18 December 12, 1997

Power for Pollock

"I'm looking for reliability and fuel economy," says Bert Parker to explain his choice of a pair of Cummins KTA38-M0 engines to repower his 110X30-foot dragger Amber Dawn. The Kodiak-based fisherman has a long family history in North Pacific fisheries. His dad, Eban Parker was one of the last whalers on the coast and ran the schooner Tom & Al a sistership to the famous King & Wing. Before retiring in 1990 he dragged with Bert's Amber Dawn.

Forty-four year old Bert bought his first boat when he was only twenty. He bought his present boat, formerly the Gulf shrimper Capt. Joe, in 1980. She had already been lengthen 20 feet. Bert had her sponsoned in 1986 increasing her beam from 24 to 30 feet. In 1991 he replaced a pair of 500 hp mains with a pair at 675 hp. Now, with the Cummins KTA38-M0 engines rated at 850 hp he has nearly doubled the original boat's horsepower. He expects to increase his speed from the current 10.5 knots to the boat's calculated hull speed of nearly 12 knots. At the same time, with engines that can be rated as high as 1200 hp he expects to get a lot of hours before spending anymore money.

Retaining the same 55X52-inch propellers, Parker plans to turn them faster by going from a 4.5:1 gearing to 4:1. He is currently towing a Swan 39X33 net the opens 36-fathoms wide by 15 fathoms high. He will fish this with the refurbished vessel until he sees just what bollard pull he is achieving. He expects to order the next larger size net a Swan 48X32.

While the boat will pack 300,000 pounds of pollock below decks, Parker explains that hard fishing isn't his current practice as he delivers to the factory aboard the Golden Alaska and they can only take 130 tons per day from him. As a result he often ends up towing a bag of fish around on a short wire while the factor gets ready to the bag up their stern ramp. "I like to have all my gear good and strong when I'm doing this in heavy weather," he says.

In addition to new engines the boat is getting a complete overhaul including repairs of collision damage to the bulbous bow and updating to gear-driven Rapp Hydema trawl winches. All work is being done at Marine Fluid Systems at the foot of 42nd Ave. of Leary Way. As of early December, Bert expects to be back in the water sometime in January, in time to head north for Bearing Sea pollock which he will deliver to the Golden Alaska mothership.

For more information:

Bert Parker
Cel phone: 206 979-1375

Golden Alaska Seafood
Phone 206 441-1990

Dean Chinnery
Cummins Northwest
Phone 206 510-9573

Marine Fluid Systems
Phone: 206 706-0858

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