After serving as the 2013 America’s Cup Umpire Boat, Willard Marine’s 43’ High Speed Interceptor was selected as the Start Boat for the Lucas Oil Ocean Cup, a 435-mile endurance run, which took place on October 12, 2013. The grueling race began under the Golden Gate Bridge and ended at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. As the Start Boat, our 43’ Interceptor was responsible for running alongside the 48’ APISA endurance boat and marking its exact time of passage beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Assistant Referee, Gloria Crim and APBA Inspector, Frank Banducci both rode aboard the Interceptor.
With 1,100 horsepower and a boat that could maintain speeds of approximately 80 miles per hour, a crew of four—Nigel Hook, Andy Hindley, Dan MacNamara, and Lance Ware—set out on their journey just past 8:30am. While initially optimistic about weather conditions, the crew ended up experiencing tumultuous waters with swells of up to 10’, causing everything from electrical problems to water in the fuel tanks. While these technical difficulties were cumbersome, the seasoned crew addressed them quickly and with skill, having to stop only a few times along the run. When all was said and done, the run was completed in 9 hours, 50 minutes, and 51 seconds, setting a world record observed by the The American Power Boat Association (APBA) and the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), which is the world's recognizing body.
The America’s Cup is heating up and Willard is at the center of the action! Our 43’ High Speed Interceptor RIB is the 2013 Umpire Boat and it’s thrilling to watch it at work. Semifinal races for the Louis Vuitton Cup (best-of-seven series) began yesterday between Artemis Racing and Luna Rossa Challenge. Luna Rossa Challenge emerged the victor of the 15.83-nautical-mile race by 2 minutes in winds that averaged 16 knots.
Today marks the 2nd semifinal race, with races 3 and 4 continuing on August 9th and 10th, respectively. You can watch semifinal races 3 and 4 via tape delay on NBC Sports Network (8/9 @7pm ET or 8/10 @6pm ET). You can also view all of the semifinal races via YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/americascup.
Willard Marine Inc. Announces Delivery of 17-Meter Search and Rescue Boat to the U.S. Navy Office of Foreign Military Sales.
August 18, 2008, Anaheim, CA: Willard Marine announced today the successful Acceptance Trials of their latest 17-Meter Search and Rescue (SAR) boat to the U.S. Navy Office of Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This craft was especially designed and custom built to meet the needs of the customer.
Willard Marine Conducts Long Range Interceptor (LRI) Launch & Recovery Trials at Northrop Grumman for Deepwater National Security Cutter
Anaheim, CA, May 1, 2008: From late March into early April, Willard Marine, Inc. (builder of the Deepwater Long Range Interceptor (LRI)) and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems successfully conducted the first stern ramp Launch and Recovery trials for the LRI from it’s permanent home onboard the Deepwater National Security Cutter. During trials in the Gulf of Mexico, personnel from Willard Marine, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Lockheed Martin DWICGS and the United States Coast Guard were on hand to participate in both trials and evaluations. The flawlessly executed launch and recovery of the LRI in various sea conditions, ship speeds and boat speeds provides a stable platform for the USCG onboard the NSC to respond swiftly to a variety of critical and non-critical missions.