Rocketboat Fitted with Ultrajet UJ575s

Blue and Gold Fleet in San Francisco carried 2.5 million passengers in 2008.  Founded in 1978 the company own 15 vessels providing bay cruises and ferry services.

Designed to deliver thrill rides Blue and Gold Fleet’s RocketBoat operates out of pier 39 in San Francisco.  Carrying up to 135 passengers RocketBoat sails past the Bay Bridge and AT & T Park (home of the San Francisco Giants); she also passes by Treasure Island and Alcatraz on the way back to pier 39, where it also goes by sea lions – the thrill ride takes approx 30 minutes.

Built by boat builder John Yank at Ocean Rockets in Tuckahoe, New Jersey, this 70-ft aluminium high speed thrill ride is powered by twin MTU 16B2000 1410 hp engines with a speed of 42 knots. 

The design of the UltraJet deflector on the UltraJet range allows an impressive crash stop performance (in less than 1.5/two boat lengths from full speed).  The mechanical elements of the waterjet are designed to absorb in reversing mode more than twice the thrust that is present in normal forward running conditions.

Without any need to reduce engine throttles the combination of the UltraJet JetMaster control system and the fast response electro-hydraulic system activating the reverse cylinder ensures the reverse thrust is available immediately.  Monitoring and control of key aspects of the propulsion system is handled by the JetMaster control system displaying information as required at the helm station.

UltraJet Managing & Technical Director Mike Lane says “the design of the UltraJet waterjets is different to its competitors, as its design offers not only high thrust at low speed, but also high performance across a wide vessel speed range and excellent maneuverability with a range of control options.  Hydraulics are all on-board and a fully electronic control interface ensures installation and maintenance is very easy for the boat builder.”