Kvichak pilot vessel completes long delivery trip

JULY 30, 2013 — Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. of Seattle, WA, recently delivered the P/V Bering, a 50 ft x 15.5 ft pilot vessel, to the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association (SWAPA).

After acceptance of the Bering, the SWAPA crew and a Kvichak technician departed Seattle and began transiting north to Valdez, AK.

On its 1,350 nautical miles delivery voyage, the Bering averaged 25 knots over 5 days (53.9 hours run time on the engines). Weather conditions were generally favorable, however Johnstone Strait in BC provided a good test for the handling and seakeeping characteristics of the Bering.

Port calls during the five day run were made in Port McNeil BC, Prince Rupert BC, Hoonah, AK and Yakutat, AK. Additional stops for fuel were made in Nanaimo BC, Klemtu BC, Ketchikan, AK and Petersburg, AK. The crew pulled into the pilot station at Rocky Point in Prince William Sound before proceeding on to their homeport in Valdez, AK.

Bering will operate in the coastal areas of South Central Alaska.

Designed by Kvichak Marine, the all-aluminum vessel is powered by twin Cat C18 ACERT tier II engines rated for 715 bhp coupled to Twin Disc MGX-5145SC marine gears. Hamilton 364 waterjets are the chosen propulsors. This combination allows for excellent maneuverability and a top speed of about 36 knots. The vessel has a Wing Hybrid fendering system.

Additional vessel features include:

Overall length: 52.3′
Beam, overall: 15.5′
Draft (RFS): 2.75′
Fuel capacity: 500 gallons
Top speed: ~36 knots
Integrated navigation system
Northern Lights 20 kW generator
Climate controlled pilot house
2 crew and 4 passengers
Deck heating
Wing Hybrid fendering system
Handrail heating