(WOODINVILLE, Wash.) — WESMAR (Western Marine Electronics) today announced their heavy-duty bow thrusters have been selected for three new 165-foot, 600-passenger excursion and sightseeing ferries operated by Circle Line Cruises, the world-famous New York City sightseeing company.
Circle Line Cruises made the announcement in January as part of its 70 anniversary celebration. They currently operate a dozen boats in New York Harbor and move more people in the city than anyone else, including thousands of schoolchildren and visitors from all around the world. Circle Line commissioned Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Mass., to build the three new vessels, the first of which will be delivered in spring 2016.
Peter Duclos, president of Gladding–Hearn Shipbuilding, calls the Circle Line Tours “America’s Boat Ride,” known around the world for their professional ride and their onboard narrators who are celebrated for the information they convey.
The new ships will each have WESMAR’s 125-hp Model V2-20 rugged stainless-steel dual prop counter-rotating thrusters.
“Circle Line vessels dock on the Hudson side of New York Harbor, where they navigate heavy marine traffic and cross winds. The task of holding tight to load and unload 600 passengers is critical to safety and to comfort, so the WESMAR bow thrusters are an important part of the design,” said Duclos. “These new boats will travel at 15 to 16 knots and trips will generally be two to three hours.”
The new vessels (Hulls 414, 415, and 416) are sister ships to the earlier ones built by Gladding-Hearn, also equipped by WESMAR, yet they are taller because of an additional deck.
They were designed by naval architectural firm DeJong & Lebet, Jacksonville, Fla. The goal was to keep everything the same as the earlier very successful boats from Gladding-Hearn, while adding an additional deck and adapting to any new Coast Guard regulations.
WESMAR’s powerful all stainless-steel bow thrusters have been popular for passenger and excursion ferries around the world because of their counter-rotating dual prop design which produces a high degree of thrust. In addition to the Circle Line ferries, passenger and car ferries throughout the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, Australia, Canada and Oman use WESMAR.
