By Larry Pearson
Master Marine, Inc., Bayou La Batre,
Ala. is an innovative shipyard that has
kept ahead of the shifting tides of ship-
building in this town that once built
shrimp trawlers almost exclusively.
Today that business has all but disap-
peared, but Master Marine has prospered
by building both new vessels and has a
contract with the Coast Guard for Post
Dry Dock Maintenance Availability work.
In the area of new construction, the yard
has just delivered the first of a new series
of 40-ft. vessels called the PCLT or Pilot-
CrewLineTug. The boat has a 16-ft. beam,
4.2-ft. draft and a hull depth of 7.2 ft.
It is designed to be a versatile vessel,
able to transport pilots or crew to larger
ships as well as hauling lines from these
vessels or handing them off to mooring
dolphins. The PCLT can also handle ship
movement duties as a tug.
"We have delivered the first of these
vessels to a company in St. Eustatius,
Netherland Antilles," said Steve Roppoli,
vice president of sales for Master Marine.
Called the Aloi, the first boat was
equipped with a pair of 271-hp Detroit
Diesel 6-71 engines with an Isuzu 16 kW
genset. Steering is electro-hydraulic and a
metal rope guard to keep lines from being
entangled in the running gear surrounds
the rudders and prop. Fuel capacity is
1,200 gallons.
"What we plan to do is to build a rather
standardized hull with a choice of propul-
sion power and three different main deck
houses," Roppoli said.
The vessel delivered had a house that
featured seating for 10 with a head and a
table separating four of the seats.
"We also can configure it with a small-
er house that has enclosed room for the
pilot and the rest of the main deck open
and clear. That would be ideal for carrying
cargo. Another option is a houseboat type
enclosed deck that uses most all of the
main deck space," Roppoli said.
Master Marine is ready to start another
June, 2005 • MarineNews 49
Circle 259 on Reader Service Card
Master of New Construction and Repair
The 123-foot lengthened and modernized Vashon
at Master Marine. The deep V notch in the stern
of the Vashon is an obvious sign it is one of the
renovated vessels. The V notch lifts up so a RIB
can be self-deployed and recovered.
A small Coast Guard 41-foot search and rescue
vessel is at Master Marine for repair.
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