Zego Boat

The Zego Boat Hydrographic Survey System is a 2^nd generation shallow water mapping research vessel (Figure L-4). The Zego Boat is a twin-hulled catamaran with 30 hp outboard motor constructed in New Zealand with durable plastic material (distributed in the U.S. by Higgs Hydrographic, Inc.). The vessel has a very shallow draft allowing it to operate in depths as little as 40-50 cm and is very stable in the presence of both waves (breaking and nonbreaking) and strong current conditions. The vessel has a front ram assembly that allows testing and integrating of equipment much easier than possible for other vessels of this size (such as waverunner-based systems like the Center’s Coastal Bathymetry Survey System; CBASS). Central to the system is an Applanix POS-MV 320 for highly accurate positioning, heading and attitude that can be integrated with a variety of multibeam echo sounders. Additional instrumentation integrated into the hulls of the vessel includes an Imagenex Delta-T MBES, Teledyne Odom Echotrac CV-100 SBES with dual frequency (200 & 24 kHz) Airmar transducer, and modular portal for a variety of RD Instruments acoustic Doppler current profilers. System displays (Figure L-5) are provided by two waterproof touch-screen monitors and with navigation by supported by Hypack.