VESSEL REVIEW | San Jacinto – New pilot boat for operation in Houston Ship Channel
Louisiana boatbuilder Breaux’s Bay Craft has delivered a new 80- by 21-foot (24- by 6.4-metre) custom aluminium pilot boat to the Houston Pilots Association (HPA) of Texas.
Named San Jacinto after Texas’ San Jacinto County, the vessel entered full operational service in the Houston Ship Channel in May 2025.
The ECS Marine-designed newbuild is the first of two new pilot boats built for the HPA. She has an inverted deep V-bottom hull and is powered by three MAN D2862 LE 438 Tier IV diesel engines, each with a rated output of 1,200 hp (890 kW), driving three Hamilton HTX47 waterjets via Twin Disc MGX 5204 gearboxes.
Designed for fast and stable transits
The engines are fed by fuel tanks with a total capacity of 2,200 gallons (8,300 litres). Breaux’s Bay Craft said the boat's fuel consumption is optimised at 43 gallons (162 litres) per hour per engine.
The propulsion package gives the vessel a top speed of 37.5 knots and a cruising speed of 32.5 knots, which satisfies the HPA’s requirement for a boat that could cover the 10- to 12-mile (16- to 19-kilometre) distance to the association’s bar vessel in less than an hour.
The propulsion is also fitted with water-cooled exhaust systems and Soundown selective catalytic reduction systems.
With safety as a priority, the stability of both overhead and forward bow boarding allows for safe transport of maritime pilots to and from ships that they are piloting.
The boat is equipped with two Northern Lights 38kW generators, a Seakeeper 40 stabilisation system, HamiltonJet’s AVX controls, and a Total Safety fixed CO2 firefighting system in the engine room. The latter includes CO2 bottles with automatic engine shutdown and vent closure functions, though a manual pull feature is also available.
Interior laid out for ease of navigation
The navigation and communications electronics suite was supplied and installed by Rio Marine and includes a radar, AIS, echosounder, GPS, compass and loudhailer from Furuno, two Sailor 6248 VHF radios, and a Teledyne FLIR rotating thermal imaging camera. The seats, which also include nine shock-mitigating reclining seats, were provided by NorSap.
The coxswain’s seat has a joystick installed on the left armrest. This arrangement frees up the coxswain’s right hand to control the waterjets during maneouvres without the need to get up from the seat. The windscreens and side windows from B&G Glass are made of laminated glass and are fitted with defrosters.
Comfortable liveaboard spaces
The boat has liveaboard accommodation for up to four people. Other facilities include a galley and a toilet from A-Head Sanitation Systems. The interior is kept comfortable by an Advanced A/C and Electric HVAC system with Dometic chillers, insulation from EEG Marine, and mist eliminators from Centek Industries.
The cabin interior features Libra-Plast doors, plywood ceilings covered in black vinyl from Sterlings Upholstery, as well as flooring from Plasteak. According to HPA Boat Operations Chief Captain Billy Kern, the decision to do away with yacht-like finishes helped reduce the vessel’s overall weight.
The stern is fitted with a SeaLift rescue system for use in MOB situations. Den Haan Rotterdam and BCM meanwhile supplied the external lighting.
San Jacinto will be followed into service with the HPA by sister boat Juan Seguin. The newbuilds will replace Lone Star, the association’s older SWATH boat, and will be operated alongside the refurbished 15-year-old vessel Yellow Rose.
