Signet Weatherly is the latest RAmparts 3200 Class ASD from the design board of Robert Allan Ltd. Recently delivered to her proud owner; Signet Maritime Corporation, the tug will be based in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Named after the 1962 America’s Cup winning 12 metre yacht “Weatherly”, the new vessel will enhance Signet’s Gulf operations, providing ship-assist capabilities along with long range towing. The RAmparts 3200 design is configured for low-manning operation, with a high standard of machinery automation. The vessel is equipped with both a bow winch for ship assist work and a stern winch and tow pins for towing and other operations over the stern, as well as for offshore duties. Extended fuel capacity gives her extended range for towing rigs in and around the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Signet Weatherly was built in accordance with American Bureau of Shipping notation: • A1 Tug, Towing Vessel, AMS Unrestricted Voyages
Particulars of this tug are as follows:
- Length overall -105’-0”
- Length, waterline - 102’-7 1/2’
- Beam, moulded, extreme - 38’-0”
- Depth, moulded (hull) - 17’-8”
- Maximum draft over skeg - 17’-3 1/2”
Tank capacities are:
- Fuel Oil -92,000 US gallons
- Fresh water - 3,800 US gallons
- Lube Oil - 500 US gallons
- Waste Oil - 364 US gallons
- Oily Water - 524 US gallons
On trials, Signet Weatherly met or exceeded all performance expectations, with the following results:
- Bollard pull, ahead - 132,300 lbs. (60 tonnes)
- Bollard pull, astern - 121,275 lbs. (55 tonnes)
- Free running speed, ahead - 12.0 knots
The vessel has been outfitted to the highest standards for a crew of up to 10 people. The large main deckhouse contains a spacious galley and mess, and 2 cabins with shared en suite WC for the Chief Engineer and Master. The lower deck contains 3 crew cabins, WC and 2 showers, a galley store and a deck stores room. The wheelhouse is designed for maximum all-round visibility with forward and aft control stations providing maximum visibility to both fore and aft deck working areas.
The deck machinery is comprised of a 50HP Markey DEPC-48 Render / Recover Hawser Winch on the foredeck with a brake holding power of 300,000 lbs. Line pull is rated at 15,000lbs at 100 ft/min and 3,500lbs at 200 ft/min. Maximum stall pull is 40,000lbs. Capacity is 500 ft of 9” circ. line.
Located on the aft deck is a 100HP Markey TESD-32 side-by-side double drum towing winch with a brake holding capacity of 400,000lbs. and carrying 2300 ft of 2” dia wire. Maximum line pull at stall is 135,000lbs., with rated capacities of 92,000lbs at 30 ft/min and 11,000lbs at 90 ft/min.
There is a Smith Berger 12T-214 tow pin / roller / hold-down block integrated into the bulwarks aft. Propulsion comprises a pair of MTU 16V 4000M60 diesel engines, each rated 1760kW at 1800 rpm, driving a pair of Niigata ZP31 Z-drives with 102.4 inch diameter fixed pitch propellers. The electrical plant comprises 2 Northern Lights M1066 diesel gen-sets, each with power output of 130 kW.
Ship-handling fenders at the bow comprise of one tier of 32 inch hollow rubber fenders with a lower run of 14 inch “W” block fenders. A 14 x 14 inch hollow “D” fender provides protection at the main and foc’sle deck sheer lines, and 14 inch “W” block type fendering is used at the stern.