Page 16: of Marine Technology Magazine (October 2014)

Vessel of the Month The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk christened its ?green? research vessel on Friday, September 26 in preparation for launching a new era in examining, monitoring and teaching about Long Island Sound. The $2.7m research ves- sel, Spirit of the Sound, was christened and named during a ceremony at the Aquarium dock. Breaking a bottle on her hull was godmother of the boat, Astrid Heidenreich of Greenwich. The boat is reported to be the  rst research vessel in the U.S. to run on hybrid-electric propulsion. Upon her launch in De-cember, she will run virtually silently on electric power for the Aquarium?s 2.5-hour public ?study cruises? on Long Island Sound.The 63-ft. all-aluminum catamaran will replace the Aquari- um?s 40-ft., 34-year-old diesel-powered trawler, R/V Oceanic. The new boat will have a climate-controlled indoor classroom and an outdoor research space. With more room inside and out, the new research vessel doubles the Aquarium?s capacity for getting visitors out on the water ? from 29 to 60 people per cruise.R/V Spirit of the Sound?s hybrid-electric propulsion system will reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 75%. Not just for students, the R/V Spirit of the Sound will be used for the Aquarium?s public study cruises as well. Initial public outings on the boat begin in mid-December with Seal Spotting Cruises, offered many weekends through mid-April. Even greater opportunities to experience the boat begin in May, with the Aquarium?s 2015 season of Marine Life Study Cruises, during which crabs, mollusks, squid and a wide variety of salt-water  sh are brought up out of Long Island Sound for examination. Major contributors toward the new boat include: George and Carol Bauer of Wilton; The TK Foundation of Nassau, Ba- hamas; and the Per and Astrid Heidenreich Family Founda- tion of Greenwich. Bank of America is of cial sponsor of the boat?s inaugural season. Designed by Incat Crowther of Australia, Spirit of the Sound Hybrid-Powered Research Vessel Christened Hybrid-Powered Research Vessel ChristenedAbove: The $2.7m environmentally friendly research vessel, Spirit of the Sound. (All photos courtesy of the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk) October 201416 MTRMTR #8 (1-17).indd 16MTR #8 (1-17).indd 1610/10/2014 10:17:04 AM10/10/2014 10:17:04 AM