcement of commercial fishing regulations, search and rescue missions, and support of multi-agency law enforcement efforts.

25 May 2000

News

ConAgra Inc., the second largest U.S. food manufacturer, has agreed to sell American Commercial Lines LLC (ACL) its large U.S. inland barge fleet and operations. Financial terms of the deal, which ConAgra said was part of ongoing series of strategic divestments, were not announced. ACL will acquire 930 owned and chartered barges, nine chartered towboats and one dry dock, the companies said in a joint statement. The deal includes Peavey Barge Lines, Brown Water Towing Inc. and Superior Barge Lines, Inc. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval but is expected to be completed in the next 30 days, the companies said. Greg Heckman, president and CEO, ConAgra Trade Group, said, "Our decision to sell the barge company is a strategic one.

08 Mar 2001

Ocean Odyssey is Kvichak's Fifth Hawaiian Catamaran

Kvichak Marine recently delivered a fifth catamaran to Hawaii, the all-aluminum Ocean Odyssey, to Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) of Maui. Ocean Odyssey not only marks Kvichak's fifth Hawaiian catamaran, but it also represents PWF's second Kvichak built cat within 16 months. Constructed to USCG regulations for 149 passengers, Ocean Odyssey is a Crowther Multihulls design. The 64-x 28-ft. vessel operates for PWF's Eco-Adventure cruises, which include snorkeling, wild dolphin watching, and whale watching tours out of Maui's Maalaea Harbor. The combination of open deck space and stadium-style seating offers ideal viewing of whales and dolphins without increased vessel maneuvering. Cummins KTA19-M4 engines provide power for Ocean Odyssey.

27 Jun 2002

Blount-Barker Signs Contract for Whale Watch Catamaran

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding signed a contract with a B.B.O., LLC of Portsmouth, New Hampshire for the construction of a 124 ft. Whale Watch Catamaran for operation in Bar Harbor, Maine. The vessel designed by Crowther Multihulls of Sydney, Australia will operate both seasonal whale watch tours and high-speed commuter service. The 124 ft. x 36 ft. catamaran designed with a main, mid and upper deck will accommodate 444 passengers at a loaded operating speed of 40 knots. The vessel’s structure will be designed to DNV Rules and Regulations for the classification of high-speed light craft and built to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter K Rules and Regulations.

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.

16 Feb 2007

Kvichak Marine Delivers Catamarans

The all-aluminum cats, owned and operated by Luxury Marinas, are stationed at its El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa in Las Croabas, PR. Designed by Crowther Multihulls, of Australia, the two cats replace Luxury Marinas’ older fleet of four vessels. The catamarans are designed and constructed as USCG inspected Subchapter-T small passenger vessels rated for 150 passengers. The 72 x 29-ft. cats provide hotel guests with a stable and comfortable ride while traveling at speeds of 25 to 27 knots. The propulsion package for the cats includes: twin Cummins QSK-19M engines rated for 880 BHP @ 2100 rpm coupled to ZF 665 transmissions driving Nibral 5-blade propellers.

09 Sep 2002

Bollinger Delivers Innovative Lift Boat

Montco Offshore is the beneficiary of the latest innovative newbuild from the Bollinger Shipyards stable. The companies are touting the new L/B Myrtle, a 137.5 ft. unit, as a giant leap forward in the evolution of liftboats. The unit is outfitted with 245-ft. legs and the self-propelled floating platform has the ability to work in water depths to 180 ft. with a 15-ft. air gap while lifting a total of 850 KIPS of variable load. The feature that separates this liftboat from others, however, is that it is equipped with a bowthruster and controllable pitch (CP) propellers for greater maneuverability and pinpoint positioning of the huge legs with oversized pads on the ocean bottom.

15 Jan 2003

Passenger Vessels:A New England Shipyard Comes of Age

When MR/EN traveled up to the New England coast this past fall as part of a New England shipyard swing, we were expecting to meet the great one himself — Luther H. Blount — who could be informally known as the "father" of New England shipbuilding. Blount began his career so many years ago with the construction of a 77-ft. steel catamaran, was the first of many greater and more technologically innovative vessels that would later earn the designation as Blount crafted. Over the years, Blount oversaw the daily operations of his yard, managing to get his hands dirty on the overall production process. Carefully designing every vessel to a tee with a pencil and sketch pad…

10 Jan 2003

Markets:Eyes and Ears on the Water

Since the 9/11 attack there has obviously been increased emphasis on getting more eyes, ears and in some cases firepower on America's ports and inland waterways. Homeland security has become a top priority for the U.S. Coast Guard and numerous other Federal, state and local agencies. Patrol boats offer a relatively low cost solution to increasing security on America's waterways and in and around ports. These vessels range from RIB's with outboard motors to aluminum-hulled craft with high horsepower diesel engines enabling them to quickly reach and maintain high speeds often required for interdiction. Fortunately America was building capable patrol boats before 9/11. The mission of these vessels prior to 9/11 was mostly drug interdiction, search and rescue and/or border security.

26 Aug 1999

Kvichak Awarded Contract for Catamaran

Kvichak Marine Industries, Seattle, has been awarded a contract to build a 64 ft. whale watching catamaran for operation in Ele'ele, Kauai, Hawaii. Designed by Crowther Multihulls, of Newport, Australia, the 100-passenger vessel will cruise the Na Pali Coast for year-round whal watching, snorkeling and sightseeing tours. The overall length of the all-aluminum vessel will be 64 ft., with a beam of 28 ft. The vessel will operate at cruising speeds from 20 to 25 knots, with a propulsion package including: twin Cummins N-14 marine diesel engines coupled to 2.5 in. diameter Aquamet-19 propeller shafts and 26 in. diameter stainless steel propellers.

05 May 2000

News

Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with SeaAmerica Cruise Lines, Inc., based in Hollywood, Fla. Under the MOA, LSS and SeaAmerica will develop a ship design leading to contract negotiations for the construction of two 42,000-ton, 1,000-passenger cruise ships. The program will include options for two additional ships. Construction of the ships would utilize both of Litton Ship Systems' production facilities, Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula and Litton Avondale Industries in New Orleans, and would maximize the resources and experience of both shipyards to achieve operating synergies. Accommodations will include 87 percent outside cabins (most with private balconies)…