CONTRACTOR
AUDIO EQUIPMENT SELECTED
NF-261 | SFT-115
DETAILS
The Black Dragon is a replica of the Old Spanish galleons and treasure ships. Below the water line, she is a modern sea-worthy vessel with the latest marine technology, but above the water, she is a trip back into time, evoking all the ambiance of the golden era of swashbucklers. She measures 75 feet in length with a 20-foot beam and weighs in at 80 gross tons. The tallest of her four masts extends 57 feet above the waterline, or, roughly the height of a five-story building!
The Black Dragon was constructed at Duckworth Shipyard, Tarpon Springs, FL. The ship’s designers, Daniel J. Avoures & Assoc., of Tampa, FL, were specifically chosen for their 35 plus years of experience designing theme based passenger vessels. Avoures’ list of clients includes Disney World, Universal Studios, Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines. Diversified Audio of Tampa, FL was called upon to provide the design and installation of the specialized audio system and effects.
She mounts 10 “cannon” which are fired by computer to coordinate with a full range of visual and audio effects. The cannons are computer synced to six OAP Audio SFT-115 Low Profile Sub-Woofers concealed throughout the ship in such places as under bench seating, inside stowage compartments and under a treasure chest on the main deck. When her cannons roar through 7,200-Watts of subs, you’ll think you’re in the middle of a 17th century naval battle. Three OAP Audio NF-261 Near-Field loudspeakers provide additional audio forward and aft for the pirate battle reenactments.
The Black Dragon rides like a luxury liner, but can execute a 360-degree turn with her mainmast fixed to a position. She has a cruising capability of over 3000 nautical miles, a top speed of 12 knots over the bottom and cruises at 8 knots. The Black Dragon has U.S. Coast Guard certification for 125 passengers plus captain and crew and is equipped with state of the art navigational electronics including radar, sonar and a very sophisticated GPS system.
The original concept for the Black Dragon pirate ship arose in 2006 with Bob Tyler Jr., one of the three operating partners of Osprey Fishing Trips, a sport fishing operation. He proposed to the other two partners, Phil Calo and Bob Tyler Sr, that they consider combining the established popularity of theme parks with the magnetism and romance of piracy, which was undergoing a great resurgence of interest at the time. After consultation, Dave Friedman, owner of the Pirate’s Landing of Port Isabel, TX, agreed with enthusiasm to provide the dockage and shore facilities necessary for the project to go forward. Thus Texas Pirate Adventures / Black Dragon Cruises was born. The objective is pretty simple. Provide an authentic reproduction of a 17th century pirate galleon coupled with today’s advanced entertainment technology. Add to that an experienced and professional troupe of pirates, 4 restaurants, shopping, dolphin watches, fishing, a marine biology center, museum, and the historic Port Isabel lighthouse. It all comes together as one of the premier theme entertainment pageants in the state of Texas.
More information regarding The Black Dragon Pirate Ship is available from Christy MacDonald at Black Dragon Cruises, 956.943.6283 www.blackdragoncruises.com
More information regarding this audio system installation is available from Ryan Danger at Diversified Audio Inc., 813.979.9087 www.divaud.com
