Rodriguez Shipbuilding, Coden, Ala., delivered the 72'x30'x11', 1,600-hp push tug Boyce B to Weeks Marine, Cranford, N.J., at the end of March.
Designed by Entech Designs, Kenner, La., with a 9'3" draft, the new 159-gt. boat primarily assists in dredging operations.
“This boat was specifically build for dredging operations. From ½” bottom plate from bow to aft engine room bulkhead and 5/8” bottom plate from aft ER bulkhead to stern, ¾” bow and stern corner plating, ¾” side sheer strake, ¾” head log and transom, and 3/8” side shell makes this a heavy-duty hull to handle all the work that comes with dredging,” said David Tuck, Weeks’ chief engineer/project manager. “And 360 degree fendering from M&M Bumper gives another layer of protection. Building the fleet deck as well as the aft deck to handle 6,000 lbs. also is a great addition to help transport equipment to and around the dredge site.”
Main propulsion comes from a pair of Cummins QSK 19-MRCS diesel engines, producing 800 hp each. The mains are connected to 82"x67", 4-bladed, stainless-steel props through Twin Disc MGX-5222 DC marine gears with 6.96:1 reduction ratios. The propulsion package gives the Boyce B a running speed of 8 knots and a bollard pull estimated at 20 tons.
"Cummins engine package is a solid package that produces what we need with little downtime outside of regular maintenance," said Tuck.
Ship’s service power comes from twin Cummins QSB7-DM powered Stamford generators, sparking 75 kW of electrical power each.
Controls, installed by Gulf Coast Air and Hydraulics, are from ZF and steering is by Jastrum, also installed by Gulf Coast Air and Hydraulics.
The aft and fleet cargo decks are both designed to carry a 20-yard loaded dumpster, capable of carrying between 6,000, lbs. and 8,000 lbs. Also on deck are facing Wintech HW40-E7.5 double-drum winches with 150' of 1" synthetic 40-ton wire.
Firefighting equipment consists of two fire hose stations, Griswold 3" pumps with 10-hp motors, a 900-lb. fixed NOVEC 1230 bottle installed by Hiller, Mircom FA-300 six-zone fire alarm, with smoke, heat, and CO2 detectors also installed by Hiller, and portable fire extinguishers.
Other features of the Boyce B include a 45' vertical clearance, a 31' height of eye, and berthing for up to eight mariners.
Tankage includes 21,107 gals. of fuel; 25,080 water; 884 gals. lube oil; and 111 gals. hydraulic oil.
Safety equipment includes a 12-person liferaft, Markus Lifenet, EPIRB, survival suits, and life jackets.
Among the electronics suite equipment are Furuno FA170 AIS; SCX, two 1945, 6-kW radar; GP-39 GPS; 12-speaker — one in the wheelhouse, one in the stern station, four outdoor, and six internal — Standard Horizon VLH3000 Loud Hailer; seven Standard Horizon GX1800S VHF radios — four in the wheelhouse, two at the stern control station, and one in the galley; Sirius /XM radio; wind/weather sensor station, featuring an R.M. Youngs Response ONE untrasonic anemometer 9100; Koden CVS-126 depth sounder; and Xenon 500-watt and 1,000-watt searchlights.
Crew comforts include satellite TV in each room and the galley (Each bunk has a TV), Wifi, individual HVAC mini splits in each room, galley, and wheelhouse so all can be individually controlled. There are granite countertops and table in the galley as well as granite sinks in the heads. There are three full heads onboard; one head in between two rooms each and a common head on the main deck across from the laundry room. Each head has a stainless steel shower.
"Joey Rodriguez and his crew builds a good boat," said Tuck. "This is the fourth one they built for us in the past 3.5 years and when our boats leave they end up working non-stop."
