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“TRUCK HAULER” FOR FIRE ISLAND Fire Island Ferries president George Hafele told Marine Log that the ferry was being added “in direct response to the increased commercial interest in Fire Island.” Hafele says the new ferry is a sister to an earlier built boat with two big differences—the Derecktor-built ferry will be 10 ft longer and all aluminum. A reinforced section of the deck will allow it to shuttle the occasional concrete truck and construction materials to the island community, which is located off the southern coast of Long Island. A Subchapter T vessel, the 85 ft x 24 ft chined monohull ferry will be able to haul 80,000 lb of cargo and 12 passengers. Light draft is 4 ft and loaded draft 4 ft 4 in. When delivered this May, the ferry will be the fourteenth in Fire Island Ferries’ fleet. FIF carries some 800,000 people annually, most during the summer months, between Bayshore, Long Island, and communities in west Fire Island. Jessica Blacketter, a project engineer at Derecktor Shipyard Connecticut, says the ferry will load trucks or cargoes via an aft loading ramp. An onboard Palfinger model PK 12080MA hydraulic crane, rated at a lifting moment of 83,900 ft/lb, will speed the loading of bulk cargoes. Propulsion power is supplied by two 400-hp Caterpillar diesels. The FIF ferry will be the first built by Derecktor Shipyard Connecticut (see Marine Log, Sept. 2001, p. 40), which is also constructing a 150 ft sailing yacht. Last year, FIF added an 85 ft fast commuter boat, the Fire Island Flyer, built by Blount Barker Shipyard, Warren, R.I. Hafele says performance the Fire Island Flyer has been “exceptional.” |
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