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HCW5 American West's Sternwheeler Will Be Built By Nichols Bros. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders has been selected to build the Empress of the North, a 360 x 60-ft. (109.7 x 18.2- m) sternwheeler that will be the Whid- bey Island, Wash, yard's largest single- boat contract. The vessel, which will accommodate 236 overnight cruise guests and 84 crewmembers, will be uti- lized for cruises in season in southeast Alaska and the Columbia/Snake River complex. Reportedly, the Empress will be the first sternwheeler on the Inside Passage in more than 100 years. With construction and outfitting costs reportedly expected to exceed $50 mil- lion, MarAd will provide a loan guaran- tee to facilitate funding of the project. Guido Perla & Associates designed the "Empress, which is said to be a "stretched" version of the "Queen of the West, a sternwheeler now operated by American West Steamboat on Columbia and Snake River Cruises. Nichols Bros. YouUBe Hard- To Find A Better Fender. Really Hard- Large or small, floating or fixed, Seaward SEA GUARD* fenders cover you from the tropics to the arctic. Seaward International brings to fend- er technology the same rigorous quality control and attention to detail we put into all our marine products. From the 2'x4' to the tanker- scaled 12'x24', all our fenders meet the most stringent quality and performance standards. The SEA GUARD fender combines quality assurance standards with new elastomer technologies such as a reinforced skin, making it the answer to most fender system requirements. The first of its kind 20 years ago, the Seaward foam-filled fender maintains its record of relia- bility. And we continue to develop and supply the protective marine technologies that keep you on course. All our products tell the same story: Seaward is committed to safeguarding your peace of mind. Structures, ships, environments, budgets: We protect it all. 3470 Martinsburg Pike, P.O. Box 98, Clearbrook, VA 22624-0098 USA 1-800-828-5360 • 540-667-5191 Fax: 540-667-7987 www.seaward.com SEA GUARD® Is a registered trademark of the Chem Ray-SEAGUARD Corporation. Used under license by SEAWARD International, Inc. also built this vessel, which went into service in 1995. The Empress will be delivered by May 2003 in time for a full Alaska cruise sea- son, and it will be repositioned to Port- land, Ore., in September for inaugural cruises on the Columbia, Snake, and Willamette rivers to begin the three-year celebration of the Lewis & Clark Bicen- tennial. An all-diesel-electric vessel, basic power for the vessel will be supplied by four 1,800-rpm Caterpillar 3516B diesel engines with KATO generators putting out 1,825 kW each. The service gener- ator will consist of an 1,800-rpm 3406 Caterpillar diesel with a 315 generator. Matt Nichols, president of the ship- building firm, said that all engines will meet regional and International Mar- itime Organization (IMO) emissions and antipollution standards. Two DC2000 General Electric motors will drive Schottel STP 1212 200-hp twin-blade Z-drives for primary propul- sion while a DC 1000 General Electric motors will power the paddlewheel. Another 1,000-hp GE motor will supply electricity to a Schottel jet pump bow thruster. Service speed of the vessel at full load draft is expected to be 14 knots. The vessel was designed in accor- dance with American Bureau of Ship- ping (ABS) Rules for Building and Classing passenger vessels intended for service on coastal routes. The design draft will be 12 ft. (3.6 m) with a full load draft of 12.5 ft. (41 m) Depth to the main deck amidships will be 20 ft. (6 m); an air draft from the design load waterline to the crown atop the wheel- house will measure 52 ft. (15.8 in). The vessel, which will be under 250 gt, will have a displacement at design draft at an estimated 3,614 long tons; at full load draft, 3,812 long tons. Capacities include 75,350 gallons of fuel oil at 96 percent and 57,154 gallons of fresh water at 100 percent. Circle 68 on Reader Service Card www.maritimereporterinfo.com Circle 278 on Reader Service Card or visit www.maritimereporterinfo.com 16 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News
