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Menaced by Mexican drug cartels, the Texas De- partment of Public Safety operates a ß eet of six shallow-water vessels it commissioned in late 2011 and 2012 to patrol its borders. The agency pur- chased the boats from Bradenton, Florida-based manu- facturer YellowÞ n Yachts as threats along the Rio Grande escalated. YellowÞ n custom builds its 34-foot Þ shing boats for military and police purposes, company president Wylie Nagler said last month, ÒThe boats for Texas have three, 300 horsepower motors on them, can reach 68 miles an hour and have excellent maneuverability,Ó he said. ÒThey can operate in as little as 22 inches of water.Ó ItÕs easy to see why, in this case, that these powerful response and pa- trol boats are now an important tool in the Texas border security toolbox. Nagler, a powerboat racer and tournament Þ sherman, founded YellowÞ n in 1998 to sell high-performance, off- shore Þ shing boats. The YellowÞ n 34 is 34Õ-8Ó long, weighs 8,800 pounds, has a 10-foot beam and a maximum HP of 1,050. The companyÕs recreational 34 vessel sells for $250,000. Texas, however, paid $580,000 for its six en- hanced versions of the YellowÞ n 34, which feature retract- able, protective ballistic panels for occupants. ÒThose are the black panels you see on the boats,Ó Nagler said. BORDER SECURITYHOMELAND S ECURITY :HOMELAND SECURITY:HOMELAND S ECURITY : HOMELAND SECURITY: GULF COAST INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONSTexas Marine Unit Uses YellowÞ n-built Shallow Water Vessels for Border Patrol missions. By Susan Buchanan February 2014 38 MNMN FEB14 Layout 32-49.indd 38MN FEB14 Layout 32-49.indd 381/20/2014 10:19:53 AM1/20/2014 10:19:53 AM
