48 passagemaker.com July/August 2018
THE INSPIRATION
As I crossed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at 5:45 a.m., I was
looking over a predawn Tampa Bay and looking forward to
my day aboard the 78-foot R/V W.T. Hogarth, a state-of-the-
art marine laboratory designed to support both research and
educational voyages.
It was no easy task finding her slip in a labyrinth of alleys,
storage buildings, and parking spaces, all part of the University
of South Florida (USF) campus in downtown St. Petersburg. As
I pulled up to her slip I could see the silhouette of her captain
pacing the afterdeck. “I’m glad you’re on time,” Captain David
Coy said as I approached the boat.
“There is no man despised more than a late crew,” I replied.
Within 45 minutes Hogarth was maneuvered away from her
confined dock, and it was still pitch dark.
Shortly after clearing the mouth of the harbor we headed
directly toward the sunrise. I joined Captain Coy and the first
mate, Ryan Healy, at the helm on the dark bridge, illuminated
only by the glow of large navigational screens. Below, in the
saloon, scientists began to gather for breakfast. Seated around
two tables drinking coffee, reading the paper, and talking about
the day’s voyage, they eagerly awaited the chef, Patrick Foster,
who was about to serve breakfast from the adjacent galley.
Although the Hogarth is a research trawler by design,
her motion through the water, her purposeful lines, and her
accommodations would seem familiar to those of us who have
spent time aboard recreational craft.
This vessel is the result of a concerted effort by the many
people who envisioned her, raised funds for her construction,
designed her, built her, and now operate her. She is named
after Dr. William T. Hogarth, who recently retired after a
distinguished 50-year career that included serving as the director
of the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), dean for USF’s
College of Marine Science, interim regional vice chancellor of
USF St. Petersburg, director of the National Marine Fisheries
Service, and chair of the International Whaling Commission.
Hogarth also led the scientific response to the 2010 Deepwater
Horizon oil spill.
It was on his watch that FIO petitioned the State of Florida
to provide $6 million to fund the construction of the new vessel.
The initial proposal was rejected, so Dr. Hogarth turned to the
22 academic members and the 11 Florida marine research
members to contribute to the project. The final funding was
a joint effort by the state, the City of St. Petersburg, and FIO
membership.
The committee formed to oversee the project consisted of
representatives of the crew, including Captain Coy, educators,
scientists, and representatives of FIO membership. They
met for 18 months and developed a comprehensive program
for the vessel and its objectives. The design was awarded to
Boksa Marine Design in Lithia, Florida, and the construction
to Duckworth Steel Boats in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hogarth
was launched in May 2017 and then spent several months
getting her advanced scientific equipment installed in between
sea trial runs.
THE BOAT
The hull specifications consist of a combination of plate
thicknesses. “The side plates from the chine to bulwark cap are
¼-inch and the bottom plates from the chine to keel are 5/16-
inch,” said Jeff Keunning of Boksa Marine Design. “There are
several inserts of ½-inch at the bilge keels, the propeller nozzle,
and the rudder area. Also there is a 5/16-inch cutwater from
the stem back 12 inches. This runs parallel to the curve of theThis Photo: The
utilitarian but comfy crew
quarters provide a familiar
dorm-room ambiance for
student-scientists. Above:
The RIB is lowered into
Tampa Bay.