“Super pumper” will have Wesmar bow thruster

OCTOBER 28, 2014 — Wesmar (Western Marine Electronics), Woodinville, WA, has delivered one of its powerful bow thruster systems to a “super pumper” fire boat being built by Vigor Fab, Seattle,for delivery to the city of San Francisco.

The 88-foot fire boat will have a top speed of 11.5 knots in full load condition. It will be a high-volume water and foam pumping NFPA Type II fireboat capable of throwing water and/or fire-fighting foam from a distance of 300 feet to extinguish flames quickly and safely.

It will be equipped to provide water directly from the bay or ocean should shore side fire mains be damaged by an earthquake.

The boat’s ability to maneuver and dock in tight situations and to hold steady during fire fighting and rescue operations will be facilitated by Wesmar’s powerful Model V2-20 NS 100 HP stainless steel, dual prop, counter-rotating bow thruster system.

The Wesmar thruster system carries an ABS Class Certification (PDA). The counter rotating dual prop design produces up to 40% more thrust and allows for installation in a smaller tunnel.

The Wesmar package for this fire boat also includes a custom hydraulics system.

“Wesmar bow thrusters are preferred equipment in the fire boat industry so it was no surprise when in 2012 the San Francisco Fire Department asked us to contact Jensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle, the company designing the new Fire Boat,” said Bob Sentz, Wesmar Vice President. “We have supplied dozens of U.S. fireboats with bow thrusters. Most notable are the twin 137-foot, 500-ton New York fire boats Three-Fifty-Three and Fire Fighter Two; the 79-foot Boston fire boat American United and the 65-foot City of Portland, Maine.”

The Wesmar Bow Thruster was delivered with the thruster mounted in a 12-foot-long fiberglass tube making it easier for the shipyard to install. Wesmar’s dual prop counter rotation design produces up to 40% more thrust allowing for the use of a smaller diameter. The narrower tube is typically an advantage to work boats where space saving is often critical.