b'Pudlo went on to explainalso force a fresh look and approach to the measurement FOGHORN FOCUS of gross tonnage, which must somehow be kept below 100 that the implication GT for small passenger vessels.of a major conversion isLebet shared an example of work his firm did lengthening a boat for Dan Yates with PVA vessel member Portland that every element of Spirit. He had an 80 vessel but had to turn away hun-dred-passenger weddings that wanted to all be seated on the vessel is subject to the same level. He approached DeJong & Lebet with the request to cut the boat in half and extend it for additional reinspection and plan capacity. The firm had done this type of work before and had the technology and skills to do the job, however, Lebet review under current was skeptical that it was the right way to go. Yates did the math and came back confident that this was the best solu-regulations, just as if ittion for his operation. The firm took a closer look at the vessel. With windows every six feet, the boat would have were new construction. to be lengthened by a multiple of six. They settled on 18, which did indeed give Yates the room needed to seat 100 people on the first floor for a wedding. Lebet said that they still laugh about it. Yates had been right that it was a good choice for his vessel and needs.Other parts of a vessel may be altered as well. Above the Lebet explained that biodiesel can be mixed with tradition- hull, operators often seek to add length or height to deck-al diesel for use in traditional systems. The blending is inhouses,orencloseportionsofexistingupperpassenger part to manage fuel performance in lower temperatures.decks, Pudlo said. He pointed out that stability and struc-tural limitations may or may not allow for such alterations.Beyondthepropulsionsystem,anoperatorcansignifi-cantly change a vessel by such measures as lengthening,In discussing such significant alterations as lengthening a or in some rare cases, widening the boat. The shape ofboat, Lebet commented that you may have heard a term the existing hull will largely influence the options whentossed about called major conversion. That sounds like a lengthening a boat. A common method is to cut the hullgeneric term, but its a very specifically defined term in amidships and insert a plug of matching cross-section, butthe U.S. Coast Guard rules. Pudlo shared the details of a not all hulls are shaped to allow this, Pudlo explained. Itsmajor conversion for a passenger vessel as defined in Sub-sometimes necessary to get crafty, like making a zigzag cutchapters T (175.400) and K (114.400) as follows: through the hull to catch the deck and chine at their widest points or tilting the cut halves to allow sheer curvature toMajor conversion means a conversion of a vessel that, as continue through the midship addition. He noted that hisdetermined by the commandant:team has also altered vessel lengths by adding on to sterns and replacing bows.(1) Substantially changes the dimensions or carryingcapacity of the vesselAnotherkeyconsiderationinalteringvessellengthis subdivision, since new and existing compartments of the(2) Changes the type of vesselhull must meet the bulkhead spacing and damage survival requirements for the new length and draft, Pudlo contin- (3) Substantially prolongs the life of the vesselued. Additionally, existing structures must be shown or made to be adequate for the increased length and displace- (4) Otherwise so changes the vessel that it is essentiallyment of the modified vessel. Altered hull dimensions willa new vesselFOGHORN 22'