Vessels: Safe/Sea Gets Twin Diesel Jet RIB From Almar

October 23, 2003

Safe/Sea upgraded its fleet of rescue vessels with an Almar Boat-built 33 x 12-ft. rigid hull inflatable boat (RIB). This vessel will be the seventh that Almar has built for Safe/Sea, and will boast a 28-in. diameter inflation tube, as well as a custom built, fully enclosed pilot house to protect the captain.

The electronics suite, supplied by Pawtuxet Marine Electronics of Cranston, RI, includes a 48 nautical mile Furuno radar, a Northstar 957 color DGPS chartplotter, twin VHF radios, a Motorola private band two-way radio, a Horizon Loudhailer, a Ritchie digital compass, and dual ACR remote controlled spotlights.

Also included will be Algae-X fuel filters, and an X-Changer oil recovery system.

The vessel will be powered by two Yanmar LYA-UTE 315 hp after cooled, turbo charged diesel engines, coupled to Hamilton model 274 jet drives through Borg-Warner 1:1 Velvet Drive transmissions. This package will provide a speed in excess of 30 knots, and its Hamilton jets will provide unparalleled control when maneuvering, including the ability to move the vessel directly sideways, as well as turn the vessel within its own length.

The RIB is the boat of choice for Safe/Sea, as it causes no external damage to their customer's boats while being towed alongside.

It also allows Safe/Sea to provide close quarters salvage assistance in less than ideal sea conditions, lessening the risk of hull damage.

In addition to the inflatable collar, the space between the deck and hull will be filled with foam, making the vessel extremely buoyant.

"Everyone at Safe/Sea is excited about this new build", says Captain Phil LeBlanc of Safe/Sea. "This new vessel represents a major upgrade to an already impressive fleet, and our customers will notice that our response times will be much quicker".

With delivery expected in the Spring of 2004, Capt. John Andrews, owner and President of Safe/Sea, is planning to have her shipped to Alaska for sea trials, before entering her into service in Narragansett Bay early in the summer of 2004.