Fast Boat
About | WHOI link to new vessel |

Rocky Geyer along with others at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have worked to commision a new 60-foot vessel which will replace the Institution's aging 46-foot coastal vessel, Asterias. "The increased use of autonomous instruments and vehicles, our new observatory on the south coast of Martha's Vineyard, and an increased focus on coastal processes are among the many reasons we need a more capable vessel to meet changing science needs," said Wayne "Rocky" Geyer, chair of the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department and a physical oceanographer who works in the coastal environment. "This new vessel will enable us to enhance our seagoing educational experience, bringing WHOI's tradition of leadership in marine operations into the near-shore environment. That experience has been limited somewhat by the realities of long cruises on our larger research vessels, which are generally 30 to 40 days in length. Opportunities for students to conduct research on a variety of coastal processes will now be within a day's reach with this vessel."

Vessel Design Specifications:

Length: 60 feet
Beam: 17 feet
Draft: 5 feet
Range: 350 miles
Cruising speed: 20 knots (22.5 max)
Endurance: usually one day, occasionally 2 to 3 days
Accommodations: 6 bunks (10 people on day trips)
Gear Handling: A-frame: 10,000 pounds
Fantail: 15 by 20 feet
Special Capabilities: Dive support, IMET, ADCP, CTD, clean power