Boat Forum / Building / December 2006

It is a research vessel, investigating the swath concept in a
catamaran. It looks stealthy, but I guess if you got the bux, you can
afford a style, if you want it.

I thought I heard that it broke easly, but was to be reinforced

Terry K

 Engines on end of each pontoon.
 g

My thoughts:
- Overall design may be to go fast and do so without shaking the
occupants too badly (see shock absorbing connections to pontoon), but
in many respects numerous surfaces of craft are not optimized for
speed.
- Overall design seems to indicate that the craft was designed for a
short operating life
- Would believe its being used for research, would disagree that it's
being used for SWATCH research --- twin hulls are not submerged in
pictures, and seem unlikely to be designed to operate submerged full
time.
- High center of gravity will lend itself to low stability, not ideal
for rough seas.
- Front Cockpit makes you wonder if this is for site seeing, except why
not windows in the back.