Along with installing a new shaft and propeller, the yard will replace the original 315-hp Detroit Diesel 8V92 engine and modify the engine bed to accommodate a new 429-hp, EPA Tier 3, Mitsubishi S6B3-MPTAW-3 diesel engine. Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. photo
Boston Harbor’s ferry Outward Bound has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp., Somerset, Mass., for a mid-life refit. Redelivery is planned for spring 2026. Purpose-designed by JW Gilbert Associates and built by Gladding-Hearn in 1995, the 64', 140-passenger steel vessel carries visitors and supplies seasonally to Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on the island in Boston Harbor.
Boston Harbor’s ferry Outward Bound has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp., Somerset, Mass., for a mid-life refit. Redelivery is planned for spring 2026. Purpose-designed by JW Gilbert Associates and built by Gladding-Hearn in 1995, the 64', 140-passenger steel vessel carries visitors and supplies seasonally to Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on the island in Boston Harbor.
Along with installing a new shaft and propeller, the yard will replace the original 315-hp Detroit Diesel 8V92 engine and modify the engine bed to accommodate a new 429-hp, EPA Tier 3, Mitsubishi S6B3-MPTAW-3 diesel engine, which will deliver a top speed of 11 knots. The new engine is connected to a Twin Disc MG-5114, 3:1 gearbox. The yard will replace the vessel’s exhaust, cooling and ventilation systems to accommodate the new engine. The original Wagner steering system will be replaced with a new Dometic Seastar Optimus system.
Six electric heaters will replace the original diesel-fired boiler and heaters to produce sufficient heat for seasonal operation. Many updates will be made to the electrical and piping systems, including new LED lighting, bilge piping, and domestic systems. The engine room will be equipped with a new FireBoy GA Series fire suppression system.
The vessel’s hull will be fully sandblasted, surveyed, and replated as required. Doors, windows, and hatches will be inspected, tested, and repaired as needed. The vessel’s exterior and interior will receive a new coating system.
