396 December 2006

Another McCall Innovation

Before the official Christening the "A" had not been changed to an "H".

When Seacor Marine LLC. www.seacormarine.com became involved with the McCall crewboat fleet they very wisely kept the McCall family participation in the design and building of new vessels. Symbolic of the practice has been the tradition of including “McCall” in the name of all the fleet's new crew boats. A few years ago the Colin B. McCall was named in honour of Colin Black (Hotips#240) whose many innovations in Cummins diesel technology were appreciated by Norman McCall and his son Joe.

Norman McCall watches as the letters are exchanged.

On December 5, 2006 at a naming ceremony for Seacor's latest crewboat, Norman McCall once again demonstrated his love of innovation not only in the vessel, but even in the Christening ceremony. Standing on the bow of the 190-foot crew boat just above the bold black lettering that spelt out what we had been told was his granddaughter's name, JOAN G. McCALL, he explained that he had to confess to bringing the participants together with a falsehood. “I don't have a granddaughter named Joan,” he chuckled before going on to show how easy it was to carry out a change of genders. On his signal one of the crew reached over the bulwarks to remove the “A” from Joan and replace it with an “H” officially naming the 9,000 hp vessel the M/V JOHN G. McCALL to the obvious delight of John Gellert, senior vice-president with Seacor responsible for domestic and international divisions of Offshore Marine Services. With John at the ceremony in Houma Louisiana was his equally proud father Michael Gellert who is a director on the Seacor board.

Mike and John Gellert at the commissioning of the M/V John G. McCall.

Built at Gulf Craft www.gulfcraft.com this is the first DP2 capable fast crew/support vessel to be delivered. The JOHN G. McCALL is powered by five Cummins Mid-South supplied 1800 hp Cummins KTA50 engines and continues the Seacor-McCall reputation for innovation (www.haig-brown.com/hottips /hotip365.htm)

With Norman McCall's reputation for innovation and humor once more affirmed it seems like it may be time for a crew boat named the M/V INNOVATION McCALL.

Three of the M/V John G. McCall's five Cummins KTA50 main engines.
All photos by Alan Haig-Brown

For further information:

Joe McCall
Project Manager
Seacor Marine
Cameron Louisiana
Phone: 337-775-5485
Mobile: 985-397-2314
E-mail: JMcCall@ckor.com

Calvin Klotz
V-P Marine Division
Cummins Mid-South
110 E. Airline Highway
Kenner, LA 70062
U.S.A.
Phone: 504-465-3403
Fax: 504-465-3408
E-mail: Calvin.B.Klotz@Cummins.com

Kevin Tibbs
Gulf Craft, Inc.,
3904 Hwy. 182,
Patterson, LA 70392
Phone: (985) 395 5254
Fax: (985) 395 3657
E-mail: info@gulfcraft.com

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