Blount Boats books contract to build 85 ft ferry
Blount Boats, Warren, R.I.. has signed a contract with Fire Island Ferries to construct an 85 foot aluminum ferry boat for service between Bay Shore and Fire Island on Great South Bay, MarineLog reports.
This vessel will be a sister ship to the M/V Firebird (Hull 253), M/V Fire Island Flyer (Hull 308) and M/V Fire Island Belle (Hull 326) built by the Blount shipyard in 1984, 2001 and 2008, respectively.
The triple screw vessel will be powered by Detroit Series 60 Tier II diesel engines, 600 hp each at 2,100 rpm with 2:1 ZF 550 reduction gears. Delivery for Hull 338 is scheduled for June 2013.
The new vessel will be the ninth boat built by Blount for Fire Island Ferries.
Fire Island Ferries has been in operation since 1948 and supplies fast marine transportation services from Bay Shore, Long Island to Fire Island.