VESSEL REVIEW | Ranger James P. Fleetwood – Firefighting boat delivered to US National Park Service

Alabama boatbuilder Silver Ships recently delivered a new firefighting vessel to the US National Park Service for operation in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area that sits between Arizona and Nevada.

The welded aluminium vessel has been named Ranger James P. Fleetwood in honour of a National Park Service ranger who was killed in the line of duty in 1977.

Measuring 32 by 10 feet (9.75 by three metres) and with a deadweight capacity of up to five tonnes, the new boat will serve US Park Rangers on Lake Mohave and the Colorado River. It is powered by two Mercury Verado 350hp (260kW) outboards, this particular propulsion loadout having been chosen to ensure steering and manoeuvring at high speeds are as effortless as possible.

The vessel is furnished with a fully enclosed cabin and includes both air conditioning and heat for operator comfort. A bow gate allows water rescues as well as loading and unloading of equipment.

As with other firefighting boats in this series by Silver Ships, the vessel is equipped with a Darley fire system with the ability to discharge more than 1,500 gallons (5,678 litres) of water per minute through a remotely operated monitor mounted on the wheelhouse roof.

The boat is also equipped with a full Garmin electronics navigation suite, which includes a radar and a sonar.

As with other boats in the Silver Ships product line, Ranger James P. Fleetwood has a hull designed for strength and durability meeting ABS rules for high-speed craft.