Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
"Alabama yard builds lucky 13th for Mass, owner; Virginia boat burned in dock fire hauled for repairs," Williams Fabrication, Bayou La Batre, Ala.; David Rollins, Poquoson, Va.; Marina Cove Boat Basin, Hampton, Va. |
Collection |
National Fisherman Articles by Larry Chowning |
Catalog Number |
2020.9.2.621 |
Date |
SEPTEMBER, 2019 |
Scope & Content |
NATIONAL FISHERMAN, SEPTEMBER, 2019, Pgs. 39-40 AROUND THE YARDS, SOUTH "Alabama yard builds lucky 13th for Mass, owner; Virginia boat burned in dock fire hauled for repairs," By Larry Chowning Returning customers are a sign of a good boatyard. Williams Fabrication of Bayou La Batre, Ala., has just completed a 13th commercial fishing vessel for LarsVinjerud of Oceans Fleet Fisheries in New Bedford, Mass. The 106' x 30' scallop dragger F/V Viking Power will be worked in the Atlantic scallop fishery. The boat was launched in June and is currently at the in-water stages of outfitting, interior carpentry work, hydraulics, engine work, etc., says Brian Broome of Williams Fabrication. The Viking Power is powered by a 12-cyl- inder Mitsubishi S12RY3 diesel engine deliv- ering 1,100 hp at 1.600 rpm, working through a ZF 5 1/2:1 reduction gear. The hydraulics and other utilities will run off a John Deere engine, and there are two John Deere 150-kW generators installed. The boat was designed by Lane and Dale Williams, owners of the firm, and they have built into the hull a European-style X-bow, which is an inverted bow concept, consid- ered more efficient than a bulbous bow, says Broome. As purchasing manager, Broome says he is busy ordering steel for two more 90-foot fish- ing vessels forVinjerud. One of the new vessels will be used in the Atlantic lobster fishery and the other in the scallop fishery. This is the second scallop boat Williams has built forVinjerud in the last two years.The Kodiak, 103' x 27', was completed in 2017, which was the first Vinjerud vessel built spe- cifically to freeze scallops offshore. The Viking Power is the second. Moving up to Chesapeake Bay, Surf Rider Restaurant in Poquoson, Va., was destroyed by fire on June 12. The heat from the fire scorched the Linda Carol, a Chesapeake Bay deck boat that was moored next to the restau- rant. It is owned by Bill Mullis, owner of B&C Seafood in Newport News.Va. The 55' x 14' x 4.7' vessel was built in 1931 by Lennie and Alton Smith. As a teenag- er, Mullis worked aboard the Linda Carol with skipper Morris Snow when it was worked in Virginias winter crab dredge fishery. He has moved up the seafood ladder to today owning six steel-hull scallop vessels and two fiberglass crab boats. Several years ago, Mullis purchased the Linda Carol and got David Rollins of Poquoson,Va., to restore her. "We are not ex- actly sure how bad [the damage to Linda Car- ol] is," says Rollins. "One side was scorched by the fire, but it did not catch fire. Firemen aboard the York County (Va) Fire and Life Safety fire/rescue boat were able to spray wa- ter on her and that’s what saved her. "All the windows burst because of heat and one side of the mast was scorched," says Rollins."I’m glad she didn’t catch fire, but you can’t tell by looking at her how much damage has been done." During the rebuilding, a great deal of West Epoxy was used. The mast is laminated white cedar tied together with West Epoxy. One side of the mast was scorched. "They won’t know how much damage has been done until the boat is hauled and they can evaluate the cracks." John England of Urbanna, Va., and a wooden boatbuilder, says, "West Epoxy breaks down at temperatures over 450 degrees." "Was it that hot?"he asked.‘‘I don’t know," says England answering his own question. The Linda Carol is at Marina Cove Boat Basin in Hampton. Va. The vessel was hauled on June 19, and Rollins and Mullis were there to evaluate the damage. "I'm hoping that all we have to do is sand the paint off and repaint her," says Mulhs."But if the wood is damaged it, will be an expen- sive fix." Mullis says he wanted to thank the York County Fire and Life Safety Department. "They focused on saving all the boats in the marina by constantly spraying water on each one,"he says."I honestly do not think my boat would have survived it had not been for them. The Linda Carol was less than 20 feet from the worst of the blaze," he says. Marina Cove Boat Basin is owned by the father-and-son team of Erlmg and Benjamin Engelsen. Benjamin, 32, has recently taken over the business. An aerospace engineer grad- uate from the University of Virginia, Benjamin sees a future in the marina/boat-lift business. Although in the middle of Hampton, an urban environment, Erling says, "we prefer Chesapeake Bay watermen as customers be- cause they can work on their own boats.They are also very appreciative of having a regular place in the Hampton area where they know they can be hauled on a timely basis and can repair their own boats." Mullis says the four-strap boat-lift owned by Marina Cove Boat Basin had no trouble lifting and hauling the Linda Carol and praised the marina as a commercial fishing friendly boatyard. |
Source |
Chowning, Larry |
Imagefile |
011\202092621.JPG |