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“Our Engines. Your Story” - Interested in being featured?

by ‎06-29-2011 03:36 AM - edited ‎06-29-2011 03:36 AM

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is launching a campaign entitled “Our Engines. Your Story” featuring customers and the memories they have developed over the years with their Cat engines on the open seas.

Interested in being featured? More information is available below Blaine’s Story. 

 

The Catts in the Hatt – Blaine’s Story

 

My wife Pam and I bought the boat in May 2003 in Ft. Pierce, FL after looking at several other 36’ Hatteras convertibles in Texas, Georgia and Maryland. We wanted a good hull and it had to have Cat® engines. No questions asked. At first glance, the boat looked pretty rough.

 

I would like to think we rescued our boat. The marina where it was stored was essentially destroyed by Hurricane Frances and the boat needed several significant maintenance repairs, but the hull looked good and we couldn’t pass up Cat engines. We bought the boat and the first thing we did was change the name to Cats in the Hatt.

 

I decided on a 36 Hatteras Convertible after meeting and working with Curly Cook of Hatteras in the mid-1990s.  He pointed out that he thought the 36’ convertible was one of better fishing boats available. Although fishing with outriggers and downriggers isn’t really done on the Illinois River, we thought this would be our retirement boat and move it south later on. Although this boat had been poorly maintained, it met the requirements with a pair of 260 hp 3208T. The boat was built in 1975 with 210 hp 3208 naturally aspirated engines, but was repowered in 1988-1989 with the 260 hp engines.

To get the boat seaworthy we did all of the maintenance within the first month we owned it. We changed all of the belts, hoses and filters on the engines, generator and other systems, flushed and cleaned the cooling systems, and cleaned and painted the engine room.  After that, it was getting the interior the way we like it and cleaning the hull and topsides.

 

Since then it has been eight years of cleaning, repairing and replacing various things on the boat. The 3208s however have been the one area that we haven’t had to do much with. The best thing about Cat engines is that they always start
and they always run.  

 

We regularly take the Cats in the Hatt on 40 -70 mile trips with the Wharf Harbor Yacht Club to Havana, Henry, or Starved Rock all along the Illinois River. My favorite trip on the boat was our last trip on the 170 Illinois Waterway trip to Lake Michigan. We stopped in Chicago to spend a couple of days with my daughter and crossed to the Michigan side for a two week fishing and sight-seeing vacation. The boat can always handle more than people; the Cat engines easily handled 5 and 6 foot seas crossing Lake Michigan. We finally did get to use the outriggers and down riggers.

 

For us, the boat is a wonderful place to relax and leave any concern behind us. Over the past eight years, our boat has provided us with more memories than I ever imagined. As I think about all of the fun trips my wife and I have had onboard the Cats in the Hatt, I’m more than grateful for the dependable Cat engines powering those memories.

 

Have you taken your boat on memorable trips like Blaine? What’s your favorite memory powered by Cat engines?  Discuss below in the comments section. Feel free to upload videos and pictures to accompany your posts.

 

If you would like to be featured in “Our Engines. Your Story” please e-mail us and we will contact you. We’re interested in customer stories from all kinds of vessels, whether it’s a yacht, containership or ferry. Participants will receive Cat merchandise.

Attachment Our Engines. Your Story - Blaine's Story.pdf ‏661 KB
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About the Author
  • In 2005, I started my career at Caterpillar as an intern in Kiel, after that I worked as a student and then a temporary employee. I finally became a permanent employee in 2008, working at the Marine World headquarters in Hamburg. Through all these years I was supporting and leading Marketing projects from various areas, including Electronic Sales Tools, Shows, Novelties etc. By May 01, 2011 my job role changed to the current one. In this position I am leading several Electronic Marketing projects such as all Marine and Oil & Gas Social Media activities.
  • I am a 33 year employee of Caterpillar and have focused on engines my entire career. For the last 18 years I have worked in the Marine group in various capacities. Since 2004 I have been the Global Marketing Manager for the Pleasure Craft segment, managing all trade shows, advertising, events, and NPI (New Product Introduction) launches.
  • I joined Caterpillar in 2001 in the Extended Service Coverage (extended warranty) department of Cat Insurance (division of Cat Financial). I have always loved the water, ships, boats and the challenges of this industry and moved to Caterpillar Marine Power Systems (CMPS) in 2007. I was fortunate to be able to work at CMPS Headquarters in Hamburg, Germany for 2 years and now reside at our Marine Center of Excellence in South Carolina, USA. As the Marine Parts Manager for Cat Marine Parts I am able to work cross functionally with our regional product support teams, our extensive dealer network, customers and bring this knowledge and customer expectations to Caterpillar's incredible resources to design new and innovative product support solutions to meet our customer expectations. This gives me great pride and enjoyment to meet and exceed your expectations and promote the Cat Marine Brand.
  • After around 10 years of good time in mineral & metal industry, the destiny has guided me through BMW, ThyssenKrupp to the Caterpillar station. At the moment I'm serving as a Six Sigma Strategy Black Belt in Caterpillar Marine Power System.
  • I joined the Caterpillar Team 2007 and worked in several positions most likely in Product Support. 2008 I passed the 6 Sigma Black Belt Training and has leaded various sales and process related projects. After the certification as a 6 Sigma Black Belt I joined the CMPS Product Support Team as a Global Marketing Representative.
  • Originally from Spain, I moved to Hamburg, Germany, in 2010 to write my Master’s Thesis in Industrial Engineering. Upon its completion, I had the opportunity to join Caterpillar Marine Power Systems as an intern at their headquarters. During this period, I supported, in various capacities, sales into the Cargo and European Inland Waterways markets, as well as Offshore Wind opportunities. I am currently working as a Junior Territory Sales Manager in the Europe, Africa, Middle East and CIS Sales Team.
  • I have been involved in sales and marketing of Caterpillar marine products for almost 45 years including 10 years in the U.K. where I worked on North Sea oil and gas projects. For the past 35 years I have various roles within the marine business of Toromont Cat where I have assembled a portfolio of Caterpillar and MaK powered new construction and repower projects including ferries, Great Lakes bulk-carriers and self-unloaders, Coast Guard vessels and pleasure craft. I admit that my knowledge has come from a hands-on approach to engine sales by wearing coveralls and a hard hat rather than a business suit. I am based in Toronto and am an active member of the C.I.Mar. E. Great Lakes Branch and participate in SNAME Great Lakes/Great Rivers meetings in the U.S.
  • Born in Brazil, Luiz joined the Caterpillar engine team in 1998 and has worked in different positions covering marine service, product application and sales. Currently he is a Black Belt under the Caterpillar Marine group.
  • A veteran of 12.5 years Naval service, in the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. 3.5 years as a Marine Application and Installation Engineer at a CAT dealership. I have been working for Caterpillar Marine Power Systems since 2008. My time at Caterpillar has been spent helping to develop global emissions solutions for 3500 marine engines.
  • I am the Asia Pacific contact for marine parts marketing. With marine customers being the most mobile group, with operations spanning the entire globe, there are always new challenges and learning opportunties to engage in. Life in marine is never boring!
  • A maritime academy graduate and a 17 year employee of Caterpillar with 25 years of marine experience, currently managing the Caterpillar Marine Power System Product Support Division representing all product health, product support, parts sales and distribution development activities for Cat and MaK brand marine engines.
  • I ensure that our Cat global dealer network has the tools required to support our Propulsion Solutions products including our Cat Three60 Precision Control.
  • I have been at Caterpillar for nearly 31 years. All this time has been related to Diesel engines, with the first 23 years in Fuel Systems, the next 3 in the Engine Center, and the last 4 here in Hamburg, Germany, as the Worldwide Demand Manager for Marine and Petroleum MaK engines. In this role, I touch many areas, from concept to delivery, from shipyard to factory. I work with Dealers, Sales Managers, Customers, Accountants, and Order Processors, all the way to the factory floor. Those who know me know that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
  • I am a Mechanical Engineer with 17 years of experience with Caterpillar Engine Products, currently working at Caterpillar Marine Power Systems Headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. I am responsible for product support and Dealer development, and support dealers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
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