Foil-assisted cat gives ferry an improved ride

摘要

The Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in the UK, best known for building minehunters and other military craft in composites, was due to deliver the first of a trio of innovative hydrofoil-assisted catamaran hullform fast ferries in September 2003, writes David Foxwell. Derived from the design of the Sea Shuttle 1, a hydrofoil-assisted catamaran built in South Africa for the account of entrepreneur Ray Kalley almost a decade ago, the new breed of fast ferries are due to enter a charter in the Caribbean when they come into service.