WESMAR Delivers Thruster to another Fireboat
The "super pumper" fireboat is to enhance San Francisco’s marine fire fighting and response capabilities on water including high-volume water pumping, firefighting, rescue, emergency medical service and patrol in the waters of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays and the Pacific Ocean within five miles of shore and the adjoining inland waterways.
The WESMAR Bow Thruster was delivered with the thruster mounted in a 12-foot-long fiberglass tube making it easier for the shipyard to install. WESMAR’s dual prop counter rotation design produces up to 40% more thrust allowing for the use of a smaller diameter tunnel. The narrower tube is typically an advantage to work boats where space saving is often critical.
WESMAR (Western Marine Electronics) delivered one of its bow thruster systems to another fireboat this month. This systems will be installed on a ‘super pumper’ for the city of San Francisco.
The new fireboat is being built by Vigor Fab, Seattle, a subsidiary of Vigor Industrial, and is scheduled for delivery next year. Per specifications her ability to maneuver and dock in tight situations and to hold steady during fire fighting and rescue operations will be facilitated by WESMAR’s Model V2-20 NS 100 HP stainless steel, dual prop, counter-rotating bow thruster system. The WESMAR thruster system carries an ABS Class Certification (PDA). The counter rotating dual prop design produces up to 40% more thrust and allows for installation in a smaller tunnel. The WESMAR package for this fire boat also includes a custom hydraulics system.
Bob Sentz, WESMAR Vice President, said, “We have supplied dozens of U.S. fireboats with bow thrusters. Most notable are the twin 137-foot, 500-ton New York fire boats ‘Three-Fifty-Three’ and ‘Fire Fighter Two;’ the 79-foot Boston fire boat ‘American United; and the 65-foot ‘City of Portland, Maine.”
The 88-foot San Francisco fireboat will have a top speed of 11.5 knots in full load condition. It will be a high-volume water and foam pumping NFPA Type II fireboat capable of throwing water and/or firefighting foam from a distance of 300 feet to extinguish flames quickly and safely.
It will be equipped to provide water directly from the bay or ocean should shore side fire mains be damaged by an earthquake.
