Yanmar marine diesel engines have been used to power a Brisbane-built ferry destined for tourist work in New Caledonia.
Dual Yanmar 6HYM-ETE engines are coupled to ZF transmissions in the all-alloy sea going catamaran hull.
Designed and built by Brisbane Ship Constructions (BSC), the tourist ferry is destined to operate on open seas in and around Lifou Island in New Caledonia. The routine run for the ferry is a six-hour return trip across open water with no refuelling en route. The ferry has a capacity to seat 100 passengers.
Operating under a French flag and built to Pacific Class regulations, the BSC ferry measures 19 metres in overall length and has a beam of eight metres. Fully laden with passengers, the vessel weighs 45 tonnes.
The cat hull design incorporates plate aluminium with a 6mm bottom. There is also a large skeg designed so that the boat can be beached if necessary, with the skegs ensuring that the props are fully protected.
In sea trials conducted on Moreton Bay prior to delivery, the Yanmar-powered cat achieved an optimum cruise speed of 19 knots at 1,950rpm. Fuel consumption at this level of operation was 70 litres per engine per hour.
The required maximum vessel speed of 19.6 knots was achieved at a reduced and conservative engine speed of 2,050rpm with the oversized ZF 500-1A transmissions spinning the props at 1043srpm via a reduction ratio of 1.964:1.
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