Eastern's Columbia on Display in Fort Lauderdale
Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s reengineered Columbia, built from the original design plans of the classic 1923 Essex-built schooner, will be on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 30-November 3, 2014. The original Columbia, a 141’ classic Gloucester Fishing Schooner designed by William Starling Burgess, built at the historic A.D. Story shipyard of Essex, Massachusetts and launched April 17, 1923, was bred for speed, challenging – and nearly defeating – Canada’s legendary Bluenose schooner in the International Fishermen’s Cup Races in Halifax.
Eastern Wins Casino Vessel Contract
The Big M Casino, Inc of Fort Myers, Fla., has awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Florida to construct a casino vessel. The as yet unnamed vessel will join the existing vessel, Royal Gambler, in providing offshore casino services to the Fort Myers market. The vessel was designed by John W. Gilbert and Associates, a prominent naval architect firm located in Hingham, Massachusetts. The interior design will be performed by Bauer Interiors of New Orleans, Louisiana.Bauer Interiors is one of the best-known companies in design, traffic and ergonomics of casino vessels. The vessel is 186 ft. long with a beam of 38 ft. and a molded depth of 11.5 ft., and depending on conditions, will have a loaded draft of 8 ft. She will accommodate 600 passengers plus a crew of 72.
