Kvichak Marine Industries, a Vigor Company, has been awarded a contract to design and build an all-aluminum foil assisted research catamaran for the King County Environmental Laboratory.
The vessel will operate in Puget Sound, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and adjoining inland waterways.
The vessel will be conducting water sampling research along with marine buoy calibration, maintenance and retrieval, tours and shoreline surveys, dive and ROV operations.
This will be the thirteenth foil assisted catamaran Kvichak has built since 2000. Kvichak’s foil design enhances seakeeping at top speeds leading to reduced full consumption and greater efficiency.
In addition, at lower speeds the system provides considerable heave and pitch damping, making the hull an excellent platform for the type of survey work performed by research vessels.
“King County’s environmental lab serves a mission to help protect and enhance water quality in the Puget Sound region so our citizens can continue to enjoy it for years to come,” said Keith Whittemore , Vigor executive vice president of business development. “That’s definitely a mission near and dear to our hearts. The Kvichak team is proud to provide a vessel that will assist in this important work.”
The vessel will be powered by Cummins Tier III engines, Hamilton water jets and Twin Disc gears. Other features include a full service water quality lab, chemical storage locker, 36” x 36” moonpool on the aft deck, AirMar Weather Station 200WX system, two staterooms with one berth each and full galley with settee.
Delivery is scheduled for summer of 2016.