The landings over the jet units – note the placement of the sea chests
Protect Your Investment
Engines, controls and air-conditioning systems are not compatible with salt-water!
Specify Seaworth air-water separators
• Allow air intake but keep salt-spray out.
• Proven effective on defence, commercial and pleasure craft. • Fabricated from marine-grade anodised aluminium. • Available in custom sizes.
SEAWORTH – Manufacturered by:
Camfil Farr NZ Ltd PO Box 531, Albert St Cambridge, New Zealand
VIP.S84
Ph: +64 7 827 4142, Fax: +64 7 827 8435 www.seaworth.com
Mike Roycroft at the helm
service each two years since starting the service. However, it soon became obvious that the 49-seat ferries were no longer going to cope and a new ferry with double the capacity was designed and built by Q-West Limited, the same boatbuilders who built the previous vessels.
This new-generation craft, while still from the Teknicraft Design board incorporating the unique hydraulically operated foil between the hulls, is some 2.7m longer and 1.35m wider, giving increased capacity inside to take the additional passengers. Each catamaran is powered by twin Detroit 60 series 825hp marine diesels coupled to Hamilton Blue Arrow HJ403 waterjets and is capable of speeds up to around 40 knots, with a service speed of 28 to 30 knots. These vessels can operate in all but extreme weather, giving a fast and smooth ride, with a travel time between the marina and downtown Auckland of just 35 minutes.
Senior master Mike Roycroft advises that to get the best out of the waterjet power with these hulls you need to be doing more than 26 knots, and 28-30 knots is the optimum for fuel- per-mile economy.
Because of the increasing hours and the need for regular servicing, the main engine oil filtration has been installed with the twin filters mounted high on the outboard hull. This makes oil changes much easier with the ability to get a large container under the filters when changing them. As
November/December 2011 Professional Skipper 9
VI S77VIP.S 7
