Sea Fighter (X-Craft Photos)

Yesterday we went on the boat to a friend's house in Whidbey Island. On the way we saw the Sea Fighter. Unfortunately it was just cruising slowly. I'd like to see it at high speed.

Here are some photos:
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/24/P6040009.JPG

Raul

[reggies3270]

Hi Raul,
What the heck is that? I`ve seen your guys subs out in the Juan de Fuca but never seen anything like that.
Reg

Reg,

Check out this site:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/sea-fighter.htm

Raul

Nichols Brothers over in Langley built that for the military. Not sure yet what they're gonna do with it, but it is pretty odd looking.

[Randygh]

"Engines: 2 GE LM2500 gas turbine engines; 2 MTU 16V 595 TE90 propulsion diesel engines; 4 Rolls-Royce Kamewa 125SII waterjets."


Are the gas turbine engines fueled with unleaded gasoline? I thought turbines required Jet A or another kerosene derivative. Are two of the waterjets propulsed by the diesels and two by the turbines? I understand that 4 diesels would be much heavier than 4 turbines, or 2 and 2, but why not use 4 turbines?

[reggies3270]

Thanks for the link Raul. It is odd looking but very neat, I find the use of visco elastic foam lining the hull interesting had not heard of that application before.
Thanks again,
Reg

Turbines will run on almost anything that burns. They will be more efficient with some fuels and less with others. My guess is that this ship's turbines run on diesel but it may be a dual fuel ship.

I'm not sure of this particular configuration but I've seen schematics on a fast mega-yacht with similar propulsion. The waterjets were run on diesels at normal cruise and on turbines at high speed cruise. The engines were electromechanically clutched in and out, depending on the cruise speed wanted.

Raul

It's very similar in design to some of the other boats they've built. Their other boats are INCAT designs and without checking, I'd bet this one is too.

Here's a good article on the propulsion system:

COmbined Diesel Or Gas turbine (CODOG) Propulsion (http://www.mtu-friedrichshafen.com/en/ps/ps_030815.htm)

As far as fuel. Everything the Navy operates runs on bunker fuel, with carriers having the luxury of occasionally running on JP-5. This thing may run entirely on JP-5 since they have the two turbines and an aircraft componenet.

I don't know what ever happened to the Catalina Jet. They may have sold it. It was another of their builds.

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The Catalina Jet is busy doing what it was designed for:

http://www.catalinaexpress.com/public_html/vessels/cat_jet.html

Rau;

That's great news. She got caught up in a bankruptcy originally. I'm glad to see she made it back into service. She was for sale at one time for $2.2M, and they were hoping the Navy would buy her for a commuter. I rode that boat everyday from Everett to Bremerton and back while the Lincoln was in the yards twice. Not a bad commute really. We've leave Everett at 5:05 and be pierside PSNS by 6:15.

I was aboard the Catalina Jet when both planes struck the WTC on 9/11. It's one of those "where were you when" moments. :) I got to drive her from Agate Pass to Mukilteo once. 45 kts and she rides like on rails.

That Catalina Jet is a cool boat.

SS, I didn't know you were "commuting" out of out of Everett at one time. Do you know my neighbor: Capt. (Ret.) Pam LeSesne?

Raul

I was ship's company on the USS Lincoln from 1999-2002. I caught two yard periods (ship in drydock at PSNS Bremerton). We contracted the Catalina Jet for senior folks to ride across each day. Made for a pretty nice ride. They used her to run Keiko the Killer Whale back to Canada also.

I was on a warship... we didn't have any female Captains... :D


But yes... I know her. She was a CDR (Sup Ships PSNS) when I dealt with her. Mostly planning meetings and ORM debriefs with the yard birds.