New Islands Vessel

FOUR sturdy boats recently built by Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty. Ltd. for Islands Exploration Ltd., are powered by Vivian diesel engines. These vessels are being used in the search for oil in Papua and New Guinea, car rying cargo on ocean and river voyages.

The “Panuco” and “Potrero”, sister ships, have a length of 64 ft., a beam of 18 ft. mould ed depth of 7 to 9 ft., gross tonnage of 67.94 tons, and are powered by a 6-cylinder 6% in. stroke by 10 in. bore Vivian diesel engine rat ing 120 B.H.P. The vessels have a cruising speed of 9 knots.

The other boats, the “Casiano” and the “Chin ampa”, have a length of 53 ft., beam of 17 ft., moulded depth 7 to 6 ft., gross tonnage 59.92 tons, and are powered by 4-cylinder 6 3 A in. stroke by 10 in. bore Vivian rating 80 H.P. They have a cruising spe-id of 8 knots.

Vivian diesel units, by which the four boats are powered, were first introduced to Australia from Canada where they are manufactured, about a year and a half ago and became popu lar in vessels where excess strength and de

pendabllity were important. Sydney Ferries Ltd. in their new tug boat “Vivian” have had a 120 H.P. Vivian in use for a year and have re cently ordered two more Vivians of the same size and power to go into two new tugs.

Cockatoo Docks are also using a Vivian engine in one of their boats, as is Charles Messenger, the well-known Sydney launch proprietor.- *