The Vessel
The Odyssey is a ninety-three foot research vessel, which Ocean Alliance uses for field studies.
The Odyssey serves as a mobile research platform for Ocean Alliance. The steel-hulled ketch was constructed in New Zealand in 1976 and donated to Ocean Alliance in 1991.
The RV Odyssey is fitted with state-of-the art research and communication equipment and is perhaps the most advanced research vessel working with whales today. Ocean Alliance has transformed the Odyssey into a leading scientific vessel and platform for use by visiting whale research scientists and documentary teams.
The Odyssey has been witness to a number of innovations and firsts, including:
* The first successful underwater sonar tracking of sperm whales throughout their dives
* Developing a technique for placing remote sensing packages on the backs of whales and for acquiring skin samples more easily
* Sighting of blue whales in equatorial waters;
* The first successful satellite tag on a sperm whale (by visiting scientist Bruce Mate)
* The first electrocardiogram of a sperm whale (by visiting scientist Dr. Jorge Reynolds)
* Training of over 100 scientists from Latin America in the benign research techniques developed by Ocean Alliance
The Odyssey has also served as an important component in the production of educational programs and films. It has featured on:
* PBS
* Discovery Channel
* BBC
* Canal Plus
* NHK
* TV New Zealand
* The IMAX film WHALES, which was shot aboard the Odyssey in 1995.
RV Odyssey Specifications
* Documentation: #602326, call sign WCC 7729
* Builder: Whangarei, New Zealand 1976
* Hull: Steel, full keel
* Rig: Ketch, mast height 88 ft +8 ft antenna
* Length Overall: 93 ft 4 inches, length on deck 80 ft
* Beam: 18 ft 3 inches, draft 11 ft 6 inches
* Tankage – (Fuel): 3200 US gallons, range under power of 4,000 NM
* Tankage – (Water): 1200 US gallons, HRO 500 g/p/d water maker
* Engines: Single, General Motors 6-71 N (218 Horsepower)
* Generators: Two Kohler 13.5 KW (super silenced)
* Accommodation: 14 people maximum, 10 optimum, crew 3 - 4
Communications:
* Furuno Inmarsat B Phone/Fax/Internet Satellite
* ICOM M-600 transceiver, Apelco VHF
* Three Apelco VHF HH (hand held)
* Inmarsat C SatCom, AT&T High Seas Direct
* Furuno Inmarsat B Phone/Fax/Internet Satellite
* ICOM M-600 transceiver, Apelco VHF
* Three Apelco VHF HH (hand held)
* Inmarsat C SatCom, AT&T High Seas Direct
Navigation:
* Furunco color radar with 48 mile range
* Anritsu radar with 24 mile range
* S Band radar
* Cetrek 757 Autopilot, video plotter
* Fair Tide, Mac interfaced video plotter
* Walker knot master log
* Magellan GPS 5000D, 2 Apelco GPS, Apelco Loran C
* Interphase Probe scanning depthsounder
* Two Data marine depthsounders
* Cetrek wind speed and direction, depth, hull speed and temperature gauges
Electrical Systems:
* 220V AC single phase (60 Hz.) 110V AC (60Hz.)
* Isolated system with ground fault detector
* 36V DC, 24V DC, 12V DC and 6V DC
* Four sets of heavy duty dry gel 24V battery banks 2200 Amp hrs
* One heavy-duty 12V battery bank
* One 2500 Watt inverter
Other:
* 14 ft rigid bottom Rendova inflatable complete with 50 hp 4-stroke motor, roll bar and spot lights, depthsounder, GPS, VHF
* 12 ft Safe-boat, 40 hp Honda 4–stroke
* 15 hp outboard motor
* Two Ocean kayaks
* One 10 cubic foot refrigerator, one 20 cubic foot freezer
* Three heads. Holding Tanks: Fwd 330 gallons, Aft 290 gallons
Audio Equipment:
* Two Benthos multi–channel acoustic arrays
* Two hydrophones
* One Sony DAT recorder
* One analogue recorder
* 220 Watt amplifier with two underwater speakers
Additional Research Equipment:
* Whalecam, an Intensified CCD Camera with Auto Iris auto gain, (rated from bright sea surface to; 10–6 foot candles face plate illumination levels), 1,000m depth rating. a modified Hi 8 video camera, Tie Tack hydrophones, VHF transmitters, Time Depth recorder, acoustic transmitters
* Biopsy equipment for DNA and Toxicology
* Deep ocean probe to measure water salinity, temperature and depth
* Dissection Kits, microscope and preservation chemicals
* Davis Weather Station link to on-board computers
Odyssey Technical Equipment:
* Furano CH 12 multibeam scanning sonar
* Furano CH 50 Tracking Sonar
* Davit payload crane, 1000 lb capacity
* Forward stay sail lifting boom, 750 lb capacity
* Parasail for aerial reconnaissance when finding whales in remote areas
Diving Equipment:
* Dive steps and platform on port side capable of carrying a man in full dive gear plus camera gear, high speed deployment possible in most seastates.
* Two scuba compressors, ten scuba tanks, six complete dive rigs, two dive computers, eight wet suits, four Bcs etc.
* Hooka rig, 60 ft of hose
Additional:
* Whale boom side sprit capable of supporting three people 25 feet off to the side of the boat. This is currently used for attaching tags or as a unique close-up platform for filming.
* Crows nest on mizzen and main mast
* Camera mounts for crows nests and rails
* High capacity underwater bow mounts, designed to hold an IMAX camera at speeds up to eight knots
