Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
"152-foot clammer launches in Florida; dual christening kicks off 105th season," Pattii Marine Enterprises, Pensacola, Fla.; Omega Shipyard, Moss Point, Miss. |
Collection |
National Fisherman Articles by Larry Chowning |
Catalog Number |
2020.9.2.590 |
Date |
JULY, 2017 |
Scope & Content |
NATIONAL FISHERMAN, JULY, 2017, Pgs. 36-37 AROUND THE YARDS, SOUTH "152-foot clammer launches in Florida; dual christening kicks off 105th season," By Larry Chowning Three Southern-built commercial fishing vessels were christened in April — the Sea Watcher II, a 152' x 36' clam vessel was launched in Pensacola, Fla., on April 8, and the menhaden ves- sels Windmill Point and Cockrells Creek were splashed on April 22 at Reedville, Va. The Sea Watcher II was built by Patti Marine Enterprises in Pensacola and designed by John Gilbert Jr. and Gil- bert Associates of Braintree, Mass. The new vessel is owned by TMT Vessels of Easton, Md., and will operate out of New Bedford, Mass. The fimi is owned by Barney Truex, Jim Meyers and Mar- tin Truex Sr., who fish 35 boats and em- ploy 700 through their seafood business in Easton. This is not the first vessel Patti has built for the firm, having launched the 134' x 34' ocean clammer Sea Watcher I in 2004 and managing two substantial conversions since 2003 on the F/V Pur- suit and F/V Catherine Elizabeth. The Sea Watcher I holds 132 clam cages. Her namesake will carry 200 cag- es from the fishing grounds in the At- lantic Ocean (Georges Bank). The deck hold can store 158 cages, and the main deck can stow another 42 cages. Stone says clams are caught with dredges off the bottom, dropped in a hopper and routed by conveyors into cages on deck. Once delivered to the firm’s seafood processing houses, they are shucked and packaged. Patti’s project manager, Ash- ley Stone, says the Sea Watcher II is the first clam vessel built in the United States with an Amer- ican Bureau of Shipping classi- fication certificate and load line assignment. Standards for ABS classification provide increased safety and redundancy through- out all machinery, electrical and alarm systems. ABS load lines are to ensure a robust hull that can withstand severe sea condi- tions and ensure weathertight and watertight integrity of hull penetra- tions and superstructure openings. The rating also ensures reserve buoyancy and that the vessel is not overloaded, while looking at modifications to ensure they don’t compromise seaworthiness. Peri- odic inspections verify the water load line is properly maintained and marked. Sea Watcher II will be powered by a Caterpillar 3512C rated at 1,810 hp, and there are two Cummins QSB7 genera- tors and one QSK38 Cummins engine rated at 1,000 hp to run the water pump. Omega Protein kicked off its 105th consecutive fishing season in ReedviUe, Va., with the christening of the Cock- rells Creek and the Windmill Point. These new updated vessels continue the firm’s efforts to advance its sustainable practices by modernizing its fishing fleet. The ceremony was held on Saturday, April 22, at the Reedville plant. As part of the ceremony, the firm also retired the F/V Tangier Island and F/V Reed- ville. "As we near the kick-off of our 105th year, these new vessels exemplify our continued investment in the future of Reedville," said Monty Deihl, Ome- ga Protein’s vice president of operations. "We also have the privilege of honoring the people who have helped build our community and our industry." Dixie Deihl sponsored the Cockrells Creek and Gayle Dameron the Wind- mill Point. The ladies had the honor of smashing champagne bottles across the bows of the vessels. Their late husbands were fish captains in Reedville’s men- haden fishery. The Cockrells Creek and Windmill Point boast many improvements over the vessels they are replacing, says De- ihl. They feature improved refrigera- tion, which will help ensure that Ome- ga Protein’s harvest is as fresh as pos- sible when it reaches the dock. They also feature greater capacity, holding up to 2 million fish apiece, compared to the 1.3 million held by the retiring vessel. The platform is more seaworthy for crew members with upgraded liv- ing quarters. The Windmill Point and Cockrells Creek were originally offshore oil sup- ply vessels used on the Gulf of Mexico before being converted to menhaden steamers by Omega Shipyard at Moss Point, Miss. |
Source |
Chowning, Larry |
Imagefile |
011\202092590.JPG |