Friday, June 23, 2017

High Speed Bow Thrusters

By Karen Robes Meeks

The bow thrusters within San Francisco Water Emergency Transportation Authority’s newest high-speed catamaran ferry came from marine electronics design and manufacturing company WESMAR.

The longtime marine electronics and thruster manufacturing company installed its WESMAR system into Hydrus, a 135-foot, 400-passenger ferry that was delivered to the transportation authority last month.

The ferry features two WESMAR hydraulic V2-12 dual prop, counter rotating bow thrusters, one in each hull. Each system includes three control stations in the pilothouse.

The system is designed to give extra power needed for high-speed ferries such as the Hydrus, which operates at a service speed of 27 knots.

The WESMAR’s were installed for dockside maneuvering and to assist with on and off-loading, critical to achieving fast turnaround times, ensuring ferry runs stay on schedule.

“The Hydrus and the additional vessels coming on-line over the next few years will help us meet the increased need for ferry service and realize our strategic plan: a robust network of 44 vessels, serving five times today’s ridership by 2035, with wait times of 15 minutes or less during peak commute hours,” said Nina Rannells, executive director of the transportation authority. Hydrus will travel the Central Bay routes of San Francisco to Alameda, Oakland and Harbor Bay. It’s the first of four ferries to join the fleet in three years. All will have the same design and be equipped with WESMAR systems, according to the company.