The R/V NorStar
eberg 2022
Overview
The research Vessel, R/V Norstar, will be a high performance blue-
water sailing catamaran designed and built as a research
platform. Its primary function is to provide a floating
laboratory for climate change and oceanographic research
programs in support of the Sea Earth Alliance. The vessel is
currently in the design/construction phase and will be a custom-
built hybrid mix of unique catamaran features. The R/V Norstar will
be designed to go anywhere for climate change programs ranging
from high latitude arctic waters to equatorial tropical seas.
water sailing catamaran designed and built as a research
platform. Its primary function is to provide a floating
laboratory for climate change and oceanographic research
programs in support of the Sea Earth Alliance. The vessel is
currently in the design/construction phase and will be a custom-
built hybrid mix of unique catamaran features. The R/V Norstar will
be designed to go anywhere for climate change programs ranging
from high latitude arctic waters to equatorial tropical seas.
R/V NorStar Specifications
As a cruiser and research platform the R/V NorStar is relatively fast
and quite comfortable as a live-aboard vessel. It will be
approximately 52 feet in length with a waterline at about 47 feet
and overall beam of 27 feet. With a hull draft of less than 1.8 feet
the vessel can operate in shallow waters for near-shore research.
With a reinforced hull bottom the R/V NorStar can be easily
beached with each prop skeg protected. When the daggerboards
are down during rough weather and high-speed sailing the draft
increases to over 7 feet. Upwind performance is significantly
improved in this configuration. The bridgedeck clearance at 930 to
950 mm (3.03 to 3.12 feet) helps maintain a relatively smooth
sail in choppy and rough seas and minimizes wave slam underneath.
The vessel's large sail area, ranging up over 1650 sq ft leads to
increased speeds under most conditions and results in the R/V
NorStar spending far more time under sail than motor. Its speed
can also be attributed to a high-quality build, yielding a remarkably
light and strong catamaran with a weight in the 12 ton range.
Enhanced speed is an important safety feature since it provides the
option for this vessel to outrun or maneuver around
most storm situations.
An assortment of vessel systems and components will be added in
order to greatly reduce the vessel's environmental footprint and
render the R/V NorStar 'clean' in-operation, and self-sufficient at
sea. No hazardous or toxic waste is released from this catamaran.
Every effort has been taken to conduct atmospheric and
oceanographic research while truly leaving a clean wake in both the
air and seawater.
There are special features that enable the R/V NorStar to operate
for extended periods of time at sea with the only time constraint
being the crews' endurance. There are almost no petroleum-based
fuels on board. Main sail power, of course, is provided by the wind.
Twin Oceanvolt hydro generators/electric motors are used in place
of the normal diesel motors found on most larger sailing vessels.
There is no black-water tanks on-board that have to be pumped out
to holding tanks while in port or dumped overboard at sea. High
efficiency, odor-free composting toilet are in each of the three
heads onboard. There is no black-water discharge of any kind.
High-purity drinking water is delivered by two Spectra Cape Horn
Extreme 330 watermakers, at 330 gal water per day (15 gal/hr)
each, to a single 100 gal freshwater tank. These reverse-osmosis
water purifiers have a proven history of reliability and relatively low
maintenance. The water supply is replenished automatically as
needed. Frequently in catamarans of this size there are two
freshwater tanks each with a capacity of about 100 gallons. By not
carrying this extra tank, and continually replenishing the single
tank, a space and 800 lb weight savings is realized. There is no
hot water storage since tankless electric water heaters are used for
on-demand hot water.
Vessel Layout
The vessel layout is the three cabin owner version. The master
berth is in the forward starboard hull along with the owner master
shower and head aft. The guest cabin is located in the forward port
hull with separate shower and head located amidships. The
laboratory space is located in the aft port hull and configured to be
partially convertible into a single berth. There are three heads with
two in the port hull and one in the starboard hull. The main saloon
houses the galley and dining/living area. The U-shaped galley is
situated in the aft port corner of the saloon deck.
berth is in the forward starboard hull along with the owner master
shower and head aft. The guest cabin is located in the forward port
hull with separate shower and head located amidships. The
laboratory space is located in the aft port hull and configured to be
partially convertible into a single berth. There are three heads with
two in the port hull and one in the starboard hull. The main saloon
houses the galley and dining/living area. The U-shaped galley is
situated in the aft port corner of the saloon deck.
Heads
Instead of the electric toilets commonly found in vessels of similar
size there is a Nature's Head composting toilet in each of the three
heads. No standard marine head and holding tank is onboard. We
happily give up the hunt for a pump-out station and the waiting-in-
line to pump out. This composting toilet meets all 'No Discharge'
regulations and is a U.S. Coast Guard Approved type III marine head.
size there is a Nature's Head composting toilet in each of the three
heads. No standard marine head and holding tank is onboard. We
happily give up the hunt for a pump-out station and the waiting-in-
line to pump out. This composting toilet meets all 'No Discharge'
regulations and is a U.S. Coast Guard Approved type III marine head.
Laboratory and Research Dive Station
The competition for space in the aft port hull is intense and the two
single berths are adaptable/convertible to laboratory bench space
during research cruises. The aft portion of the port hull is
configured with a small oceanographic laboratory. All data
acquisition and management is handled here for the climate change
research efforts. A dedicated thru-hull affords real-time
measurements of seawater parameters while under way. The space
needed for this wet-lab is quite small, less than the size of a single
berth. There is one reinforced, small, pivoting platform specially
configured in the berth area to accommodate the portable gas
chromatograph/mass spectrometer.
The research dive locker/compressor station is located at the
starboard stern. It is situated close to the dive platform and
contains the necessary equipment and instrumentation for standard
SCUBA diving as well as enriched air Nitrox diving. Underwater
high-intensity stern lights are mounted on each hull to facilitate
night diving when needed.
single berths are adaptable/convertible to laboratory bench space
during research cruises. The aft portion of the port hull is
configured with a small oceanographic laboratory. All data
acquisition and management is handled here for the climate change
research efforts. A dedicated thru-hull affords real-time
measurements of seawater parameters while under way. The space
needed for this wet-lab is quite small, less than the size of a single
berth. There is one reinforced, small, pivoting platform specially
configured in the berth area to accommodate the portable gas
chromatograph/mass spectrometer.
The research dive locker/compressor station is located at the
starboard stern. It is situated close to the dive platform and
contains the necessary equipment and instrumentation for standard
SCUBA diving as well as enriched air Nitrox diving. Underwater
high-intensity stern lights are mounted on each hull to facilitate
night diving when needed.
Power Systems
The R/V NorStar will be equipped with an Oceanvolt electric
propulsion system instead of traditional diesel motors. This
platform integrates multiple energy sources, including wind
turbine, solar, and hydro generation through a smart Oceanvolt
System Controller. Creating energy while sailing and managing
three to four energy sources through a smart platform affords the
possibility for the R/V NorStar to become totally
energy self-sufficient.
Two Oceanvolt AXC20 modular shaft drive motors with 3-blade
Flexofold folding propellers provide the hydro generation capacity
and propulsion capability for our research vessel. This system is designed to
provide the complete power source. Because of this
system, almost no petroleum fuel is carried or stored on the R/V
NorStar. Significant weight and space improvements are gained as
a result of not carrying diesel fuel in two 130 gals (2x500 liters)
fuel tanks. With tanks topped up, that represents a weight saving
of over 1800 lbs and a significant space saving from the absence of
the fuel tanks. Additionally, this direct drive system greatly
reduces both vibration and onboard noise to levels lower than any
other propulsion system.
Solar panels and a single wind turbine mounted on the port stern
provide additional energy sources. The Primus Wind Power Air
Silent X Marine Wind Turbine generates supplemental energy that
is stored in lithium batteries and managed by the smart system
controller. Semi-flexible, canopy-mounted solar panels will also be
added to the onboard power grid. New generation, fire-safe, high capacity
lithium-ion marine batteries are used to store electrical energy from the three
on-board energy sources.
propulsion system instead of traditional diesel motors. This
platform integrates multiple energy sources, including wind
turbine, solar, and hydro generation through a smart Oceanvolt
System Controller. Creating energy while sailing and managing
three to four energy sources through a smart platform affords the
possibility for the R/V NorStar to become totally
energy self-sufficient.
Two Oceanvolt AXC20 modular shaft drive motors with 3-blade
Flexofold folding propellers provide the hydro generation capacity
and propulsion capability for our research vessel. This system is designed to
provide the complete power source. Because of this
system, almost no petroleum fuel is carried or stored on the R/V
NorStar. Significant weight and space improvements are gained as
a result of not carrying diesel fuel in two 130 gals (2x500 liters)
fuel tanks. With tanks topped up, that represents a weight saving
of over 1800 lbs and a significant space saving from the absence of
the fuel tanks. Additionally, this direct drive system greatly
reduces both vibration and onboard noise to levels lower than any
other propulsion system.
Solar panels and a single wind turbine mounted on the port stern
provide additional energy sources. The Primus Wind Power Air
Silent X Marine Wind Turbine generates supplemental energy that
is stored in lithium batteries and managed by the smart system
controller. Semi-flexible, canopy-mounted solar panels will also be
added to the onboard power grid. New generation, fire-safe, high capacity
lithium-ion marine batteries are used to store electrical energy from the three
on-board energy sources.