Twin Engines for West Coast Launch

Doug Davis likes Prince Rupert. Like most mariners who have made this northern B.C. port their home, Doug wants to stay. He has put in his time running tugs up and down the coast and now he has carved out a niche for himself in Prince Rupert harbour as relief captain for Rivtow Marine and running his own rapidly developing crew boat and water taxi company. His first two boats are classic British Columbia 12-passenger 28-footers that qualify for the under five gross tonnage regulations. Built by highly respected designer of quality aluminum boats Lorne Smith, these boats typically are powered by a single Cummins 350-hp C-series engine, but Prince Rupert Harbour and the nearby waters can get pretty ugly in heavy winter weather. To increase the level of service that he is able to offer in these conditions Doug purchased up an unfinished 40-foot aluminum hull in the lower mainland and had it transported north.

Evolving changes in Canadian marine regulations allow for increased size. At the same time existing passenger vessel regulations, calling for a wide range of safety features, are also available. Lorne Smith no longer builds boats but has dedicated himself to vessel design and, working with these evolving regulations, has developed a design for Doug that stays within the regulated 12 passenger envelop while taking advantage of the significantly larger size. Central to this is the use of twin Cummins C-series engines for a total of 700 hp driving through ZF V-drives to keep the engines well aft and deliver a projected 24-knot speed to the new vessel. The result is a boat that will handle the cold outflow winds that can kick up a nasty chop in the inlets and waters around Prince Rupert while delivering passengers and cargo to ships anchored in the harbour and outlying logging camps with greater year round reliability.

For general arrangement drawings of the new vessel contact Lorne Smith. For a photo of Doug Davis at the wheel of a tug contact Alan Haig-Brown.

For more information:

Frank Ridd
Marine Sales
Cummins British Columbia
18452-96th Ave.
Surrey, B.C. V4N 3P8
Tel: 604 882-5000 Fax:604 882-5080

Lorne Smith
Argo Marine Engineering
P.O. Box 122
Whonnock, B.C.
Ph: 604 462-8877

Doug Davis
West Coast Launch Ltd.
718 Smithers St.
Prince Rupert, B.C. V8J 3N7
Tel/fax: 250 624-3151 Cell: 250 627-9166

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