Keep Watch for the Newest Member of CBF's Fleet
There's a new CBF boat on the bay! The Bea Hayman Clark was recently built in Crisfield, MD and will serve as the education vessel for CBF's Hampton Roads operations. A generous charitable gift from Fred and Karen Clark turned our dream into reality. The boat will be christened before the end of June.
The Bea Hayman Clark is a 50-foot vessel built at Evans Boats in Crisfield. Her large deck provides ample space for education programs, her 49-passenger capacity will allow CBF to accommodate full classes, and her fully electric Cummins 230 Hp diesel engine runs quietly--also a boon for educators. The engine, which can also run on biodiesel, is smaller than what would typically power such a boat, burning 50% less fuel while still powerful enough to make 15 knots.
Dr. H. Fred Clark spent many years researching a cure for rotavirus, a disease that kills thousands of children each year. In the late 1990's, Clark and two other scientists received the patent for a vaccine, which the Food and Drug Administration licensed for use in 2006. Dr. Karen J. Clark has spent her life in public school education and is a strong believer that field experiences like the ones CBF provides can play an enormous role in children's lives.
The vessel is named after Fred Clark's mother, Bea Hayman Clark, who is originally from Pocomoke, MD. Bay Watcher, which currently operates in Hampton Roads, will move to Hopewell to fill the gap left when the Chesapeake was retired last year.
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