All American Marine launches second of two cats for GWA

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Hull extensions give the vessel a canoe-line appearance

All American Marine Inc. (AAM), Bellingham, Wash., has launched Orca II, the second of the two 78-foot by 27-foot aluminum catamarans it is building for Great Western Attractions (GWA) for operation as passenger excursion vessels in Puget Sound.

Designed by Teknicraft in Auckland, New Zealand, the identical Subchapter T certified vessels have been constructed at All American Marine’s state-of-the-art 57,000-square-foot facility on Bellingham Bay. They will be a part of GWA’s multi-faceted tourism operations based in downtown Seattle.

The new vessels will combine innovative design features to enhance the passenger experience during excursions. Visually, they will celebrate the prominent native culture of the Pacific Northwest, with an eye-catching paint scheme and an extended hull section on the bow and stern to create a canoe-like appearance.

The 149-passenger catamarans are powered by Twin Caterpillar C18 Engines rated at 803 bhp at 2,100 rpm and driving Veem NiBrAL propellers.

“All American Marine is proud to have constructed such unique vessels for an iconic Seattle company and to support expansion of Great Western Attraction’s operations,” said All American Marine’s Business Development Manager Ron Wille. “Our mission is to provide our operators with the best custom vessel for their application, and we are excited to have built their first two vessels.”

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