R/V Tioga

cThe R/V Tioga is an aluminum hulled coastal research vessel that serves ocean scientists and engineers working in the waters off the Northeastern United States. Tioga is solely owned by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Launched in 2004, this small, fast research boat was designed and outfitted for oceanographic work close to shore. Speed allows Tioga to operate in narrow weather windows, meaning researchers can get out to sea, complete their work, and make it back before approaching foul weather systems arrive.

In 2024 Tioga underwent a "Mid-Life Refit". This was made possible by a generous donation from B Wu and Eric Larsen. The Mid-Life Refit consited of

Bow Thruster installation and dual control system
Full wheelhouse redesign to acommodate better seating and AUV operations
Overhead & side Paneling
Flooring
Seating & Stools
Modify Hydraulic Systems
Remove lower cabin bulkhead for new science server rack
New air conditioning systems for the wheelhouse and science lab
Engine Vents Relocation to allow more space on main deck
Canvas enclosure aft of wheelhouse to provide more shelter in inclement weather

Tioga can accommodate ten people, including the captain and first mate for day trips and can run extended day trips. The boat is equipped with water samplers, a current profiler, and an echo-sounder, used by scientists to conduct seafloor surveys. Tioga has two winches, including one with electrical wires to collect real-time data from towed underwater instruments. Buoys can be deployed using the A-frame on the stern, which is similar in size to those on WHOI’s large ships.

Since its delivery to Woods Hole in April 2004, Tioga has been used to collect water samples during harmful algal blooms (“red tides”) and oil spills; to recover autonomous “gliders”; to test and deploy new instruments; to tag right whales with behavior-monitoring instruments; and to provide an introduction to ocean sampling techniques for undergraduates and graduate students. The boat has made hundreds of trips to WHOI’s Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory.

Designed in part by Roger Long Marine Architecture of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Tioga was engineered and built by Gladding- Hearn Shipbuilding of Somerset, Massachusetts.

The name Tioga comes from an Iroquois word meaning “swift current.” It is also a Seneca name meaning “the meeting of two rivers.”

High Speed — 17 kts Cruising

Efficient access to coastal waters, including Martha’s Vineyard Observatory, Massachusetts Bay
Operate within narrow weather windows
Cost effective use to distances of 150 miles (e.g., New York Harbor, western Gulf of Maine)

Competitive Day Rate

Cost-effective for instrument testing, coastal studies, education
Single operator for day trips
Non-WHOI users please contact Port Captain for current rates

Seaworthy, Capable Design and Operation

25 HP Wesmar Bow Thruster
Handle coastal moorings - 4,600 lb A-Frame; powerful winch and capstan
High-quality diver support - dive platform, big shower
Tow new instrument systems - versatile fantail, boom
3-point moor in moderate sea states
Endurance - usually 1 day
WHOI operator expertise

State-of-the-Art Instrumentation

Flow-through water sampling
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)
Full Met measurements
Clean power
Dedicated Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD), conducting wire winch

More about R/V Tioga

The research vessel Tioga operates in coastal waters from New Jersey to the Gulf of Maine. (Photo by Ken Kostel, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)