Blu Bi U
Coconut Reef Powerboat Tours is proud to introduce the newest member of our stable. Blu Bi U is a 38 foot, powered catamaran with ample room for 12 passengers and 2 to 3 crew members. She is powered by 2 Mercury SeaPro 150 horsepower outboard engines with a fuel capacity of over 200 gallons (780L), giving her a range of well over 200 miles or 320 Km. The boat features a large open deck space out back, enclosed wheelhouse, galley and onboard head. The hull was purpose-designed to keep the deck high and dry in all but the roughest seas. The two independent hulls were given extra height above the water to minimize the slap of oncoming swell when running upwind but still maintaining optimal stability.
On-board creature comforts include a private bathroom with electric head, a galley with fridge/freezer, plenty of dry storage and plush, comfortable seating for 16 people around the deck with 6 seats in the bow, 4 seats under cover and a bench seat along the stern for up to 6 people. Even though we can physically carry up to 16 passengers, maritime safety laws impose a 12 passenger limit on all power vessels, so there will always be plenty of room aboard Blu Bi U.vanced settings.
We have equipped Blu Bi U with a range of modern, state-of-the-art electronic equipment for passenger safety, comfort and most importantly, safe navigation and communications. For our Fishing Charters and general navigation we utilize two Simrad Multi-function displays connected to a GPS Aerial. For depth sounding, we have an Airmar 1Kw Transducer, giving us excellent sonar capability to see what’s down below. All tank level sensors, fire, smoke and bilge detectors are connected into a centralized monitoring system allowing the captain at the bridge to easily monitor all critical on-board safety systems. We have also installed a modern, bluetooth enabled entertainment system supplemented by high end speakers with PA capability. We always welcome guests to bring their own tunes!
Coconut Reef Powerboat Tours has invested significant resources into ensuring that Blu Bi U complies with or exceeds all international maritime regulations when it comes to passenger safety and comfort.
Coconut Reef Powerboat Tours will always work diligently to ensure your time with us will be safe, enjoyable and stress free. However, in the event that things go bad, rest assured that our boat is fully equipped with all the necessary safety equipment and our crew is trained to deal with any emergency situation.
Our crew receives regular, continual training in the latest safety procedures and we run regular, periodic safety drills to deal with any and all boating emergencies such as medical emergencies, man-overboard, fire and abandon ship scenarios. We are equipped with two life rafts having a total capacity of 16 people which is in excess of the maximum number of passengers and crew. Blu Bi U is also equipped with a state-of-the-art, automatic fire suppression system in addition to portable fire extinguishers in excess of the standard safety requirements.
Our maximum passenger count is limited to 12 passengers, in accordance with SOLAS regulations for small commercial vessels. In addition, we always include a sufficient number of crew members to provide our guests with an optimal level of service. We do not over-crowd our boats or under-staff the crew in order to save a few dollars. It is not safe for our guests and places an undue burden on the boat crew.
Blu Bi U was conceived, designed and built on St Maarten for the local waters and conditions by Andrew Erato and Doug Brooks. Her keel was originally first laid in 2015. Hull construction was completed in 2016. Basic electrical and steering components were installed along with two outboard engines in order to complete a few basic sea trials. The boat was then left laid up at our marina while the original owner was busy completing other projects.
Huricanes Irma and Maria struck in 2017 and the boat suffered some minor damage to its hull and roof from flying debris. At this point, the current owner decided not to continue the project and offered the boat to Coconut Reef. We purchased her in December of 2018 and began the work of fitting her out for commercial charters.
Originally, we planned for 3 months of work to get her match fit and ready to sail. Well, it’s nearly 12 months later (as of November, 2019) and we’re only just about ready for the launch. I could write a book on the challenges of building a boat on this small island but I’ll leave that for another day. Let me just say that the road to completion has been lined with speed bumps and pot-holes and leave it at that. We’re almost done now and we intend to launch on November 20th, 2019.
