The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) held a christening ceremony today for the new research vessel Sound Outlook, built to support water quality monitoring and scientific surveys in Long Island Sound.
DEEP has collected year-round water quality data in Long Island Sound since 1991 using the research vessel John Dempsey, which has also supported fisheries surveys. The agency said those water quality monitoring operations will now transition to Sound Outlook, a purpose-built vessel designed specifically for scientific survey work.
Built by BRIX Marine, Port Angeles, Wash., the 44'x16' catamaran Sound Outlook is a custom 4416-CTC research vessel constructed of 5086-alloy aluminum and is designed to provide stability and shallow-draft capability.
The vessel is powered by twin Scania DI13 marine diesel engines, each rated at 750 hp, coupled with HamiltonJet HJ403 waterjets. The propulsion package gives the vessel the maneuverability and shallow-water performance needed for survey operations in coastal and estuarine environments. Fuel capacity totals 500 gals.
The project was funded through an award to DEEP from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Island Sound Partnership.
The vessel’s interior layout was designed around scientific sampling and survey work. The port side of the main cabin includes two laboratory workstations with solid-surface countertops, a stainless-steel double sink, and a dedicated reverse-osmosis deionized cold-water rinse system. On the starboard side, the vessel is fitted with two additional survey workstations.
The roof deck is equipped to support active field operations and over-the-side deployments. Installed equipment includes a Morgan Marine 200.3 hydraulic knuckle crane, two Kolstrand trawl winches, a Rosette winch, a hydraulic A-frame, and an anchor winch. The deck also includes a drone deployment pad and a forward instrument plate for additional survey equipment.
Navigation electronics include three Garmin 8616 multifunction displays networked via NMEA 2000, an 18HD radome radar, and a Wave WiFi cellular and wireless connectivity system. Shipboard power is supported by a Northern Lights 20-kW diesel generator and a Victron MultiPlus inverter-charger system. Climate control is provided by two Dometic air conditioning units and a Webasto forced-air diesel heater.
Pre-acceptance trials were completed in Port Angeles Harbor prior to shipment in early June.
