12FPC422Q0033 Attachment A - Coastal Zone Soil Survey (CZSS) Pontoon Vessels SOW_Approved.pdf

Coastal Zone Soil Survey Pontoon Vessel Specifications

NRCS – Soil and Plant Science Division is requesting the acquisition of 4 Coastal Zone Soil Survey (CZSS) pontoon vessels / boats for sample and data collection efforts associated with CZSS / subaqueous soil survey projects. Each pontoon vessel must be able to be towed behind a medium duty truck (3/4 ton) and have the capacity to be transported from the state of Maine to Texas. Other requirements and specific specifications include:

Specifications / Tasks

1. The boat(s) will need to be 24-26 foot long by 8 1/2 to 9 feet wide with a minimum deck length of 24’. A pontoon-type boat is needed due to its versatile layout options and shallow draft (vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the boat). A 24-26’ length is needed for working with four- person crews, handling 15-24’ sections of pipe, storage, stability in most weather conditions, and safety. Pontoons, or logs, should be of a size that easily supports the boat and provides a level work platform. Pontoons should chambered/or bulk-headed and made from thicker aluminum (0.190) to provide support, rigidity, and toughness. Boat should come complete with mounted transducers associated with accompanying GPS/fish-finder units. Should have a fuel capacity of 40+ gallons that is contained or incorporated into the boat design in a sensible manor so to prevent the fuel tank from being part of the deck and therefore maximizing floor space of the boat. Boat should be tested and guaranteed to be watertight allowing for prolonged docking and use without being removed from the water.

2. Configuration should allow for pulling cores up through a trap or moon pool that is cut in the boats forward deck. The placement of this hole allows for distribution of pressure along the boat’s center of gravity therefore increasing stability and lifting power with a tripod system. The trap or moon pool door / cover should have a gasket or similar that prevents water from spraying onto the boat deck when installed. The moon pool door must be removable and easily stowed. See figure below for example.

3. The deck should be constructed of diamond-plate or similar aluminum and have a rugged, nonslip coating or covering on the boat floor or deck. This cover should protect the boat’s work deck and therefore extend its service life. The deck liner should be chip resistant and be comparable to a pickup truck “Rhino-liner” material. Adding this layer should also provide for a more slip-resistant walking surface as well as a surface that can be easily cleaned of slick soil materials commonly deposited during the vibracoring process. The deck should also have a total of 6 cleats, three (3) mounted along the bow, midship, and stern of both starboard and port sides of the boat.

4. Because this boat will be used in saltwater environments, all fabrication must utilize corrosion resistant metals such as aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum is preferred, where feasible, due to is ability to withstand years of saltwater corrosion and for its lightweight design.

5. Roughly a 2’x 2’ trap door or moon pool hatch near the front center of the boat for advancing vibracore tubing to obtain soil samples. A door hatch / covering would be made from aluminum to support foot traffic covering the 2’x 2’ opening when closed and not in use. Again, with a gasket on the door to prevent leaks. See figure below for example.

6. A dual 15’ Minn Kota Talon anchoring system mounted to the stern will be required to properly halt and safely anchor the boat in fixed / desired vibracore retrieval locations. The brackets/Talon mount should allow for the anchors to be lain horizontally to allow for the sections to be extended on land for cleaning and maintenance (see figure). This will also allow the Talons to be lain down during transport or when going under low bridges. This type of anchoring system allows the soil scientist to cease forward or backward motion quickly and safely so that the https://minnkotamotors.johnsonoutdoors.com/talon-shallow-water-anchors/talon-shallow-water-anchors?id=13881 desired soil observation location is maintained. Additionally, spud collars should be installed and designed for the stabilization of both the port and starboard sides of the bow (two – one for each side of the bow) (see figure). Collars will allow us to use our 3” pipe as spud anchors. Note that the mounting brackets for the Talons must be made to take the force and pressure associated with holding the vessel in place. A highly resilient mounting bracket that can withstand shaking and bumping while the vessel is underway or transport down the highway. Current vessels have had Talon mounting bracket failures.

7. A fabricated ladder system for easy on / off vessel capability is requested. Coastal Zone soil scientists often need to examine and enter the waterbody to observe the benthic community for living organisms and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) to properly describe and characterize the soil survey observation site. This ladder system would also serve as a safety measure for re-accessing the boat if an overboard situation occurs.

8. A foldout table mounted to the console to be used to support laptop computers, tablets, or other devices. Bottom should be flush with the console top when deployed and should have supports strong enough to hold a laptop or other equipment while being tough and saltwater resistant.

9. An A-frame with a finished height of 10’ centered above the trap door / moon pool and have a hook or similar where a 5-ton chain hoist or power / hand winch can be hung to pull vibracores.

The frame must also have the ability to be easily assembled (upright position for obtaining vibracores) and disassembled for highway transport on the trailer and have the ability to be lain down or reclined in order to pass under low bridges and underpasses. The tripod design will need ladder rungs welded on the support beams so a person can climb up to hang the chain fall (hoist, hand crank winch, etc.) as well as assist in lowering and raising vibracores without needing an unsecured ladder (regular ladder simply standing on the deck). Climbing rungs on the tripod will be welded to outside or inside of A-frame parallel with boat deck. The rungs should be welded to the A-frame on the outside or inside of frame and low to deck to prevent being a tripping hazard when not deployed. See figure below for example.

10. A rack designed and mounted along the railing of the boat for holding at least 14 to 16 - three-inch diameter aluminum pipes at an approximate 30-degree angle. Cores will have lengths ranging from three to 10 feet. This structure would allow pipes and cores to be hung or stored in a rack that will be shaped to keep them from rolling out or around during work and transport.

Having a place designed to hold all possible tubing will make the boat safer and easier to work

on. See figure below.

11. The console should accommodate the required hydraulic steering with tilt steering wheel as well as all the common controls associated with boats and outboard motors including smart gauges.

In addition, the console will have the ability to mount 12” electronics as specified under item #13. It should house the corresponding smart gauges associated with the selected engine manufacture that should reflect all common gauges including tachometer, fuel, trim level, water pressure, engine temperature, etc. The console should also house or hold all required and common safety items such and built-in horn and switch, attached fire extinguisher, kill switch, lights etc. It should be properly wired with corresponding switches for operation of all lights and accessories. The console should also have one 12-volt cigarette plug. A marine grade 2000+ watt inverter should be mounted within the console that has at least two (2) 120-volt outlets and a USB plug. Three batteries (group 31) should be included and mounted where one would serve to start the engine and the others for running accessories like GPS, computers, lights, etc. The batteries would be maintained by a 3-bank onboard battery charger and operated via an on/off switch with a jump option (all batteries). This will allow all batteries to assist in starting the outboard in time of emergency.

12. The boat will have a water resistant and high-quality fuse block or circuit breaker under the console. The fuse block / breaker box will have a push button reset for that breaker portion of the boat. This will eliminate the need to replace fuses on the boat. All electrical wiring on the boat and trailer will need to be of saltwater grade materials and connections.

13. The boat will have a console mounted 12” Helix 12 by Humminbird with Chirp Mega Side

Imaging + GPS G4N or comparable 12” fish-finder unit. Electronics should come loaded with Navionics Platinum Plus Marine Charts of the NE US . The vessel will have all brackets needed for the mounting of the transducers and the fish-finder unit will be installed and in working order upon delivery of the final boat product.

14. Also mounted on or near the console would be a wash-down system. The washdown system needs to be designed for use in saltwater environments (especially the pump). This system should allow for optional pumping from a 10-gallon onboard tank or water from the bay or lake through a hose so that the deck, work tools / materials, and hands can be cleaned between vibracoring to eliminate slipping or dropping (maintaining a tidy and safe vessel). The wash-down system is also utilized to fill the recently retrieved vibracore with ambient water from the subaqueous observation point. The plumbing that brings the water to the bow of the boat needs to be rugged and free of kinks. Plumbing should also be out of the way and securely attached to the boat. The Coastal Zone Soil Survey (CZSS) team should approve final layout and design before the boat is considered complete. See figure below.

15. A stowable worktable attached to the railing is also required. This table will be useful for in-the-field chemical and physical analysis, data review and entry, and even as a work bench.

For these reasons the table needs to be tough, corrosion resistant, washable, and storable.

When not in use and while collecting especially long cores, the table needs to be easily folded down to increase floor space and allow easy access to the bow and stern of the vessel. The table should have the ability to be quickly folded down and securely stowed against the boat railing. Minimum table size is 2’ wide by 6’ long. See figure below.

16. Along the aft starboard and stern of the boat will be storage that will also serve as seating for passengers or crew. Items to be stored include rope, life jackets, tape, latex gloves, throw cushions, hard hats, extra clothes for the crew, extra nuts and bolts, wrenches / ratchets, hammers, chain hoist, WD-40, computers and computer accessories, food, as well as many other items not listed. For these reasons the storage boxes or compartments will need to be lockable, watertight, durable, rust-resistance, and drainable. This system will also need to be sturdy enough to support the weight of several adults. Box latches should be stainless or other rust-resistant material.

Again, box design should have drain holes that can be opened and closed as needed. This design is useful when boxes need to be drained and cleaned while allowing for a watertight seal when in use. Other storage options from the manufacturer would be considered and appreciated. Can never have too much storage options. See figure below.

17. Custom railing, designed to prevent crew from falling overboard and also serving as a pipe storage rack is required. This system should cover the port and starboard sides as well as the stern of the boat. Port side should incorporate a pipe storage and management system that will allow the boat to carry 15 sections of pipe safely and conveniently (24’ long, 3” diameter, aluminum coring pipe). Railing should have several access areas allowing for coming on and off the boat on both port and starboard sides. See figure below.

18. A 200 horsepower (HP), four stroke (4s) engine will be mounted along with accompanying hydraulic steering and manufacturer supported smart gauges that will be housed in the console. The motor will be broke-in per the manufacture requirements before being delivered to the NRCS. Also included will be a spare prop and hub kit. A 200 HP will be needed for its load carrying ability and range. The 4 stroke is recommended due to its ease of use and service as well as longer service intervals. A hydraulic jack plate is also required for the engine mount to ensure use of the vessel in shallow water areas and to properly / safely operate the vessel.

https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors.com/fish-finders/helix/helix-12-chirp-mega-si-gps-g4n?jo-page=2 https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors.com/fish-finders/helix/helix-12-chirp-mega-si-gps-g4n?jo-page=2 https://www.navionics.com/usa/charts?format=Regular&charts=PlatinumPlus https://www.westmarine.com/jack-plates/_/N-1z13663

19. All this will be carried on a corrosion resistant, dual or triple axel aluminum trailer complete with surge brakes and LED (solderless) lighting. The trailer should be constructed to allow for easier and safer transport over long distances. Surge brakes will aid in stopping without the need to add brake boxes or other braking accessories to the tow vehicles. The trailer will have at minimum 14-inch diameter tires along with a mounted, full-size spare.

20. All vessels will have a manufacturer / fabricator warranty that covers virtually all parts, systems, and components of these research vessels for a minimum of 5 years with the understanding that reckless or improper use would void such warranty.

21. The rear navigation light (white) will have a specific storage space or bracket for easy and out-of-the-way storage when not in use. Storage box lids or along railing are acceptable places for storage. See figure below.

22. It is expected that the manufacturer will present a boat that is water-ready and legal with all necessary lighting, horns, navigation lights, ports, switches, etc. mounted and ready for use. The boat should also be delivered after being water tested and the engine having passed the initial break-in time (hours per manufacturer requirements). Common sense would dictate that just because the item is not specifically mentioned in this document that it shouldn’t be omitted.

It is assumed that the builder knows exactly what items should be commonly, and at minimum, included in the construction of any boat for use on public waterways. The NRCS will not take possession of, nor pay for, a boat that is not water-ready and able to be safely and legally water tested at time of final inspection.

23. Normal maintenance and proper upkeep of the equipment (boat, hardware on the boat, boat engine, and boat trailer) will be required, and Wright Express fleet cards will be issued for each vessel and trailer resulting from this work agreement. The Wright Express cards will be utilized for normal fleet maintenance and repairs just like and similarly to USDA government owned vehicles.

Figure – Approximate CZSS Pontoon boat deck configuration hand drawn sketch not to

For these types of boats to be safe and serve their purposes, the vessels must have a place for our specialized equipment and all that equipment needs to be stowed and in its respective place. An untidy vessel increases your chances of injury or even death. Working on the water can be an unforgiving environment and safe working conditions is the top priority. Every precaution needs to be taken and every possibility considered. For all these reasons one can see why we were unable to purchase a boat like this off a traditional showroom floor. It was also impossible to simply call up many boat sales organizations and ask they build this type of boat. The fabricators and boat builders need to be educated on the how and the why of subaqueous soil mapping. Most fabricators have never heard of the tools we mention or the processes we follow. The only sensible way we could tell someone what we need was to meet them, go over an existing boat while describing everything we need added, removed, mounted, or created. Since only a custom boat meets our needs or can do what these projects demand, our preference it to meet with the builder and work with them to design the boat from the water up for Coastal Zone Soil Survey (CZSS).

A minimum of 3 shop visits should be expected to insure the NRCS – Special Projects Office (SPO) receives the boat we require.

The SPO would request / require input regarding specific, custom portions of the boats (racks, tables, lifting A-Frame, etc.). A post construction consultation would be requested to insure all understand what is needed and expected. This meeting would take place in person (at the factory) to make sure everyone is on the same page.

A mid-build Quality Control (QC) inspection would also be requested so SPO personnel can review status and quality of work.

A final Quality Assurance (QA) review would also be requested with on-the-water testing to ensure all parts of the boat function as intended and build quality it to agency expectations.

Please note that representatives from the SPO are not experts on boat manufacturing nor welding. No part of these reviews will in any way deflect from the manufacture’s responsibility to create a well-built boat that can provide worry-free service as requested and intended. The manufacture will still be responsible to conduct their own QC/QA and present a boat free from defects and ready for use.

Specifications / Tasks