Unique Catamarans: The Afai 08

The Afai 08 is a dual-hulled vessel built in the year 1998 in collaboration between the Australian shipbuilding giant Incat and the Hong Kong conglomerate Afai. The vessel’s singularity comes from the fact that it is capable of accommodating both people as well as a given number of motor vehicles.

The 08 also has a sister ferryboat and both these boats are classed under the K50 grade of catamarans.

Both these catamarans have been built with a streamline design and provide a unique comfortability to its users.

Vessel Specification

• The ferryboat provides an exceedingly high rate of speed at almost 50 knots

• Afai 08 is built of aluminium and measures slightly over 80 metres lengthwise and 19 metres beam wise. As a providing factor for better utility, the vessel is also equipped with T-foils

• The vessel has a draught of over 19 metres and is equipped to easily admit 400 voyagers and 89 motor vehicles

• Afai 08’s anchoring consists of a zinc coated steel anchor. Through this process of galvanisation, it has been ensured that the vessel has a very strong anchor

The catamaran has been fitted with four engines that are capable of generating about 5,500 kilo watts of power. These engines are diesel powered and propel the vessel through four water jets. In addition to this, the vessel also has two generators of over 200 kilo watts each.

Afai 08 has several state-of-the-art communication, navigation and gadgetry systems.  Its technical components include the reputed Maritime Dynamics System and the David Clark communicator system that allows intra-communication within the vessel.

Two radars, a gyrocompass, a magnetised compass, an autopilot, an echo sounder, a logging system to record the speed and the distance of the vessel, telephones operable through radio waves, loudspeaker systems, stabiliser systems – 16 in totality, transmitting system, a fax system to monitor and record the weather and a light specifically for searching far-off areas under the water surface.

The Afai 08 is a well-thought of vessel and can be regarded as one of the most influential and sophisticated marine vessel models of the contemporary era.

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