Research vessel to be equipped with PDI centerboard system

APRIL 23, 2018 — Gulf Island Shipyards LLC has awarded Power Dynamics Innovations LLC, Stennis Space Center, MS, a subcontract for the design, engineering, construction, installation, and testing of the centerboard system for Oregon State University’s Regional Class Research Vessel (RCRV).

Gulf Island Shipyards received a contract from Oregon State University for the construction of the 193 ft x 41 ft RCRV last July, with an option for two additional vessels (see earlier story).

Deployable with high positional precision, the PDI centerboard will provide a versatile platform on to which a wide variety of acoustical sensors can be easily installed based on specific mission requirements.

The centerboard will have a removable “foot” that can be used to easily swap out families of sensors and it will have swappable plates that will provide the maximum flexibility for individual sensors.

PDI says that, presently, no vessel in the academic research fleet has one so precisely spatially referenced in order to provide highly reliable data.

“We are extremely thrilled that we have been selected as a supply partner to Gulf Island for this contract,” says Carl Liberty, PDI Managing Member. “PDI has thirty years of providing successful, cost-effective custom designed equipment and we thank Gulf Island Shipyards for this opportunity to supply our Dynamic Power Centerboard System and Controls.”