R/V Benthic Cat (Image: Maddie Hunt Photography)
Armstrong Marine U.S.A., Port Angeles, Wash., has actually supplied a brand-new 42 foot by 16 foot catamaran research study vessel, Benthic Cat, to Orca Maritime, Inc., Imperial Beach, Calif., after effective launch and also sea tests in Port Angeles Harbor.
Orca Maritime chosen the style after Armstrong supplied the exact same 4216-CTC design to UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography (R/V Bob and also Betty Beyster) in 2019.
Orca Maritime will certainly make use of the workboat on behalf of Department of Defense campaigns, ecological firms, the power market, and also business.
Vessel procedures will certainly consist of the launch and also healing of self-governing undersea cars (AUV), undersea gliders, surface area and also undersea sensing units, from another location ran cars (ROV), and also unmanned surface area cars (USV).
Benthic Cat will certainly additionally sustain surface-supplied/SCUBA diving procedures and also supply onboard information handling.
“R/V Benthic Cat has exceeded all our expectations for speed, fuel economy, range, and maneuverability,” stated Kurt Nelson ofOrca Maritime “She fills the near shore multi-mission role perfectly.”
The vessel is well geared up for multi-day procedures along the Southern California coastline with 2 indoor job terminals, a foue-person resting cuddy, head with shower, refrigerator/freezer, and also 600-gallon gas capability.
The catamaran includes a full-width cabin with fly bridge, huge aft functioning deck, hydraulic A-frame (5,000 pound SWL), Northern Lights 9 kW diesel generator, and also Garmin/ NMEA electronic devices plan.
Benthic Cat is powered by double Volvo D11 510 hp inboards coupled with Volvo IPS 650 propulsors and also Volvo electrical guiding. Builder’s sea tests suggested 32 miles per hour cruise ship and also 37 miles per hour full throttle.
The vibrant placing system incorporates GPS navigating information with propulsion controls to immediately preserve heading and also setting. Joystick regulates at the aft docking terminal and also flybridge terminal simplicity handling.
Deck tools consists of an A-frame with Pullmaster PL5 hydraulic winch, a Morgan Marine 200.3 crane, Kinematics hydraulic support winch and also 5″ aft deck straight capstan, and also 28 tie-down factors for safeguarding tools. Rigid LED flooding lights light up the aft deck.
Inside, 3 Bentley Patriot seats are offered captain and also team. Benches with a flip down tabletop supply extra seats and also storage space. Two Red Dot hydronic heating units and also 2 Dometic air conditioner systems maintain the cabin comfy for year-round procedures.
Benthic Cat will certainly get in solution quickly, starting with a week-long procedure around San Clemente Island.
