Donald L Blount News

Donald L. Blount, an international esteemed technical expert in the field of high-speed craft hydrodynamics died on July 14, 2022 at the age of 87.Donald was driven all his life to do one job: design high-speed powerboats that could comfortably and efficiently run through rough water. His fascination with hydrodynamics began when he was a Virginia Tech co-op student working at the David Taylor Model Basin, the Navy's premier hydrodynamic research facility.Donald’s research contributions…

Hindsight, they say is 20/20, and in this regard renowned design house Gibbs & Cox has nine decades in the rear view mirror on which to lean. We recently caught up with Chris Deegan, President and CEO of Gibbs & Cox, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2019, to discuss the organization’s rich history and promising future.When you took the top spot at Gibbs & Cox in 2016, what were your goals for the organization?As a company that designs everything from yachts to work boats to destroyers, I wanted to reassert G&C as the global leader in the naval architecture and marine engineering industry.

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor has hired Richard McCreary as VP of Business Development and Bill Blount as International Business Development Manager. As VP of Business Development, McCreary will lead Vigor’s growing government programs in ship repair and fabrication. He brings to the role long history in shipbuilding and ship repair, having serves as Executive VP for VT Halter in Mississippi for five years, CEO of Marinette Marine from 2005 to 2011, and recently finished a six year tour with BAE Systems in Alabama.

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Gibbs & Cox, Inc. has appointed Jeffrey B. Bowles as Director of its Chesapeake, Va. division, Donald L. Blount & Associates (DLBA).   Bowles joined DLBA in 2001 as a Webb Institute Naval Architect and earned a master's degree in Marine Engineering from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. He was promoted to DLBA Technical Director in 2011. Bowles is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of Virginia, Florida and New York, and is a certified Project Management Professional.

Gibbs & Cox and Donald L. Blount and Associates (G&C/DLBA) comprise one of the world’s leading independent naval architecture and marine engineering design firms. The company employs naval architects, engineers and designers from all of the ship-related engineering disciplines including propulsion, mechanical/auxiliaries, structural, electrical, software, and logistics. Since its founding in 1929, G&C has provided expert services to the entire marine sector. Engineering, design…

Gibbs & Cox, Inc. announced the acquisition of Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc. (DLBA), a Chesapeake, VA-based firm renowned for its naval architecture and marine engineering services for commercial and government clients world-wide. Biben emphasized Gibbs & Cox’s focus on expansion and innovation. “DLBA’s new association with Gibbs & Cox will significantly enhance DLBA’s depth and breadth in providing timely and quality high performance marine solutions to our world-wide market, while continuing to foster and maintain our important and close relationships with our clients,” said Don Blount, President, DLBA. “This new relationship with Gibbs & Cox will provide our clients with the assurance of new technology application and expert staff reach-back from one of the largest…

The new book “Performance by Design: Hydrodynamics for High-Speed Vessels” will be introduced on October 30 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Donald L. Blount, founder of Donald L. Blount and Associates, announced. A limited number of books will be available at Booth 685 for purchase and signed by the author. The hardback book may be preordered prior to the boat show through online book sellers. “My intent has been to share the technical information, decision criteria…

Maine's Front Street Shipyard says it is beginning immediate construction on high-performance multi-hulls for Trefoil Marine which will be used primarily for military, police patrol, fire and rescue services. The shipbuilders inform that these patrol boats are a catamaran design by Donald L. Blount and Associates (DLBA) of Chesapeake, VA, with superior stability, predictable handling and a smooth ride. The corrosion-free, infused composite construction vessels combine shallow draft with minimal wake. The vessel can be beached or stored without the need for a cradle.

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, recently completed concept designs and performance specifications for two new fireboats that will join the city of Portland’s fire and rescue (PF&R) fleet in the first half of 2014. The new, fast-response fireboats will provide emergency response on long stretches of both the Columbia and Willamette rivers, and are expected to have a 20-year service life, which far exceeds the typical five to seven years found on similar vessels in this class.

The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) will host the High Performance Craft (HiPer Craft) Forum on June 19-20, 2013 at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in Norfolk, Va. •    Dr. •    Dr. •    Mr. •    Mr. •    Mr. Jonathan Hill, AMRINA, AFNI, Training Director at FRC International Ltd and Trident Marine Ltd. •    CAPT D.B. •    Mr. Dave Menna, Donald L. Blount & Associates, Inc. •    Mr. •    Dr. •    Mr. •    Dr. Trevor Dobbins, STResearch Ltd. •    Mr. Tyler Brand, President, StrongWake Ltd. •    Mr. •    Ms. •    Mr. Walt Pullar, Chief Executive Officer, RMGS, Inc.

Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc. (DLBA), a naval architecture and marine engineering company, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jeffrey Bowles to the position of Technical Director. Jeff graduated from Webb Institute in 2000 and went on to attain his Masters degree (with distinction) at Newcastle University. He is an accomplished Professional Engineer (P.E.) and PMI Project Management Professional. Jeff has been employed by DLBA since 2001, and has directed many initiatives in R&D, design development, refit and construction of advanced-technology marine vehicles.

Vessels of this design are to be deployed by private security firm for piracy protection off the coast of Africa. The advanced Long Range Vessel is designed for fuel efficiency and rough sea stabilization with a sprint speed over 40 knots and a range of over 1,500 nautical miles, more than three times the range of comparatively sized vessels. Global Maritime Security Solutions (GMSS), a leading maritime security company based in Dubai, will deploy the vessels for maritime security, including piracy protection, off the coast of Africa and surrounding areas.

RiverHawk Launches First-of-Class Advanced Multimission Platform (AMP) at Tampa Yard. RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames (RHFSF) has launched its signature Advanced Multimission Platform (AMP) at its shipyard in Tampa, Florida. Fully designed and built in the United States, the 145-foot coastal security craft was contracted 12 months ago by the U S Department of the Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to Maritime Security Strategies (MSS) of Tampa, Florida. RiverHawk designed, produced and is outfitting the ship, scheduled for final delivery to NAVSEA in May.

Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc. (DLBA), a naval architecture and marine engineering company, announced that Gordon Hatchell has recently become the newest member of our firm. DLBA’s project base consists of three components; 1) Custom designs for private clients, 2) Production boat/refit/yacht management, and 3) Military/commercial design and engineering. As the marine business climate is rising, Gordon has taken on the dual responsibilities for program management and business development of the third component of DLBA activity to increase the time available for current staff to pursue tasking for the first two business components.

The Shipbuilding Repair and Maritime Career Day Event 2010 was held in the Ted Constant Convocation Center on March 30 in Norfolk, Virginia. About 700 students and 70 teachers from different schools in Hampton Roads area participated in this daylong event. This year the scope of this event was extended to include maritime industry. The event offered an educational and fun-filled environment for middle and high school students to learn about various career options in shipbuilding, repair and maritime industries. The event was held from 8.00am till 3.00pm.

Challenging economic conditions didn’t stop a record number of industry professionals from attending The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) 2009 Annual Meeting and Expo. The three-day event (October 21-23) drew more than 1,150 to the Providence, Rhode Island Convention Center. "In all aspects, the 2009 SNAME Annual Meeting was a resounding success. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to those who attended the meeting, the many SNAME volunteers who organized the technical programs and social events, the meeting sponsors and those who exhibited at our EXPO. We look to build on this success and promise an exciting and stimulating meeting in Seattle/Bellevue in 2010,” said SNAME President Keith Michel.

The gas-turbine-powered yacht, Fortuna, was selected for the award, most innovative motor yacht for 2000, during the Eleventh Annual Showboats Awards in Monaco. The yacht, for the Spanish Head of State, was purpose-built from the naval architectural and marine engineering design and specifications developed by Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc., (DLBA) with offices in Chesapeake, Va. Blount accepted the award in Monaco for the design. Fortuna, with a length of 136 ft., has a top speed exceeding 65 knots, giving it the title as the fastest private yacht in the world. The half-load displacement is 140 tons with a draft of approximately 4 ft., 11 in. The vessel's main propulsion system uses three Rolls-Royce Allison gas turbines along with KaMeWa waterjets.

Precision Shapes of Virginia (PSOV) has set November 1 as its target date for the start of operations using two giant robotic milling and grinding arms to machine plugs and molds for boat construction. Founded by naval architect and marine engineer Donald L. Blount, the company will be able to produce the forms in a quarter of the time normally required. The technology will allow PSOV to construct single-part molds and plugs larger than previous technology has allowed. The two robotic arms will enable the making of one-piece forms as long as 80 ft., as wide as 15 ft., and as tall as 9.5 ft. The seven-axis arms have movement capabilities that permit the manufacture of three-dimensional shapes requiring most unusual cuts.

Gibbs & Cox has been awarded a contract for the U.S. Navy’s Ship Design Concepts Study. The purpose of the study is to assist the Navy in gaining greater insight into industry capabilities to design and build new, stealthy, high speed “Focused Mission Ships” that are designed to optimize warfighting in the Littoral Battlespace. The results of the study will be used by the Nay to formulate future ship requirements, such as for the Littoral Combat Ship Gibbs & Cox, Inc. established a team of organizations to assist them in this study, including: Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc.; Marinette Marine Corporation; Fincantieri; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Lockheed Martin Corp.; Charters Technical Services, Technomics, and Angle, Inc.

The Lockheed Martin LCS Team is adding United States Marine Repair to its group of core teammates supporting the Sea Blade LCS solution. Using an open business model, the Lockheed Martin LCS Team is recruiting "best of breed" technical specialists from the U.S. and overseas in its bid to win this important transformational Navy program. "A key focus of Lockheed Martin's LCS proposal is to find the best companies, in the U.S. and abroad, to deliver to the Navy the most affordable and effective ship possible," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin's Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems. "Our team is harnessing world class expertise in a wide range of disciplines. United States Marine Repair provides ship repair and logistics services experience to the team.