HamiltonJet Equips New Whale Watching Vessel
Waterjet propulsion manufacturer HamiltonJet said it has once again partnered with Whale Watch Kaikōura on its newest vessel – Te Ao Marama.
Te Ao Marama is a 24-meter catamaran designed by Teknicraft and built by Q-West in Whanganui. The bespoke Whale Watch vessel is powered by four HamiltonJet HJ364 waterjets and is equipped with intuitive, next generation AVX controls, which makes it exceptionally maneuverable and safe to operate around marine animals.
Te Ao Marama is the ninth Whale Watch Kaikōura vessel to utilize HamiltonJet waterjets.
Kauahi Ngapora, General Manager of Whale Watch Kaikōura, says HamiltonJet has been a key partner of the operator since 1995.
“It’s incredible to be launching a new vessel during a very tough year, opening up more opportunities for New Zealanders to come and explore our own backyard,” says Kauahi Ngapora.
“Offering our customers an unforgettable experience while protecting Kaikōura’s special wildlife is extremely important to us.
“HamiltonJet waterjets have the lowest underwater noise signature of possible propulsion units and are designed with an internal propulsion mechanism – making them the safest and best choice to view marine animals.
“The maneuverability they provide is fantastic and critical to ensuring we can give our customers a world-class encounter in Kaikōura,” he says.
HamiltonJet Managing Director, Ben Reed, says, “Tourism has obviously been hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are proud to be able to support Whale Watch Kaikōura as they launch their beautiful new vessel.”
“Our track record of safety and performance in commercial and military craft both here and overseas, make our waterjets and controls a great choice for Whale Watch operations.
“Our waterjets are safer by design, with no external propulsion components. They are configured to give maximum efficiency while providing superior maneuvering at both high and low speeds,” says Ben Reed.
“We have built a strong support relationship with Whale Watch Kaikōura that is essential to their operation. We look forward to working with them as they take their business into the future.”
The public will be onboard Te Ao Marama from December 19, 2020.