Ship & Boat International: eNews April 2017
Kongsberg Maritime has launched its “first ever” in-house developed survey vessel, in the form of a two-man catamaran, dubbed the GeoSwath Compact Survey Vessel (CSV).
Featuring a draught of 0.35m, the boat is primarily intended for research and survey tasks in shallow and inland waters, including canals, lakes and rivers. Measuring just 3m in length and 1.62m in beam, fashioned from polythene with stainless steel fittings and weighing 120kg when dry / 182kg in use, the CSV certainly lives up to its moniker. The vessel can be placed in a lightweight trailer and transported to locations by road, and then, once on site, the vessel is light enough to be launched by just one person.
Similarly, although the CSV can accommodate two persons, all instrument controls and survey operating tools have been placed well in reach of the helmsman’s position, thus permitting single-handed operation.
The CSV is powered by a 22.4kW Tohatsu outboard, which is sufficient to enable a top speed of 27knots, and the boat is fitted with Kongsberg’s own GeoSwath 4R system, the portable, DC-powered version of the company’s GeoSwath 4 shallow water multibeam system. Aimed primarily at smaller vessels, the GeoSwath 4R system is mounted on a retractable pole, enabling the CSV’s occupant(s) to engage in wide swath bathymetry and side scan mapping, with a view to creating 3D maps of the areas under survey. The package includes a GPS heading and position system, as well as a ruggedised, splash-proof and console-mounted laptop, through which the user can plan and manage the survey in real time. The CSV has also been fitted with a VHF radio.
