The HSC High Speed Jet is a 74 m (243 ft) ocean-going catamaran built in 1990 by Incat for Hoverspeed and currently owned by Seajets. In 1990, as Hoverspeed Great Britain, she took the Hales Trophy for the fastest eastbound transatlantic journey, making the run, without passengers, in three days, seven hours and fifty-four minutes, averaging 36.6 knots (67.8 km/h; 42.1 mph).[2]
 Hoverspeed Great Britain at Dover in 1992.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner | Seajets (2010–Present) |
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Incat, Tasmania, Australia |
| Yard number | 025 |
| Launched | 27 January 1990 |
| Maiden voyage | 1990 |
| In service | 12 July 1990 |
| Out of service | 2015 |
| Identification |
|
| Honours and awards | Hales Trophy (eastbound) |
| Status | Laid-Up in Avlida, Chalkis, Greece since 2015. |
| Notes | [1][2][3] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Wave piercing catamaran |
| Tonnage | 3,000 GT |
| Length | 73.6 m (241 ft) |
| Beam | 26.3 m (86 ft) |
| Draught | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Ramps |
|
| Installed power | 4 x Ruston 16RK 270 medium speed diesel engines (4 x 3,600kW at 750 rpm) |
| Propulsion | Four Riva Calzoni IRC115DX steering water-jets |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Notes | [4] |
History
editThe ship's previous names were: Hoverspeed Great Britain (1990–2004), Emeraude GB (2004–2005), and Speedrunner 1 (2005–2008, when she sailed the Mediterranean Sea for Sea Containers and Aegean Speed Lines.[3]) Sea Runner (2008–2011) and Cosmos Jet (2011–2015, when she first began operating for Seajets).
She entered service on the Portsmouth to Cherbourg route on 12 July 1990 operating three round trips per day.[5] HSC Hoverspeed Great Britain was replaced on the cross-channel route by MDV 1200 class ferries Superseacat One and Superseacat Two.
Specifications
edit
Power is supplied by four Ruston 16RK270 V-16 marine diesel engines each with a 3600 kW (4825 hp) at 100% maximum continuous rating (MCR).
The 16RK270 engine has 16 cylinders, a 270 mm bore and a 305mm stroke, for a per cylinder displacement of 17.46L and a total displacement of 279.408L. The vessel in trials attained over 48 knots (89 km/h; 55 mph) on a 5-minute run; at full displacement she showed 45.20 knots (83.71 km/h; 52.02 mph) maximum and 44.08 knots (81.64 km/h; 50.73 mph) for a two-way average.
References
edit- ^ "74 Metre Wave Piercing Catamaran". Incat. 2010. Archived from the original on 6 March 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ a b Micke Asklander (2010). "HSC Hoverspeed Great Britain (1990)". Fakta om Fartyg (Facts about Ships) (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ a b Michael Koefoed-Hansen (2010). "HSC Searunner". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ "74m Wave Piercing Catamaran Car Passenger Ferry" (PDF). Incat Australia Pty Ltd. 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ Stevens, Nick (25 June 1990). "Press Release HS/PPR/57". HoverSpeed.