HOLMES BEACH – If you’ve been around the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ ship, Skullywag, lately, you might have heard a deeper sounding engine. The venerable symbol of Anna Maria Island’s “pirate’s life” has gotten an engine transplant.
The Privateers found a used International DT466 inline six-cylinder diesel engine that came with an Allison transmission. According to Privateers Capt. Jamie Van Deusen, the engine had led an easy life before they got it.
“This engine came out of a water truck that was being retired by the place of employment of one of our members,” Van Deusen said in an email. “It has very low hours on it and should last for the foreseeable future.”
Van Deusen said it took just over three weeks to remove the old engine and transmission and install the new ones.
“The work was done by one of our members, John Gates,” Van Deusen said. “He is a diesel mechanic and donated his time to making the switch.”
After raising money for the drive train transplant, they got lucky, Van Deusen said.
“We did a couple fundraisers but most of the money we raised for it was in two grants from the Chamber’s trolley grant program,” he said. “That said, the engine, transmission, and labor to replace them all cost us nothing.”
The engine and transmission were donated by the company that was retiring the water truck, which wants to remain anonymous for now.
“The money that was granted to us by the Chamber is now being used to make other repairs on the Skullywag, such as a new fore deck, new sound system, and soon a new generator,” he said. “That money will also be used to replace some of the broken and worn wood around the ship making her both prettier, and, most importantly, safer for riders and spectators alike.”
The Skullywag was finished in mid-January, 2000 to replace their trailer ship, which had to be towed.
“She took her maiden voyage to Gasparilla as “The Mystic Lady,” Van Deusen said. “She was never properly commissioned so in July of 2007 she was officially commissioned the Skullywag honoring the late Jim Hungerford, whose pirate name was Skully. Jim was instrumental in getting the Skullywag built.
