Bay Area Diesel Repowers M/V Launch Runner with Quad Scania DI13s

[By: Laborde Products]

Laborde Products, working through its dealer Bay Area Diesel, has completed a repower of the M/V Launch Runner, a quad-screw crew boat owned by G&S Marine. The project replaced four Scania DI13 Tier 2 engines with four Scania DI13 Tier 3 engines, each rated at 650 hp @ 2100 rpm, giving the vessel modernized power while maintaining a proven platform.

For G&S Marine, the decision to return to Scania centered on uptime and familiarity. With more than 2,600 horsepower spread across four engines, the DI13 package provides the torque and responsiveness needed for crew boat duty, which includes long pushes, tight turnaround windows, and heavy loads. That continuity of performance mattered for the operator. “For us, the decision was simple. Scania engines already proved themselves on the Launch Runner, and Bay Area Diesel proved they had our back,” said Garry McCrae, Owner, G&S Marine. “The Tier 3 DI13s give us the performance we need with less downtime, and when we need support, we get it.”

Executing a four-engine changeover required both technical precision and a schedule built around the vessel’s workload. The Tier 3 DI13s fit within the existing quad-screw configuration, but Bay Area Diesel still had to manage cooler updates, exhaust adjustments, and control integrations. In crew boat service, every day in the yard is a day lost on the water, so the install had to be tight.

“A quad-screw repower is always a big lift, but the DI13s fit well and our team managed the changeover with limited yard time,” said Joey Steckler, Owner, Bay Area Diesel. “We built the
install around the vessel’s schedule so Launch Runner could get back to work quickly, with a clear plan for ongoing support.”

For Laborde, the project reflects a deliberate approach to building its dealer network. Bay Area Diesel was hand-selected as an extension of the Laborde Products business, trusted to
represent the same standards of uptime and support. Laborde backs that trust with training, stocked parts, and technical resources so dealers can focus on execution in the field.

“Our role is to make sure the dealers we hand-pick can stand shoulder to shoulder with operators,” said Jacob Yoder, Dealer Development Representative, Laborde Products. “Thatmeans giving them the parts pipeline, training, and backing to deliver real solutions without delays.”

The M/V Launch Runner repower extends the vessel’s service life and demonstrates how Laborde’s dealer network responds to the hard reality of crew boat work: engines under load, crews on the clock, and schedules that can’t wait.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.