American Enterprise

[norgale]

Does anybody have any info on the American Enterprise like where it is and if it is still even afloat? I'm building this boat next from a Dumas kit and I'd like to know more about it. I Googled it but nothing. Pete

[RhumbLine]

norgale, I'm building this boat now, very slowly I might add. There are only a few people that have any information about the AE that I have found. I first saw her pier side at the Halter Marine sight in the industrial canal in New Orleans many years ago. I must say that for the day she was quite the beauty and as large as her newest competition. She was already 9 years old then, and laid up for what ever reason. For the time she was state of the art in design and engineering. But new technology has its own issues too. I read that the builder had serious issues with the intake grating being bent inward from suction, especially on the center engine. The guy didn't remember the exact issues or fix. The all jet drive was ideal for the area due to the shallow waters, not so sure that debris wasn't an issue though. She was faster than most anything in her class with a 40+ knot top speed, but I'll bet that center turbine really ate the fuel. Later somone on another forum said that she was in a passenger livery in SoCal and named ENSENADA EXPRESS. Around the same time frame she was used as a whale watching boat. Since then her new owners have transfered her to Texas and she is again working in the GOM oil patch. She is now named APOLLO and is reconfigured to conventional running gear (3x diesel/reduction gear/screws) and is in typical old work boat condition (needs TLC). Someone on another forum located her by accident, and it took him several weeks to contact the owner. The new owner knows that the boat is somewhat of a celebrity and is not interested in dealing with her lore. I haven't found too many pictures of her except for a few as a model, none of her in the early days. Halter Marine has been out of business, re-formed, changed operations, etc... (the etc...is the juicy part :D ) over the years and do not want to answer any questions/nobody knows a lot about the boat. I guess I just didn't find the right person to tell me a story. I do have a little more information about the early years but not much. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Scott

[tugs]

Take a look at this from RC Universe [pardon the term]
This is probably the guy who found the vessel [referred to in #2 above]:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/community/profile.cfm?section=blog&memid=299096

Search here by name:
http://cgmix.uscg.mil/PSIX/VesselSearch.aspx

[8 pages of apollo]

[RhumbLine]

Thats the guy. Also I use a different site for searching boat names/Offical Number, its the same information just preference I guess. http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/CoastGuard/index.html

Scott

[jeepers1940]

Pete, Please tell us a little about construction of the hull of this model. What materials are used and how difficult it is to end up with a 'true' hull. Thanks -
Bill

[norgale]

Well! Lot's of information here. I,like Texas Hippie, have spent hours on line looking for the AE but to no avail. His find was very lucky and I will try and contact him for his pictures. Thanks to Rumbline and Tugs for your help.
Now jeepers 1940 I am taking some pictures as I go along with the AE so as to post on this forum as a build. So far I have only popped out some frames and the sheers and glued a few pieces together and already there have been problems with the veneer on the plywood coming apart in small places. My biggest problem is psace as this is a long boat. My work surface is only 48" and the model is 52" so there's a problem with that. Living in a travel trailer 35' long is great but does have it's drawbacks. I may have to build this thing outside like the Great Republic in one quarter scale that I am planning. But thats a whole nother story as the saying goes.
I have to finish the Pilar first or there just won't be enough room. Pete

[norgale]

Rhumbline; Are you saying that the AE had three turbine engines in it?

[RhumbLine]

norgale, no, only 1 turbine in the center. Diesels on the wings (port & stbd). let me find what I saved on the boat and I'll get it to you. I understand your space restrictions too. Stinks to have to move everything when you need to do something different.

Scott

[norgale]

You got that right. I'm sitting here seriously contemplating throwing my couch out to lengthen my boatbuilding area. However that isn't likely to happen as then I wouldn't have any place to sleep while I watch Television. Ha!
One turbine in the middle and two diesels on the wings. Did they all run at the same time? Jet boat with no props--I have to know more about this.
I sent an email to the texas hippie so I hope I hear from him.

[RhumbLine]

Norgale, She has been re-powered and re-geared. She now has 3 diesels (unknown make/hp) and triple screws. Her original configuration was 16V-71 Detroit Diesels (800 hp ea give or take a few) on the wings driving 16in jet pumps, and an Allison 4200 hp turbine on a 24in jet pump. I found a link and translated the German web page that I saved that stated her original 1976 configuration pushed her at 42kts! That must have been a sight to see back then. A 104ft crew boat running as fast as ski and bass boats of the day. The guy in Germany, and the guy in Texas built the model with 3 jet drives. The guy in Germany used the exact same drives and sizes that I was thinking of.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.ig-spezialschiffe.net/Ber-pages/B_HSaE_HSCB.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DHalter%2BMarine%2BCrewboats%2BAmerica n%2BEnterprise%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

PM Sent

Scott

[norgale]

Neat set up. Where in the world do you get pumps like that for a model. How do you back up or is it something like the reverse thrusters on an airplane? Very nice site. Thanks. Pete

[RhumbLine]

norgale, there are only a few places to get jet drives, these links are two of them. Yes the drives have "buckets" that operate on a servo independent from the steering.

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/jetdrives.htm

http://www.jet-drive.de/vg_server/custom/frameset.php?generateID=1&pageTitle=Kehrer-Modellbau&language=0

Scott

[norgale]

Man thats fantastic. I guess I've been away from this business for longer that I thought. Never saw such a thing before for a model. I'll bet they would be terrific in the AE. Thanks for the link. Pete

[hsae]

Hi there!
I just was stumbling over this thread and I am surprised to see that you guys have been on my website in Germany. Actually I am living now in the US.
Anyway, as you folks, I have been trying hard to get some more information about "The American Express" with not much success. :( But, I got an email from the yard with the following specifications:

Built: 1976 Halter Marine, New Orleans, USA
(First Crew-Boat with water-jets)
The 105 ft. long boat was powered by two Detroit-Diesels 16V71T and one Allison Gas turbine with 4200 PS. The Diesels powered two Rocketdyne 16” Jets and the Turbine a 24” Jet as a booster. Top speed according the yard was in the range of 42 kn. Very respectable at that time!

Because I was frustrated not been able to build in scale, I modified my model. Attaching a crane and a MOB-Boat plus some stuff crew boats usually have. I was not very happy with the quality of the model kit. Therefore I used it as a template to build a hull out of epoxy (GFK). Please see some photos on my web site.

http://www.ig-spezialschiffe.de/Ber-pages/IG_Ber_fr.html

The model is powered by two 28 mm Kehrer jets and a 33 mm jet as a booster. The booster is driven by a Hectoperm GT 500, which has an integrated turbine as ventilation. When it is running, under full power the motor sounds like a turbine.

As you can imagine the model is fast! Because of a very busy lifestyle I didn't complete the boat yet. But I am hoping to install a retractable bow thruster in the near future and to complete the model.

So long!

[MILLERTIME]

Welcome to RCGroups hsae.
Nice web sight.

Don M.

[norgale]

Hsae welcome to the forum. You sure did put some power to the AE and it looks to be a great job. I'll bet that boat will fly when you get it in the water. As it turned out I couldn't build my kit because it was just too big for my trailer. Need to buy a house for my boats. Ha! Great job on the details and she looks very real. Thanks for posting the link to your site. Pete

[hsae]

Hi Pete,
Hi Don,
Thanks for the warm welcome.
Pete, sorry to hear that you didn't have the room. There are plenty smaller boats out there with water jets. My next project will be a CB90H Ambulance (CB=Combat Boat) from Sweden with two water-jets. Bigger scale (1/15) and a little bit shorter than the AE
Take care,

Hermann