Offshore Support Focus
Diamond Services Corp., based in Morgan City, La., knows the importance of staying competitive in the oilfield service industry, which is why the company broke conventional rules of "propping" and built Mr. Mel, the first waterjet-powered crew/supply boat to work in the Gulf of Mexico. The diesel engine/waterjet combination, considered an innovative choice of propulsion system for a crewboat, offers advantages of increased speed, maneuverability and flexibility over propellers. The 145 ft. aluminum monohull, built by Swiftships, Inc., was delivered in February 1995. At the time, Mr. Mel was powered by four 815 bhp diesels driving four Hamilton HM-571 water jets through a Twin Disc MG-5202 gear with a 2:1 reduction ratio. Mr.
Offshore Support Focus
Diamond Services Corp., based in Morgan City, La., knows the importance of staying competitive in the oilfield service industry, which is why the company broke conventional rules of "propping" and built Mr. Mel, the first waterjet-powered crew/supply boat to work in the Gulf of Mexico. The diesel engine/waterjet combination, considered an innovative choice of propulsion system for a crewboat, offers advantages of increased speed, maneuverability and flexibility over propellers. The 145 ft. aluminum monohull, built by Swiftships, Inc., was delivered in February 1995. At the time, Mr. Mel was powered by four 815 bhp diesels driving four Hamilton HM-571 water jets through a Twin Disc MG-5202 gear with a 2:1 reduction ratio. Mr.
Taking Care of Business
Diamond Services Corp., based in Morgan City, La., knows the importance of staying competitive in the oilfield service industry, which is why the company broke conventional rules of "propping" and built Mr. Mel, the first waterjet-powered crew/supply boat to work in the Gulf of Mexico. The diesel engine/waterjet combination, considered an innovative choice of propulsion system for a crewboat, offers advantages of increased speed, maneuverability and flexibility over propellers. The 145 ft. aluminum monohull, built by Swiftships, Inc., was delivered in February 1995. At the time, Mr. Mel was powered by four 815 bhp diesels driving four Hamilton HM-571 water jets through a Twin Disc MG-5202 gear with a 2:1 reduction ratio. Mr.
Crewboats More Size, Weight And Power
In recent years the demand for large crew boats has continued to grow in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and has increased in some foreign markets, such as West Africa and Mexico. As their size has grown, so has the horsepower employed by these boats as customers demand greater load capacities and greater speed. "The trend in the 170-ft. (51.8 m) class of boats is to more power and faster speeds," affirms Swiftships' A.J. Blanchard, at the Morgan City yard, "These boats have gone up in power from four 1,000-hp engines to four 1,350-hp engines and bigger jets. We've had more interest from both U.S. and foreign customers in all jet boats since the increase in jet size has removed concerns over the loaded speeds," Blanchard adds.
