AIR SUPPORTED CREWBOAT

The Air Ride Express applies the advantages of an air cushion vehicle's low hydrodynamic drag to a planing hull craft in order to improve its speed and energy efficiency. The all-welded aluminium hull resembles that of a normal crew/supply boat but has a shallow plenum chamber extending two-thirds the length of the hull to the transom. Pressurised air fed into the chamber is retained by two sidewalls, the base of a forward frame, and the transom. Propulsion is by twin General Motors 12V71TI engines, with a 6V53T engine driving the fan for the cushion air. The craft can seat 32 passengers, and can operate at 30 knots with a payload of 11340 kg; a typical conventional crewboat of the same length, with the same engines and payload, would achieve a speed of about 18 knots. The cost of the air-supported vessel is said to be 25-30 per cent higher than that of an equivalent conventional vessel.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • High Speed Surface Craft, 22 <1983>, p. 10 <Dec.> (2 pp., 1 phot., 1 fig.)
• Authors:
  • Mcleavy, R
• Publication Date: 1983

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• Old TRIS Terms: Air ride express
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00686981
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 14 1995 12:00AM