New Cheetah Marine vessel out to play

At last year’s TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show, British Marine member, Cheetah Marine, was joined by the Chief Executive of Innovate UK as it launched the first of its containerised catamarans, designed and built with Innovate UK support.

Cheetah Marine caught up with ‘Orca’ as she played in the west coast waves with her namesake at Cape Sao Vicente on the south west tip of Portugal.

Wildlife Tour Operator ‘Seaxplorer’ named Orca after its favourite cetacean which is spotted on their two hour trips from Sagres in the West Algarve.

The team has a very high success rate with sightings of common and bottlenose dolphins, above 98%, and an impressive whale line-up throughout the spring migrations. Trips generally last two hours with a fair amount of steaming before spending time with the dolphins, hence economic cruising speeds are essential.

The containerised Cheetah has evolved from Cheetah’s 11.2m series which is considered amongst owners to be groundbreaking in terms of stability and comfort. In the words of the Seaxplorer team a “super smooth & comfy ride”. The 11.2m vessel has huge power, delivered by two 200hp OXE diesel outboard engines and a tunnel design to produce superior cushioning in even the most uncomfortable sea conditions. With a huge deck Orca had been coded under Portuguese Maritime Turismo for 18 passengers plus two crew.

Details on Cheetah Marine’s containerised model:
•  The idea was to build a Cheetah which was easily configurable for worldwide transportation in a 40ft container
•  The containerised version of the 11.2m series was designed and built in 2016
•  Throughout 2016 she was tested extensively in varied conditions to validate the structural integrity of the hull
•  Currently windscreen and cabin models are available, as well as optional top side fendering which enables crew transfer and vessel interception at sea
•  Modular seating and storage can be placed accordingly on a twin tier tracking system enabling easy deck layout to be rearranged according to operation
•  The vessel can be readily assembled and disassembled from container to catamaran in one day
•  Permanent bonding is available where re-assembly is not a requirement