Great piece from Workboat.com on the Maine Maritime Academy’s vessel, The State of Maine, for which we provided engineering services in 2011.

“Situated as it is way up the Maine coast in Castine, I can’t say that the Maine Maritime Academy gets a whole lot of attention throughout the rest of the state. Most Portlanders probably don’t even know it exists. It’s a good thing, then, when they garner a news item or two, as they do most every year with the news that the 500-foot training vessel State of Maine has once again cast off and departed for ports south…see the rest of the article from Workboat.com here….

Below is a recent picture of The State of Maine:

Maine Maritime Academy - The State of Maine - Engineering Services

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Seawork International 2012, a commercial marine exhibition and forum in Southampton, England, begins May 22.

From the Seawork International website…
“Research among Seawork visitors consistently identifies ‘networking’ as a major reason for attending the exhibition. With the industry in one place for three solid days, a visit to Seawork is a golden opportunity.
Reconnect with old contacts, make new contacts, keep abreast of the latest developments, see what the competition’s up to, take the pulse of the industry, get the low-down on the implications of political and legal developments, find a way into the lucrative renewables market -there are many reasons why people come to Seawork.

But one thing’s for sure, if you’re not at Seawork, you don’t know what you’re missing.”

Here is a link to the conference program:

While Boksa Marine Design is not attending this conference, we are staying abreast of news and information coming from the gathering of commercial marine industry insiders.

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Of interest to many in the greater yachting industry, the American Superyacht Forum 2012 takes place soon in Fort Lauderdale, May 21-21.

What is the American Superyacht Forum?
This yearly conference is a forum for discussing the trends, developments and innovations that have – and will be – impacting the global yachting industry.
Per the Forum’s website,

“the conference will be the catalyst for groundbreaking discussion amongs the audience and speakers, with networking events acting as the perfect platform for the continuation of the debate. Featuring a review of the 2011 action plan, the inner workings of the American superyacht industry will be put under the microscope once more.”

What makes the Forum worthwhile to attendees – yacht designers, naval architects, marine engineers?
The value of the forum is the ability to listen to a wide array of respected players within the industry. Their insights seek to educate and motivate. Attendees should be able to take what they learn and apply it within their respective niches of the market.

Click here to see a lineup of speakers.

Attendees are also made aware of updates on new products and innovations affecting the industry.

Click here for news and updates.

And click here for a full list of events at the 2012 American Superyacht Forum.

Here is a video detailing the 2011 event:

One recent project that we’re excited about here at Boksa Marine Design is a new 25′ Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB).

The boat, developed for Workskiff, was built for use by the Illinois Conservation Police, part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Boksa Marine Design managed the hull design, structural design and outfitting design of the vessel.

Workskiff, of Sedro Woolley, WA is known for their custom aluminum boats built for law enforcement, government agencies, educational institutions and private industry.

Enclosed are some ‘action shots’ from a sea trial session for the boat. Click on the image for a closer look.

To contact Boksa Marine Design, please visit our Contact Page.

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We field calls from many clients here in Florida who are seeking the services of a Naval Architect.

The projects vary, from owners searching for custom yacht designs to builders needing to outsource work to a licensed naval architect.

At Boksa Marine Design, we are not only naval architects, but designers and marine engineers. And we’re committed to devising marine engineering solutions for our customers.

Our company works with a number of marine industry clients in Florida as well as many others through the United States and around the world. Located just outside of Tampa, Florida we have easy access to clients in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and other areas throughout Florida. We also work with a number of builders and shipyards throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

Our Marine Design Services Include:

• Custom Yacht Design
• Expedition Yacht Design
• Production Boat Design
• Commercial Vessel Design
• Military and Government Vessel Design
• Consulting and Project Management

Our Engineering Services Include:

• Hull Form Design
• Structural Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Weight Analysis
• Detailed Shop Drawings
• Code for Numerical Cutting
• Lofting and Nesting
• 3D Modeling
• Interior Arrangements and Space Planning
• Performance Prediction
• Mechanical Systems Design
• Specifications Preparation

To contact Boksa Marine Design, please visit our Contact Page.

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Donjon Marine Co. christened a new articulated tug-barge unit this past week.

Donjon Marine Co. offers shipbuilding and repair services within the commercial marine industry and is recognized as a trusted and innovative industry leader.

Image from ShipbuildingTribune.com

Boksa Marine Design provided mechanical engineering services on the barges systems along with some structural
engineering services. Stability work was also done on the articulated barge and its sister tugboat.

Boksa Marine offers a full suite of design and engineering solutions for its clients.

The barge, all 740 feet of it, is a 39,000 ton behemoth named Lakes Contender. This self-unloading barge is capable of unloading 6,000 tons of cargo per hour.

The barge and it’s sister tugboat, the Ken Boothe Sr. have been sold to Seajon LLC., a joint venture of Donjon Marine Co.

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The naval architecture, design and engineering for a 48′ Pilot Boat has begun for a South American client.

Working with Tecnimar S.A. of Cartagena, Colombia, Boksa Marine Design will provide a suite of design and engineering services.

The pilot boat, designed to carry 18 Passengers with 2 crew, will be 48’ long (14.6 M) x 13.124’ wide (4.0 M). Power will be provided by twin Hamilton jets with Cummins Diesel engines.

“This is an exciting new project for us”, says Boksa Marine Design president, Nick Boksa. “We’re able to apply our expertise to the project so Tecnimar can have the boat they desire. We’ll provide everything, from initial design to mechanical and production engineering.”

Tecnimar S.A. provides marine related services for a variety of vessels at the Colombian ports of Cartagena and Tumaco.

Once Boska’s services are complete, the pilot boat will be built in the United States with Lobell’s Custom Boats in Prairieville, LA. Plans call for the engines and jets to be installed in Colombia.

Lobell’s Custom Boats manufactures a variety of custom aluminum boats, including transport vessels, utility boats, small barges and other work boats.

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In an effort to better position it’s Custom Yacht Design services, Boksa Marine Design has agreed to advertise with MegaYachtNews.com.

Banner Ad on MegaYachtNews.com

The three month marketing relationship will include the new Boksa Marine Design banner ad and possibly other marketing opportunities.

MegaYachtNews.com is the marine industry’s trusted resource for information on megayachts and the builders, designers and owners who create them and desire to know more about them.

Boksa Marine Design specializes in custom yacht design for individual owners, brokers and boat builders. Their mission is to concept, design and build luxury yachts, expedition yachts and more.

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Over the last five or six years, Pod Drive Propulsion Systems have evolved from novel engineering concepts to marine industry game changers.

Though pod drives have long been used for cruise ships, ferries and tugboats, their evolution and recent impact has occurred in the pleasure boat industry. They’ve quickly replaced traditional shaft drive systems as the standard option on many small and mid-size cruising boats.

Now they are finding applications in larger sport fishing boats and larger production boats in the 50′ to 80+’ range. It won’t be too long before advancements in horsepower allow for pods to be used in motoryachts in the 80′ to 150′ range; they’re already found on many larger catamarans.

Maneuverability alone makes them a worthwhile consideration for many owners and builders. But Pod drive systems offer many other benefits including fuel efficiency, less space requirements within the engine room, tracking, turning control and better cruising range. Note that some of those benefits are dependent on boat design, use and associated engineering.

To get a real sense of the pros and cons of maintenance, usability and maneuverability with pod drive systems on mid-size motoryachts, read Beyond The Hype from Yachting Magazine or Pushing The Limits Of Joysticks and Pod-Drives.

One thing that has really driven change over the last few years is the market. Owners who have enjoyed the benefits of pod drives on smaller vessels are pushing to have pods installed on other boats, specifically the larger sport fishing boats and semi-custom production yachts.

In North Carolina, many of the old school sport fishing boat builders who initially shied away from the pods due to the perceived negative impact on fishing, have started incorporating pods into their designs. Their customers want the ease of use and performance of the pods and are willing to overlook some of the downsides of pod systems. Spencer Yachts is one  example of the change within the industry. Their 70′ Penta Gone shows just how valuable the new drive systems are and how the pods can be incorporated into boat designs. You can now find pod drive systems available on many other top-of-the-line sport fishing models from builders including Freedom Boatworks, Jarret Bay and Viking Yachts.

PDF of This Article Pod Drive Info Boksa Marine Design PDF of This Article

If pods can be adapted into the design of a 70′ fishing yacht or used on tugs and cruise ships, it won’t be too long before larger luxury yachts incorporate them as well. Eventually advancements in engineering will provide the horsepower needed. Some builders, like Lazzara Yachts, have had pods on the radar for quite some time (read Pod Systems Are The Future by Lazzara Yachts).

To learn more about Pod Drive Systems, visit the websites of the industry’s top manufacturers:

Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS)
ZF Marine
Caterpillar Zeus Pod Drive System

For more information about pod drives and how to incorporate them within your vessel design, please contact Nick Boksa at www.boksamarinedesign.com

The Trinity brands, Trinity Yachts And Trinity Offshore, experienced solid growth in 2011 and have great expectations for continued success in 2012.

Per a recent article in MarineLink.com, Trinity Yachts released a statement: “In a global economic climate which might merely be described as awkwardly viable, Trinity Yachts continues to set a remarkable pace in custom superyachts launched and delivered in 2011 with great expectations for launches and deliveries in 2012.

In 2011, Trinity delivered the 191’ (58m) M/Y Carpe Diem and  164’ (50m) M/Y Falcon; and launched the 198’ (60m) M/Y Areti,  187’ (58m) M/Y Lady Linda, and the 242’ (73m) M/Y New Horizon. The latter three yachts will be delivered in 2012. In early January 2012, Trinity Yachts launched the 164’ (50m) M/Y Tsumat which also has an expected 2012 delivery.”

Learn more about Trinity Yachts at their website.

In the same press release…“a designer and builder of commercial tugs, offshore vessels and patrol craft in aluminum, steel and composite—experienced remarkable success in 2011 while 2012 prospects are promising. “In the first half 2012, Trinity will deliver a total of eight vessels,” says John Dane, Trinity’s President. “By having a mix of what one of our supplier friends calls ‘Guns ‘N Roses’—military and recreational vessels—we are able to sustain our workforce in an uncertain world economy. Reflecting just how global the yachting and maritime businesses are, only one of these eight vessels is for an American superyacht owner while the total fleet—including two tugs delivered in 2011 and a pair of 302’ LNG powered supply vessels for delivery in 2013— keeps our American employees hard at work,” he adds. “

Learn more about Trinity Offshore at their website.

Why the continued success for Trinity Yachts and Trinity Offshore?

Within the commercial marine industry as well as the luxury yacht industry, Trinity has a reputation for applying top quality design and engineering practices. In the current world economy, when you can combine industry leading workmanship with on-time delivery of your boats, clients are very happy. Customers still require good work and Trinity seems to deliver for their clients.

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