Miller Marine Inc., Deltaville, Va., will deliver the 78'x24'x6' steel-hulled passenger/cargo ferry Turtle to Fire Island Ferries, Bay Shore, N.Y., later this month. The vessel was designed and built by Miller Marine with engineering assistance from Donald L. Blount & Associates, Chesapeake, Va. It will carry passengers and freight across Great South Bay from Bay Shore to Fire Island, N.Y. The new ferry can carry up to eight passengers and is Coast Guard certified, Subchapter T.
The Turtle comes in at 82 dwt and features a cargo deck that measures 78'x20". The boat’s main propulsion comes from twin QSL9 Cummins engines with a total of 580 hp at 1,800 rpm, coupled to Twin Disc 5114 HD marine gears with 2.5:1 reduction ratios. The 36"x30", 4-bladed ZF propellers are set in tunnels to insure that the Turtle can operate in the shallow waters of the Great South Bay. The boat has a 4' draft and a running speed of 9 knots.
The main vessel features include a bow ramp, deck crane and a Cummins Onan 9-kW generator. The design also incorporates an elevated pilothouse to increase deck space and optimize operating visibility. Other features include a bow ramp and 12-ton National deck crane.
In the wheelhouse are controls by Glendinning Products, Conway, S.C., and the steering system is by Miller Marine. There's tankage for 1,400 gals. of fuel. The electronics suite features Furuno radar, Garmin GPS and Raymarine VHF.
The Turtle is set for delivery at the end of October.
