Red sky at morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red Sky at dawn? A stunning Swan.

Located on Valentia Island, in County Kerry, near the extreme southwest corner of Ireland, Murphy Marine, builds boats designed and proven on the extrema Atlantic waters. The well-known yard builds  a range of boats from 24 to 44 feet. While the hull designs are proven and set, the upper portions of the vessel include a variety of different configurations.

“We got 59,115 hours on those engines, without ever removing a head,” marvels Seaspan International’s Port Engineer Kevin Tweedy, “and they were still running so, at 5,000 to 5,500 hours per year, we could easily have done 60,000 hours.” But the company schedule worked to do a like-for-like repower. The pair of 850-hp, tier 1, Cummins KTA38 diesels were pulled out and a brand-new set of 850 hp, tier 2, KTA38s went in.  

For nearly a century, the rugged coast and islands of Scotland were served by the handy little steam freight boats known as Puffers. They carried manufactured goods out to villages and farm produce back to the mainland.

Since the days of wooden hulls and human power, lifeboat crews have put to sea through dangerous surf to save the lives of their fellow seamen. The first engine-powered boats allowed decks and cabins that afforded a greater level of safety.

Ocean science is in high demand by scientists studying ocean acidification, wave energy, seabed composition, changing water temperatures, fish populations and dozens of other research projects. The Oregon State University (OSU) has a proud history in the field. The wide variety of research project require a variety of vessels.