Frank Basil News

Thoma-Sea Boatbuilders Inc., Houma, La., launched the first of two new 150-ft. offshore supply vessels (OSVs) it is building for Massie Towing of Houma. The vessels were designed by Frank Basil of Intech & Associates, also of Houma. The first vessel, M1, entered service in mid-June, and the second vessel is scheduled to launch in December 2000. Massie will operate both vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. Propulsion power for the two new OSVs comes from twin Cat 3508EUI marine engines, each rated 905 bhp (675 bkW) at 1,600 rpm. The electronic unit injected 3508s drive Bird Johnson 72 x 59 in. propellers through Twin Disc 5:1 gears, providing a service speed of 14 knots.

The Bayou Country of Louisiana has a reputation as a place where great boats are built in small yards. When Richard Adams Sr. opened his Lockport Fabrication yard on the bank of Bayou Lafourche at Lockport in 1979 he became a part of that tradition. Now, at 72 years of age, he comes in every day to work with his son Richard “Dickie” Adams Jr. Over the years the two men have launched a lot of boats from their yard. Recently, when they launched the supply vessel Bertha D stern first, her166-foot length nearly reached to the opposite bank of the bayou. Designed by naval architect Frank Basil of Houma Louisiana for owners Supreme Services also of Houma, the boat has a 36-ft. beam and a 14-ft. molded depth. The hull is fabricated from 3/4 and 1/2-inch steel plate.

September 11 set things back all over the world and especially in New York. But now a maritime firm in that city has a new tug building at Thoma-Sea Boat Builders in Houma Louisiana. The model bow tug, essentially a sister ship to one delivered last January, is a 3400 HP ocean-going tug, 100 by 32 feet with a molded depth of 13 feet 9 inches. Designed by Frank Basil’s Entech and Associates of Houma LA the boat will be powered by a pair of 16-cylinder Cummins KTA50 main engines rated for 1700 HP at 1800 RPM. The engines will turn into Rentjes WAF-772 gears with rations of 7.087:1 and turning 87-inch Sound propellers in 88-inch Rice nozzles. The boat is designed for a bollard pull of 60 tons. Accommodations will be provided for up to eight people.

September 11 set things back all over the world and especially in New York. But now a maritime firm in that city has a new tug building at Thoma-Sea Boat Builders in Houma, La. The model bow tug, essentially a sister ship to one delivered last January, is a 3,400 hp ocean-going tug, 100 by 32-ft. with a molded depth of 13.75 ft. Designed by Frank Basil's Entech and Associates of Houma, the boat will be powered by a pair of 16-cylinder Cummins KTA50 main engines rated for 1,700 hp at 1,800 rpm. The engines will turn into Reintjes WAF-772 gears with rations of 7.087:1 and turning 87-in. Sound propellers in 88-in. Rice nozzles. The boat is designed for a bollard pull of 60 tons. Accommodations will be provided for up to eight people. Tankage includes 85,000 U.S.

September 11 set things back all over the world and especially in New York. But now a maritime firm in that city has a new tug building at Thoma-Sea Boat Builders in Houma Louisiana.The model bow tug, essentially a sister ship to one delivered last January, is a 3400 HP ocean-going tug, 100 by 32 feet with a molded depth of 13 feet 9 inches. Designed by Frank Basil's Entech and Associates of Houma LA the boat will be powered by a pair of 16-cylinder Cummins KTA50 main engines rated for 1700 HP at 1800 RPM. The engines will turn into Rentjes WAF-772 gears with rations of 7.087:1 and turning 87-inch Sound propellers in 88-inch Rice nozzles. The boat is designed for a bollard pull of 60 tons. Accommodations will be provided for up to eight people.

Andy Martin of AMT Marine will take delivery this May of a 136 x 34 x 12-ft. mini-supply boat from Hope Services of Dulac, La. The new boat, designed by Frank Basil's Entech and Associates of Houma, will be powered by a pair of Cummins V-12 KTA38 M0 main engines rated for 850 hp each at 1,800 rpm and driving through Twin Disc MG5301 gears with a ratio of 5.96:1. It's what this combination is driving that makes the story. On the end of each stainless steel six-in. shaft will be mounted a 66 x 54-in. five-blade prop from Padgett-Swan. Computer modelling has shown a gain of up to 1.5 knots with this combination and the five-blade props over four-blade props. Given the new boat's cargo capacities ? approximately 95,000 gallons of water and 90,000 of fuel ?