Canal Boats delivers low wake ferry

Canal Boats II, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has delivered a 43 ft x 17 ft 6 in low wake catamaran ferry to a Bermuda resort.

It is the first low wake catamaran built in the United States from a design by Australian naval architect Grahame Parker. Mr. Parker is responsible for the City Cat ferries of Brisbane, and numerous low wake ferries in Sydney Harbor.

The ferry is powered by twin Cummins QSB 5.9 engines that also power the compressors for the Thermo King air conditioning. Gears are Twin disc. The electronics are Dual Raymarine E 80 integrated units and an Icom VHF radio. CATV of the aft boarding gates display on the E 80's screens.

Turnbull seating in the cabin is dinette style and the aft deck has a bench. Boarding is forward and aft, port and starboard.

Top speed is 25 knots light ship, and service speed is 22 knots.

Canal Boats has a 60 ft x 24 ft 130 passenger USCG Subchapter T vessel under construction.

Canal Boats principal designer and builder is Bill Burpee, its owner and President is Bob Bekoff. The company's specialty is design and construction of USCG-certified small passenger vessels for ferry, water taxi, dive, snorkel, and glass bottom boat operators. Capacities are up to 149 passengers plus crew. Canal Boats builds mono hulls and low wake catamarans in FRP of various composites, and with power packages designed for each individual application.