Blount
Boats, Inc. is a full-service shipyard specializing
in design, construction and repair of steel and aluminum
vessels up to 220 feet. Founded as Blount Marine Corporation
in 1949 by Luther H. Blount (1916-2006), the company
is privately held and managed by the Blount family.
After Luther Blount built his first boat, a 77’
steel catamaran, he bid and won a job to construct a
fuel oil service vessel using the same catamaran concept
based on two cylindrical floats which he dubbed the
“twin tube.” This design was succeeded by
a progression of larger and more complex vessels resulting
in a quantum expansion of the shipyard.
One of the most famous vessels built at the shipyard
was the 130-foot, 600-passenger Miss Liberty. Built
in 1952, this boat carried over 60,000,000 passengers
from Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty for the Circle
Line.
In 1955, the “Blount 65” made its debut
and was an immediate success with ferry, commuter and
excursion operators.
Blount designed and built America’s first commercial
stern trawler, the Narragansett, in 1962 with the goal
to enter the New England fishing industry market.
In the 1970’s Blount designed and built offshore
supply vessels for the U.S. oil industry. The largest
of these vessels at 192 feet long were equipped to carry
3,900 cubic feet of drilling mud in six tanks, 350,000
gallons of drill water and had a deck cargo of 640 long
tons.
The
Le Bateau dinner boat, built in 1972, is believed to
be the first to operate in the U.S., launching the excursion
dinner boat segment of the cruise industry in America.
During the 1980’s, a group of “Spirit Class”
dinner boats were constructed with three decks designed
for cruising major U.S. harbors.
In the 1990’s, three small ship cruise vessels,
each carrying up to 100 overnight guests, were built
for Blount family sister company, American Canadian
Caribbean Line (ACCL), a niche cruise operator. Blount
designed and engineered retractable pilot houses to
permit low bridge clearance, bow ramps to allow beach
landings, and glass bottom boats.
Today, the Blount family is carrying on the Blount tradition
and is charting a course to remain a strong, innovative
and successful leader in the marine industry.
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