Squamish residents were wowed by what some think could be the community's commuter solution to Vancouver. But there's still many questions regarding the viability of a proposed high-speed vessel.
On Thursday, July 11, at the Squamish Yacht Club the knowledge-based industry organization Inside Edge hosted the owners of Powell River's Slipstream. The company's officials presented information on their thrust-cushion vehicles, the world's latest high-speed vessel of choice.
Similar to a hovercraft, the new amphibian trimaran uses air to lift its hulls virtually out of the water, owner Bill Cocksedge told the audience. Travelling at speeds of up to 65 knots per hour approximately 120 kilometres per hour the craft pulls air through front vents to power it forward, he said.
The vehicle's speed and fuel efficiency equate to big cost savings, Cocksedge said, and the company's secured a federal grant to aid its development. Initial studies indicate it's more than four times cheaper per passenger, per service leg, than a foil cat design, he indicated.
The 200-passanger ferry's design makes no wake or noise, doesn't require a dock and can be manufactured on an assembly line rather than in a shipyard, Cocksedge said, adding it would be able to deal with Howe Sound's swells.
The company estimates the purchase price of a 32-metre, 180-passenger battery-electric thrust-cushion vehicle would be $8.5 million, including a recharging system worth $500,000. Cocksedge anticipates the vessel in service within two years.
We had three previous test crafts that have proven the concept, he said.
Slipstream is using a proven theory, said George Coman, British Columbia Institute of Technology Marine Campus instructor. It's the same propulsion technique some fish have had for millions of years. But Howe Sound's recreational and commercial uses present navigation challenges for high-speed vessels, he said, adding most harbours have speed limits.
The only vessel which currently competes with the thrust-cushion vehicle's speculated speed, is a hovercraft, Coman said, which is expensive to build and operate. The new craft would be cheaper to run, but Coman said he doubts its commercial viability. If successfully completed the thrust-cushion vehicle would be a revolutionary product, Coman added. But similarly to the electrical powered Nissan Leaf, the thrust-cushion vehicle would likely only capture a niche market, he said, noting he's not sure the craft could provide a viable commuter service.
The audience in Squamish was ready to sign on. A fast ferry concept could work well for Squamish, Squamish Mayor Rob Kirkham wrote in an email to The Chief.
While it's still early in the development of this particular product, commuting to Vancouver by water is something worth exploring for our community, he said, adding such a service could fit in with the development of the Squamish Oceanfront lands.
