Captain Bill III Repowers for Savings

On the first 24-hour charter trip this May 5, the repowered 110-ft.Capt. Bill III achieved speeds over 25 knots and used 240 gallons less fuel than with the old engines. The additional speed resulted largely from the increase in horsepower to 2,100 hp total generated at 2,100 rpm by the three six-cylinder, four-stroke Cummins KTA19 M4 engines. These replaced three 12-cylinder two stroke engines that produced a combined 1,740 hp at 2,300 rpm for a top speed around 22 knots. The fuel savings, that came in spite of approximately 20 percent increase in horsepower, results from the move to 4-cycle technology, reduced rpm and design efficiencies. The reduced rpm and fuel burn can also be expected to result in longer intervals between engine overhauls. Company president Tom Swatzel said that the company had been getting only 5,000 hours between overhauls on their old engines, and that they conservatively expect to more than double that with the new engines. The KTA19 engines were supplied by Nils Layman of Cummins Atlantic. Originally built as a crew boat for the oil industry in Louisiana by Camcraft, the "Capt. Bill III", with a 25-ft. beam on her 110-ft. aluminum hull, is operated by Ocean Fleet out of Capt. Dick's Marina in Murrells Inlet, SC. Installation of the new Cummins engines was handled in house by Ocean Fleet's Capt. Jack Orr with the assistance from Robert Strickland who is captain of the "Capt. Bill III". Each engine was linked to a Twin Disc MG 5114A, ratio 1.92:1 with three-in. stainless steel shafts connecting to over-square 34 x 35-in. four-blade Nibral props. The engines are heat exchanger cooled and they are equipped with air starters. A pair of 30kW gensets meet the boat's electrical needs. The boat works an eight-month season between March and October, taking sports fishermen offshore as far as 60 miles. Targeted are bottom fish including grouper, black sea bass, triggerfish and others. At a use rate around 1,500 hours per year, Tom Swatzel expects to pay for the repower over a five to seven year period, although, if early fuel consumption numbers prove consistent, he is optimistic that he will recoup his costs in considerably less than that.