39 June 2,1998

McCall and Gulf Craft: Still Bigger

When Norman McCall builds a crew boat, people in the business take note. They did when he built the 165X30-foot "Hilda McCall" in 1997. Now they are watching again as Gulf Craft, Inc. of Paterson Louisiana, who built the "Hilda", build the first of two 183X35-footers. With over 15 feet added to the length and five feet added to the beam, this is a much bigger boat. Running light 165-footer made a comfortable 26 knots light boat. A similar speed is projected for the 183-footer.

The key to this is in the engines. The "Hilda" had four of Cummins' 1300hp KTA38-M2s. The new boat will have six of the powerful engines for a total of 7800 hp. making her the most powerful crew boat built on the Gulf. The increased beam allows space for four of the V-12 engines to mounted side-by-side across the stern with two more set forward with their shafts running between the outboard and inboard port and starboard engines. On the "Hilda" the two outboard engines were set aft of the two inboard engines with the inboard engines installed at reduced angles to allow their longer shafts to extend all the way aft presenting all four props in a line near the stern where they could work most effectively with the four rudders. On the new 183-foot boat, the shafts and props of the two forward engines end forward of the four engines that are mounted in parallel across the stern with their four props matching the four rudders across the stern. The two forward props will not have rudders.

A 300 hp Cummins 855 will power the hydraulics for a Thrustmaster retractable azimuthing bow thruster. A roll dampening box about 4X3-feet extends the full width of the boat just below the deck amidships. It can be tuned to wave conditions by pumping more or less water into it do increase the depth. The idea is for the water to set up its own wave motion counter to that of the sea and so dampening the boat's roll.

This boat will be the largest of her type build for use in the Gulf of Mexico to date. Asked if there are limits to the size to which these aluminum beauties can be stretched, Gulf Craft's Kevin Tibbs just smiles. Asked the same question, Norman McCall says, "The 185-foot class will be sufficient for the time being so these will be the boat for the next few years until the oil rigs move even further off shore. We do know that we can go to 200 feet and stay within the 100 ton limit." As the size increases so does the need for greater structural bulk. As beam is added the volume grows exponentially as does the weight. Additional weight means more horsepower and more engines. The industry will be watching as master crew boat man Norman McCall sets the standard once again. This is a story that deserves coverage. Sea trials are scheduled for October 1998.

For further information contact:

Kevin Tibbs
Gulf Craft, Inc.
3904 Hwy.182
Patterson. LA 70392
Phone: (504) 395-5254 Fax: (504) 395-3657

Norman McCall
McCall Boat Rentals, Inc.
PO Box 102/420 Marshall St.
Cameron, LA 70631
Phone 318 775-5485 Fax: 318 775-7025

Red Cunningham
Cummins Mid-South Inc.
Hwy. 90 East
P.O. Box 1229
Amelia, LA 70340
Phone: 504 631-0576 Fax: 504 631-0081

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