Louisiana

The Benefits of Sustainable Marine Lumber

Today’s marinas are held to a higher standard of environmental stewardship than in the past. No longer are they just responsible for the environmental impacts of their day-to-day operations, but also of their infrastructure and how it affects both the oceans, waterways and their delicate marine ecosystems. For these reasons, many marinas are being far more selective as to construction materials being specified for their expansion and/or restoration projects.One material that is rising to the top for its eco-friendly and performance attributes is sustainable marine lumber.

Tickfaw 200 Powerboat Poker Run

Once more renowned for picking strawberries not royal flushes, Livingston Parish now hosts Louisiana’s largest poker powerboat run, Tickfaw 200, bringing performance powerboaters to the bayou state in springtime. “It’s the Baja 500 and the Iditarod of powerboating,” said Keith Cacioppo, a lifelong boater with a 30-foot cruiser who’s attended The Tickfaw 200 for 11 straight years.Cacioppo has never run the 200, but is one of hundreds of spectator boats charging the event with energy and cheers.“My boat couldn’t handle it,” said Cacioppa. “This is for the big dogs.

Whirlwind of change: Where’s Trinity Yachts' crew today?

Four key players of the disbanded Trinity Yachts, once the world’s sixth largest custom yacht builder, are working in new roles in yachting since the company’s break-up about four years ago.Billy Smith, Geoffrey van Aller, Jim Berulis and Phil Nuss rolled with the punches, just as they did when this author interviewed them at Trinity’s Cinco de Mayo crayfish boil celebrating their new Gulfport facility in Mississippi in May, 2006. In a region suffering after Hurricane Katrina toppled the Gulf Coast and sank New Orleans on August 29…

Mercury Marine Donates Boats, Engines to Harvey Relief Effort

Mercury Marine, in an effort to help in the recovery mission in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, said it has donated multiple boats and engines to the affected areas. This week, Mercury deployed 30, 6hp outboard engines as well as 10 inflatable boats to be sent to the command center in Texas. In addition, the company donated a 40hp outboard engine to Boots on the Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering veterans and qualified civilians to provide in-field emergency and primary medical care. The state command center in Texas has also identified the scarcity of life jackets.

Glassman Joins VMAG

Marine electronics, navigation and communication systems supplier Voyager Maritime Alliance Group (VMAG) said it has recruited Robert Glassman as a Senior Technical Sales Engineer as it expands its portfolio to provide turnkey marine technology for refits and new builds. Glassman graduated from Palm Beach Community College, joined the Coast Guard and retired after 20+ years as a Mustang Lieutenant. During his military service, he was instrumental in many drug and migrant interdictions…

Gulf Coast Shipyard Delivers MY Imagine

Gulf Coast Shipyard Group (GCSG) has delivered the Motor Yacht Imagine. The M.Y. Imagine, a Trinity built yacht, is a 193’x 32’x 14’6” custom designed semi-displacement aluminum hull and superstructure vessel that was constructed in GCSG’s yard located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The vessel meets the highest quality yacht standards in the world. It was designed by GCSG and is ABS classed for commercial yachting service. M.Y. Imagine is designed to accommodate 12 guests and a crew of 14 including a captain.

Solar-powered Canoe Travels the Entire Mississippi

After a long journey that started in 2012, the CalypSol crew reached Baton Rouge, Louisiana at 3:25 pm on June 11, completing 1,100 miles to become the first solar powered canoe voyage down the Mississippi. This was the third and longest segment of the trip that took Raymond Christe and Jean-Claude Barras from Memphis, Tennessee to Baton Rouge. A Torqeedo Travel 503 electric outboard helped power their long-distance expedition. For the last leg, they launched their craft at the Mud Island Marina in Memphis on May 26.

Westport Shipyard sold, no changes anticipated

Representatives of Westport Shipyard, Inc. (Westport, WA), the largest yacht builder in North America, announced today that the company’s assets have been acquired by Westport, LLC, an ownership group that includes members of the Louisiana-based Chouest family. Celebrating 50 years of business in 2014, Westport maintains three locations in Washington state, as well as a marina and sales office in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Employing over 400 skilled employees, Westport has completed more than 120 yachts since 2000. And one of those customers was Gary Chouest.

Louisiana Marina at Auction Shortly

Sperry Van Ness is selling the Delta Marina in Empire, LA at auction on Saturday, July 20, 2013. It is a turnkey operation sitting on 3.19 acres with a store, restaurant, docks, cabins, and much more. The Delta Marina is a turnkey operation on 3.19 acres with Marina store, full service restaurant with bar, live bait shop, fueling dock, back down ramp, backup generator, twenty air conditioned cabins that sleep four each, including a full kitchen and bath, laundry, office, outdoor sitting area, 22 boat moorings, and fish cleaning area.

Super Bowl XLVII & Lower Mississippi Maritime Security Ops

In support of Super Bowl XLVII, a team of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies begin maritime safety and security operations on the lower Mississippi River, Monday. Response boats, patrol vehicles and enforcement personnel from more than 16 law enforcement agencies will conduct maritime security operations in the downtown New Orleans area and at the Port of New Orleans. All agencies will work together within a unified command, lead by the Port of New Orleans Harbor Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide a coordinated safe and secure environment for Super Bowl participants and the general public.

Severn Trent De Nora Secures New Order for its Mariner Omnipure

Electrolytic disinfection technology to be used on luxury yacht. Severn Trent De Nora has announced  that the Mariner Omnipure  marine sewage treatment system M5508 model will be used on the FY17, a new luxury superyacht to be constructed by Fitzroy Yachts of New Zealand for delivery in 2014. The FY17 is a fast cruising sloop that measures 37.5m in overall length. The order was secured through HMA-POGC of Australia, a supplier of industrial equipment to the water and waste, oil, gas and other industries.

Trinity Yachts: Hurricane Isaac Update

Both Yards and All Employees Doing Fine. The New Orleans yard was hit by a Category 1 hurricane while the Gulfport yard was hit by a tropical storm with 9’ of storm surge. There was no damage to the Gulfport yard or to any of the yachts and other vessels under construction. The yard will return to work tomorrow, August 31. The New Orleans yard did take a direct hit but the recently completed floodgates protecting the city of New Orleans did their job protecting the city. Despite a storm surge of 11’…