Crescent River Port Pilots go to Snow for two new pilot boats

Written by Marine Log Staff
Snow & Company pilot boat

Designed by Camarc, the two new pilot boats ordered at Snow & Company will service pilot transfers to deep draft vessels on the lower Mississippi River.

Seattle-headquartered Snow & Company Inc. has been awarded a contract to build two 50-foot pilot boats for the Metairie, La., headquartered Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association.

Like the two 64-foot pilot boats delivered to the Savannah Pilots last year, the two just-ordered boats have been designed by Camarc Design, U.K.

The all-aluminum vessels are designed with a refined hull with enhanced fuel efficiencies and reduced slamming accelerations, which provide excellent all-around seakeeping capabilities, and a pilot-specific shape to facilitate safe boarding operations.

The vessels will be powered by twin Volvo D13-800 EPA Tier 3 marine diesel engines, Hamilton Twin HJ403 WaterJets with two-station AVX express controls, and Twin Disc MGX5136SC marine gears. This combination allows for high performance maneuverability with an expected top speed of 35 knots.

“The Crescent River Port Pilots are very excited about contracting with Snow & Company, Inc. to build two custom Camarc Design jet powered pilot boats to safely service pilot transfers to deep draft vessels on the lower Mississippi River at Pilottown,” said Capt. E. Michael Bopp, president of the Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association. ”Safety on the unpredictable Mississippi River is our top priority. We look forward to these boats to help us achieve our mission of safely guiding billions of dollars of precious cargo in and out of one of the largest river ports in the world.”

SPECIFICATIONS

Hull length: 49 feet 3 inches
Length, O.A.: 53 feet 11 inches
Beam, O.A.: 16 feet 8 inches
Draft: 3 feet
Fuel: 600 gallons
Freshwater: 55 gallons
Engines: Twin Volvo D13-800 EPA Tier 3
800hp @2300 rpm
Propulsion: Hamilton Twin HJ403 WaterJets
Controls: 2 Station AVX with express controls
Maring gears: Twin Disc gear MGX5136SC
Speed: 35 knots max. 32 knots cruise

FEATURES

1 -2 crew, 8 pilots
Stidd crew & pilot seats
Patented Pop-Sure fendering system
Northern Lights 16 kW AC generator
Roof pilot boarding system
Furuno electronics package
FLIR M364C thermal camera system w/ joystick control
Atkins & Hoyle 8,000 t low profile davit system w/12V winch with 800 lb safe working load

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