SOMERSET, Mass.—April 26, 2011—Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered a new pilot boat, the third launch for the Maryland pilots, built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard.
Designed by C. Raymond Hunt & Associates, the new Chesapeake Class, all- aluminum pilot boat measures 52.5 feet overall, with a 16.6-foot beam and 4.7-foot draft, and has a top speed of 25 knots. The deep-V hull is powered by twin Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, each delivering 600 Bhp at 2100 rpm, with Twin Disc MG5114A gear boxes. The engines turn 5-blade Brutons, NiBrAl propellers through three-inch shafts. The launch is equipped with a 9kw generator.
With forward-leaning front windows, the pilothouse is located amidships on a flush deck and equipped with a boarding platform on the roof. At the transom are throttle and steering controls, and a winch-operated, rotating davit over a recessed platform for pilot rescue operations. The handrails and deck are heated from the engines.
Air conditioning and heating are supplied by two 16,000 Btu Marine-Air units and a 2000-watt 240 VAC heater in the pilothouse and forecastle. The pilothouse is outfitted with four Stidd reclining seats, in addition to the helmsman’s seat. The forecastle includes a settee/berth and porta-potty. Interior sound levels are 78 dba.
For more information, contact Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, One Riverside Ave., Somerset, MA 02726.