A Forward thinking Hydraulic Rebuild aboard M/Y Purdy Lady in Newport Rhode Island
Sam Quinn
On a recent visit to Seven Star Marine Engineering in Newport Rhode Island, Jay Mulrooney shared one of their recent projects with us, a comprehensive rebuild of a yachts hydraulic system!
Captain Rufus, of the MY Purdy Lady, a 97' Vicem built in 2017 and based in New York, first encountered Seven Star Marine Engineering during a service visit to a Connecticut yard. The vessel’s thrusters had become unpredictable, their performance inconsistent enough to raise concern. Seeking expert insight, Captain Rufus was introduced to the team at Seven Star Marine Engineering.
What began as a troubleshooting visit quickly evolved into something more. The professionalism and depth of knowledge of Seven Star’s team left a lasting impression. It became clear that this team were more than capable and the right choice to oversee a much larger scope of work. The decision was made to fully relocate the project to Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard in Newport, Rhode Island, where Seven Star had a stronger operational presence.
The journey to Newport was uneventful—until the very last moments. As the Purdy Lady entered the basin at the shipyard, the vessel’s hydraulic system, powered solely by the starboard engine at the time, collapsed entirely. A tense situation ensued, highlighting the very system issues the yacht had come to fix.
Further investigation found the hydraulic system to be contaminated with debris. Seven Star Marine Engineering partnered with Jay Mulrooney to oversee a comprehensive reconfiguration of the vessel’s hydraulic architecture. The goal was clear: build a more reliable system powered by both engines, eliminating the single-point dependency.
The redesign was ambitious, requiring collaboration across specialties. Breakwater Marine was brought in to handle the installation of new engine mounts—essential groundwork for the modified system layout. At the heart of the upgrade were two brand-new ZF transmission PTOs, chosen for their compatibility with the dual-engine setup and their ability to handle the increased demand of a fully integrated hydraulic system.
The new layout will not only improve operational redundancy but also optimize performance under variable load conditions. What had started as a reactive fix quickly evolved into a forward-thinking retrofit—one that will give MY Purdy Lady a new level of control and resilience on the water.
For any hydraulic services, fabrication or precision machining work up in the Newport Rhode Island area, contact the team at Seven Star.
+1 401 683 6222 | ✉️ [email protected]
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