Front view of the MAK-powered UPSCO tug resting in the floating drydock as it
was towed to the mid-water launch site.
UPSCO Launches Hull Number 001
—A 120-Foot Tug For An ITB
Participants in the Hawaii Section meeting were (left to right): Capt. Thomas
Marnane, Commander of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Rudy Choy, president
of Aikane Corporation, who delivered a paper on hydrofoil catamarans, and Dr.
Frederick Munchmeyer, who was honored as immediate past chairman.
SNAME-Hawaii Discusses
High-Speed Catamaran Hydrofoils
The Upper Peninsula Shipbuild-
ing Co. (UPSCO) in Ontonagon,
Mich., recently launched its first
vessel to be built under contract.
Hull No. 001—a 1,053-ton tug for
an integrated tug-barge (ITB)
system—is being built, along with
four barges, for the State of
Michigan. It was the first com-
mercial launching at the 16-
month-old yard.
UPSCO used its 2,167-LT float-
ing drydock for the launch. The
drydock, which is equipped with
removable wing walls for side
transfers, was designed and built
by the yard — its first newbuild-
ing.
The 120-foot-long tug, designed
by the naval architectural firm
of Breit & Garcia, New Orleans,
La., is undergoing outfitting and
completion of its superstructure
while moored at UPSCO's dock.
Four rail ferry barges for the
ITB system are also being built
by the yard, with the first barge
scheduled for completion six
months ahead of schedule.
The tug has an automated en-
gine room and is powered by two
MAK 6M551, 4,000-hp turbo-
charged diesel engines which
drive Liaaen controllable-pitch
propellers. The tug will propel
one of the four 436-foot-long rail
ferry barges in turn across Lake
Michigan, while the remaining
three barges are loaded and un-
loaded in port. The tug and
barges, ice-strengthened to per-
mit year-round operation on the
Great Lakes, will utilize a con-
necting system and hydraulic
pads manufactured under license
from Bretagne ACB.
The State of Michigan selected
the ITB system to increase utili-
zation of this cross-lake service
and to eliminate a state rail sub-
sidy which exceeds five million
dollars annually. The state felt
the versatility of the ITB would
attract a variety of cargoes as
would the unique shuttle sched-
ule.
The Hawaii Section of The So-
ciety of Naval Architects and
Marine Engineers held its first
meeting of the 1981-82 season
recently at the Cannon Club, on
the Lanai, Fort Ruger, under the
chairmanship of Dr. Manley St.
Denis.
A paper entitled "High-Speed
Catamaran Hydrofoils" was de-
livered by Rudy Choy, president
of Aikane Corporation, one of
Hawaii's largest commercial sail-
ing operations. A member of the
SNAME since 1964, he has been
involved with catamaran con-
struction and design since 1947.
One of his major designs is the
voyaging canoe Hokulea.
Mr. Choy discussed the concept,
design, and model testing of a
proposed catamaran hydrofoil
that was tested at the General
Dynamics Convair tank in San
Diego, Calif. It achieved a scale
speed of 70 knots on the final day
of testing, which was the desired
goal. This design shows promise
and warrants additional research
and development.
Other officers elected for the
year include: vice chairman, Capt.
Thomas Marnane; secretary-
treasurer, John Biddulph; mem-
bers, Executive Committee, Capt.
Alfred Gallant, James Hollen-
herg, Brian Trenhaile, and Dr.
Frederick Munchmeyer.
Southwest Marine Expands
San Diego Offices
Southwest Marine, Inc. has re-
cently expanded its San Diego
administrative offices. This is the
beginning phase of plans to ren-
ovate and add to the entire yard.
"Our plans are to not only ex-
pand with yards all along the
West Coast, but to have the finest,
most up-to-date yards in the
country," stated Arthur Engel,
president of Southwest Marine.
The new addition includes com-
puter and accounting facilities on
the first floor. Management offices
are located on the second floor,
with a huge conference and meet-
ing room on the third floor.
Besides San Diego, Southwest
Marine has ship repair yards in
San Pedro and San Francisco.
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