Forgot your password?
Document Actions
General Capabilities
The RV James Kirby is capable of supporting a wide range of research activities
Research Capabilities
The James Kirby’s range of Marine Geophysical, Bottom Sampling and dive support equipment, makes the vessel is ideally suited for:- Scientific Research,
- Seabed Mapping,
- Vibracore and sediment sampling,
- Trawling
- Teaching in a marine environment
- Dive platform
General Vessel Details
The RV James Kirby is basically a prawn trawler with the main working deck aft. The deck area is large and clear of obstructions. The wheelhouse, above the deckhouse, is compact, well equipped and has excellent all round vision. The deckhouse comprises a galley and mess room forward with a laboratory aft. In addition, there is a stainless steel bench and sink at the forward end of the aft deck for wet work. It has a storage area is below the laboratory and a water tight hold in the aft deck. There is sleeping accommodation for eight persons - six scientists and two crew - for overnight trips. For day trips the vessel can carry fourteen passengers and two crew. All of the above areas are airconditioned.
Vessel Specifications
RV James Kirby is a steel hulled research vessel, purpose built based on a commercial prawn trawler hull. The all welded hulled vessel has an overall length of 19.57 metres, a moulded breadth of 5.2 metres and a draft of 2.15 metres. She is built to the Marine Board of Queensland requirements under a special classification of Fisheries Research Vessel.
The main propulsion unit is a turbo-charged Cummins NT855 marine diesel engine developing 300 BHP at 1800 revs. The engine is coupled to a variable pitch three-blade propeller giving the vessel a cruising speed of 10 knots.
Electrical power of both 240 and 415 volts AC 50 Hz can be supplied by two diesel generators. 24 volts DC is also available from the ships
batteries.
The vessel is fitted with a stern “A” frame with a SWL of 1 tonne, complementing a series of winches for deployment of a wide variety of
equipment:
• 2 side winches, used for trawl gear and holds 500 metres of 10mm cable.
• 1 centre winch used for dredging, grab sampling, sledging and holds 1000 metres of 8mm wire.
Specialist equipment installed includes: a full suite of Furuno equipment - Satellite compass, differential GPS, autopilot, radar, colour echo sounder, along with an integrated AIS reporting system and a "C-Plot" computer Navigation and plotting system.
Comunications equipment includes: HF and VHF radios, Satellite (Inmarsat-M) Telephone/Fax/Data, "Next G network " mobile phone and Broadband internet access (Telstra "Next G" coverage areas only).