Humphree stabilizers give Commodore commuters a smooth ride

Stern view of Seastreak Commodore

OCTOBER 16, 2018 – Seastreak Commodore, the newest addition to the Seastreak ferry fleet, not only provides a fast commute between Sandy Hook, NJ, and New York City, but delivers a smooth and stable ride thanks to interceptors and Active Ride Control supplied by Humphree USA.

Delivered earlier this year by the Gulf Craft shipyard in Franklin, LA, the 150 ft, 600 passenger, Incat Crowther designed Commodore is powered by four MTU 12V4000 M64, Tier 3 diesel engines, that drive four Rolls-Roycd KaMeWa 63S4 waterjets via four Reintjes WVS 730 reverse reduction gearboxes

The vessel has a top speed of 39 knots and normally cruises at 30+ knots.

The stabilization system designed for the ferry by Humphree consists of eight HA750 interceptors, four on each hull. Each interceptor has retractable vertical blades, which deploy instantly to create lift that counteracts roll and pitch motions. The result is a steady, stable platform regardless of wind and wave conditions. The Humphree Active Ride Control also automatically optimizes the ferry’s trim, list and heel angles, using inputs from GPS, gyro and accelerometers to measure 3D rates of turn and acceleration.

“Speed, safety and stability were key design criteria for Seastreak Commodore, which was built for long commuting routes across exposed waters, as well as open-ocean transits to Martha’s Vineyard,” said Brian Achille, Director of Engineering at Seastreak. “We have had good experience with the Humphree interceptors over the last five years on Seastreak Wall Street, and we are in the process of retrofitting them on other boats in our fleet, so we naturally turned to Humphree when specifying the stabilization platform for the new boat.”

“Our captains are very pleased with the performance of the Humphree interceptors, especially in rough seas, minimizing roll and pitch and reducing passenger seasickness,” he added.

“We work closely with naval architects and shipyards to provide a complete field-proven engineered stabilization solution that’s ideal for passenger ferries and excursion boats,” said Sean Berrie, CEO of Humphree USA. “Our systems are designed to ensure comfort and safety for passengers and crew while also contributing to improved high-speed performance and significant gains in fuel efficiency.”