On June 27th, 2011, Long Beach Transit (LBT) of Long Beach, California, held a christening celebration of the new AquaLink II which they scheduled to start service on July 1st. This is yet another high-quality boat built by Kvichak Marine Industries, here in Fremont.
The AquaLink II, designed by Incat Crowther of Australia, is the second vessel built by Kvichak for LBT, to be operated by Catalina Express shuttling visitors and commuters between Long Beach and the Alamitos Bay Landing. AquaLink has been in operation by LBT since 2001.
AquaLinkII, an all-aluminum 65’ x 24′ fully-enclosed catamaran, is powered by diesel engines and can carry 74-passenger, and operate at a service speed of ~25 knots with a crew of two. During travel, passengers will be able to enjoy refreshments served at a snack bar kiosk integrated into the main passenger cabin.
In addition to the ferry boats, last year, Kvichak created fleets of their 30’ Rapid Response Skimmer to help clean up the historically tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, Kvichak Marine Industries Leasing has added a wide version of the Skimmer – outfitted with a Kvichak/Marco Filterbelt oil recovery module – to their lease fleet.
The Kvichak Skimmer is a high quality, shallow-water capable, near shore skimming vessel, ideally suited for use on oil spills in waterways, bays, and harbors. The all-aluminum skimmer is 31’ – 3” long, with a beam of 9′ – 8″, and a draft of 2’ – 6″, and can easily be carried by trailer. Powered by twin 90hp outboards, the skimmer is capable of a response speed of over 17 knots, and a recovered oil capacity of 1200 gallons. This highly specialized skimming system is adaptable to a variety of marine spill scenarios, and can recover a very wide range of spills, from light sheens to thick weathered oils contaminated with debris.
To better create these hard-working vessels, Kvichak received an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) small shipyard grant. The latest use of these funds purchased a new crane for their headquarters, installed on the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
The crane, made by North Pacific Crane, can support 35,000 pounds with a boom length of 31 feet and pedestal height of 15 feet. The new crane will provide Kvichak with the capability of launching and lifting boats from the water at their bulkhead – and open the business to accommodate repair work not possible before.
For additional information on all these developments – and Kvichak – contact them at 206/545-8485 or through their website.