Phoenix at the Newport Shipyard -  January 2010

25 January 2010 Phoenix

BOAT: Phoenix
OWNER: Downeast Marine Resources, Castine, ME http://www.dmrinc.us/
DESIGNER/BUILDER: Davie Yard Inc., Levis, Quebec http://www.davie.ca/
YEAR: 1972
HULL: Steel
LENGTH: 130 feet [39.6 meters]
HISTORY:
 Located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River opposite the United Nations UNESCO World Heritage City of Quebec, the Davie Shipyard has been in continuous operation for over 185 years!
Originally builders of ocean going square rigged sailing vessels, Davie Yard also built boats for up river and Great Lakes exploration. Following the myriad changes of history, the yard has morphed into a modern builder of fishing, military, and industrial ships.
 Built in the early 1970s for offshore fishing, Phoenix- after a hard career spanning more than three decades- was the beneficiary of a multimillion dollar refit into a private yacht in 2008.  It seems that no expense was spared. The vessel was fitted with every mechanical system and creature comfort imaginable.
Purchased recently by Downeast Marine Resources, Phoenix made a brief stop at the Newport Shipyard. The boat is now a luxurious private platform for scientific research.
With side scanning SONAR, bottom mapping capabilities, a full on board laboratory, and submersible vehicle launching gear, Phoenix will come in handy when offshore wind companies commence initial operations in Rhode Island waters.

Ocean Watch

Ocean Watch at Bowen's Wharf in Newport before leaving

5 October 2009 Ocean Watch

BOAT: Ocean Watch
OWNER: Ocean Watch http://www.aroundtheamericas.org/log/the-boat/
DESIGNER: Bruce Roberts, Severna Park, MD http://www.bruceroberts.com/
BUILDER: Custom built in Havre de Grace, MD
YEAR: 1988
LENGTH: 64 feet [19.5 meters]
HULL: 1/4” steel on steel frames
HISTORY:
 Originally built to be a rugged cruising yacht, Ocean Watch [ex –Dazantie III] was already working as a research vessel when-after an exhaustive search on both sides of the Atlantic- Captain Mark Schrader and his team found what for them would be the perfect boat for an incredible expedition [see Friday’s Newport Daily News]
 The boat had to be robust enough to withstand the rigors of the Arctic Ocean and Northwest Passage, yet fast enough to traverse large expanses of blue water safely, reliably, and quickly. The double headsail cutter rig consists of a powerful mainsail with three deep reefs, a high clewed jib, a staysail and an asymmetrical spinnaker for off wind sailing. Her underbody configuration is good for pushing through ice, and the steel construction is remarkably tough for a performance boat.
Sitting in the fully enclosed center cockpit gives a feeling of security. The decks feature a no nonsense layout with rugged nonskid. Down below is cozy and warm with full headroom a large shower/bathroom-the galley as big as any studio apartment. Ocean Watch has left Newport bound for Seattle by way of Cape Horn. Track her progress by going to www.aroundtheamericas.org