Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 3632 AUGUST 2016 • FOGHORN MEMBERNEWS The question of whether bigger really is better has been asked and answered by Dan Salas, President of Harbor Breeze Cruises, Rancho Palos Verde, CA. His newest vessel, the M/V La Espada, has a passenger capacity of 250, larger than his other vessels, and is already sold out for cruises every weekend since it launched earlier this season. “We couldn’t be happier with La Espada,” said Salas. “It’s a great addition to our fleet and the public’s reaction has been nothing but terrific. Passengers are delighted to step onto the decks and enjoy cruising in Southern California.” Designed to provide harbor tours, whale watch cruises, dinner cruises and charter ferry service to Catalina Island, La Espada, which means “the sword” in Spanish, is 83-feet by 29.5-feet and operates in Southern California, in the Long Beach and San Pedro areas. “I started in this business with a chartered fishing boat back in 2000,” Salas said. “But, when I noticed that blue whales were coming through Southern California in 2004, I knew I had to expand into the passenger vessel industry and offer whale watch cruises with a vessel fast enough to do that. It was an instant success and we’ve been growing ever since.” The U.S. Coast Guard-inspected Subchapter K vessel, La Espada, built by PVA Associate member All American Marine, Bellingham, WA, has a signature catamaran hull shape with a symmetrical bow and asymmetrical tunnel that is ideal for the conditions on the Southern California coast. The vessel features stadium-style seating on the foredeck for unobstruct- ed views, comfortable interior and exterior seating, ADA accessibility, and a fully-equipped snack bar in the main deck cabin. The upper deck features a premium cabin experience, complete with a private bar, which also serves a prep area for caterers for dinner cruises. Up to 150 passengers can be seated for dinner cruises; and, as many as 200 passengers can enjoy cocktails and appetizer cruises. La Espada, along with her sister-ship the M/V Triumphant, which entered service in 2013 and also built by All American Marine, are hydrofoil-sup- ported catamarans and the gallons per nautical mile fuel consumption curve is nearly constant from 17 knots up to 27 knots. The fuel-efficient hull signifi- cantly reduces operating costs and can reach 30 knots, even when fully laden. What’s more, there are several eco- friendly features that make a big differ- ence in a very subtle way. Low voltage LED lighting is installed throughout the entire vessel. Tinted glass was used for all passenger windows to mitigate energy use associated with offsetting heat gain. Lightweight aluminum honeycomb wall panels and perforated aluminum ceiling tiles were used to outfit the cabin interior without adding mass that causes excessive fuel burn. High performance bottom paint was used to enhance speed and fuel effi- ciency. The super structure was also designed to be low profile and reduce drag. The vessel is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 ACERT Tier III engines with 1450 bhp @ 2100 rpm. The engines comply with the most advanced emissions standards. Harbor Breeze Cruises has also partnered with Lucas Oil to utilize their line of eco-friendly products to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. According to Salas, “The All American Marine crew did an out- standing job building this beautiful and highly functional multipurpose vessel. Significant attention to detail was given in every aspect of the design and construction and we are extremely confident that this craft will serve our markets well.” He also added that the vessel was completed under a tight deadline. “La Espada was done on time and on budget,” he remarked. All American Marine’s experi- ence with constructing Subchapter K vessels made it possible to design a configurable platform that can serve many purposes and still comply with required regulations. All American Marine CEO Matt Mullett said, “We find it exciting to work with a client who wants to push the envelope and implement new features that will make the boat truly outstanding. We look forward to building more vessels for the Harbor Breeze Cruises fleet in the future.” Meanwhile, Harbor Breeze Cruises is continuing to make waves in “SoCal.” On the last weekend in July, the operation had record-breaking numbers of passengers on its vessels, which makes Dan and his team are looking forward to having their most successful year ever. n With a Fleet of Eight — Including a New Vessel — Harbor Breeze Cruises Is Making Waves in Southern California Harbor Breeze Cruises’s newest addition, M/V La Espada, is a multi-purpose vessel.