The well-known Bering Sea crabber ‘Cornelia Marie’ from the Discovery channel’s Deadliest Catch, has undergone a Cummins repower and a revamp courtesy of its new owners.
New owner Roger Thomas and his partner Kari Toivola bought a 50% stake in the boat back in March, helping the current shareholders Casey McManus and Josh Harris to carry out much needed refurbishment work to the vessel.
Mr Thomas said: “We knew that, if we bought shares in her, she would require new engines and new decking under the accommodation area.”
Built at Horton Boats in Bayou LaBatre Alabama in 1989, the vessel has a classic aft cabin style and a 128ft ultra-marine blue hull, both in good condition. But in the engine room, 70% of the steel deck under the accommodation block was badly deteriorated and was in need of replacement.
A pair of tired 650 HP Mitsubishi mains were also badly in need of an upgrade, as were two of the three gensets.
The new partners had a commitment for a Bristol Bay tendering charter for the vessel to honour in mid-June so there was no time to hang about getting the work done.
The boat arrived in Seattle, US, on 17 March and went straight to the shipyard. The main accommodation area, including the mess and galley, was gutted. The concrete floor and the steel under it was taken up and replaced. Cornelia Marie was also repowered with a pair of electronic-controlled 750-HP Cummins QSK19-M diesels and two new gen sets.
Just 10 weeks later, following sea trials, the vessel was ready to get back to work in Alaska. In terms of capacity, when it comes to salmon tendering, the Cornelia Marie can pack 630,000lb in RSW. For crabs, which are carried live in circulating seawater, it can pack up to 315,000lb.
