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Research Vessel Sold
Coupeville, WA. The research vessel 'Sensor', the first
vessel ever sold by Marcon International, Inc. back in 1983, and owned by
Raytheon Company, has been resold to Hargett Marine of Lafayette, LA. The
136' x 36' x 10.5' vessel was originally built in 1956 as one of the first
generation purpose built supply vessels by Harms & Smaihall Shipyard
of Orange, TX. She is still powered with her twin turbo-charged
Enterprise DMM 363TA's diesel engines producing a total of 1,000 BHP at
950 RPM. She has a large open 109' x 29' clear deck but has been outfitted
with a 15 Ton A-frame, a 20 Ton straight boom hydraulic crane and a two
ton "knuckle-boom" crane. Over the recent years she has primarily been
used in the Seattle area to test and evaluate sonar products manufactured
by Raytheon for the U.S. Navy and commercial markets. The new owner plans
to keep her positioned in the Pacific Northwest region and use her for
sonar, seismic and research related business opportunities. Marcon
acted as sole broker in the transaction. This is the second vessel
Marcon has sold for Raytheon this year.
Back in 1983 Tidewater
Marine had her working the rigs offshore Southern California as the "Low
Tide" until purchased by Honeywell Marine Systems of Seattle who renamed
her "Sea Echo" and converted the vessel to perform open water test and
research activities such as underwater acoustic tests, submersible
support, marine system tests and range support. The Honeywell Marine
Systems division itself was later taken over and the vessel changed names
again first to "Alliant" and later to "Sensor" as she was known under
operation and management of Raytheon Systems Co. Over the years she
was used to test and evaluate sonar products manufactured by Raytheon for
the U.S. Navy and commercial markets including the Mk.50 torpedo, AN/SQL
48V Mine Neutralization System, AN.SQL-33 Ship Towed Deception Device and
SeaMarc sidelooking sonar to name a few.
"Sensor" looks a combination of a well-maintained museum piece
and a modern high-tech research vessel. Although it is still easy to
recognize her original design, she is now outfitted with much more modern
deck and navigational equipment including a 200HP HTC-600 360 degree
Omnithruster, watermaker, hydraulic cranes, hydraulic "A" frame, moonpool,
DGPS, autopilot, closed-circuit television monitors, new anchor winch
capable of anchoring in 600' water at a 5:1 scope. Power is now
provided by two 135kW / CAT D3306T generators synchronous to 270kW and
1-60kW / CAT D330 110 / 208 / 240 / 430 / 440 / 460 / 480vAC
generator. Hydraulics consist of 170GPM @ 2,600PSI (4 each
HPU's combined & 15GPM @ 2,000PSI hydraulic power units. The
original Enterprise engines still remain though and their Chief Engineer
reports that they are a pleasure to work on - and are a pleasure to look
at with their highly polished brass and copper. "Sensor" typically
operated as a day boat in the waters of Puget Sound or in nearby Canadian
waters and is readily adaptable to specific underwater testing
requirements plus is a highly suitable platform for bottom exploration and
sampling, diving operations, light salvage and construction and
oceanographic and environmental testing.
Since this first sale in
1983, Marcon International has brokered over 600 vessels and barges with
sales expected on several more within the next two weeks.
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