Research Vessel - Polaris II

Bill Dickson Master Polaris II Department of Marine Science University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin New Zealand Phone 64-21-2837735 Fax 64-3-479-5825 Email: bill.dickson@otago.ac.nz View current bookings here

Description and Capabilities

• Launched - 2002 in Nelson by designer / builder Jack Guard. Round Bilge. Length 21m, beam 6.7m. Refitted for research 2007 in Dunedin.
  
• Engine - Main - Cat 3406 E. 475hp, Aux – Cat GEP. Runs 30 KVA genset. Twin Disc gearbox 4.2:1
  
• Electrics - 240v x 24v x 12v. Fuel: 16,000 litres
  
• Freshwater - 3,000 l plus Ro watermaker (50l/hr)
  
• Crew - Skipper & Crewman
  
• Range - 1,000 nautical miles, 30+ days between NZ subantarctic and subtropical islands
  
• Running costs - between $600 and $5,000 per day depending on user and nature of activities
  
• Accommodation - 16 in 6 cabins, kitchen & mess, 2 toilets & showers, drying room, underway wet & dry lab, seminar / teaching, workroom, large deck
  
• Purpose - Cost effective research and teaching platform for cross-disciplinary research and teaching in marine biological, chemical, geological, zoological, botanical, physical and oceanographic sciences
  
• Research capability - Diving support (including refilling), winches, hi-ab, trawling, water column chemistry & oceanography, research quality GPS positioning, wireless computer network, wet laboratory, (upgraded capability planned: bathymetric mapping, sub-bottom profiling, side-scan, ROV, sediment corers)
  
• Management - The vessel is managed on behalf of the Division of Sciences by a committee representing the key departments

Use and Hire of the University Research Vessel “Polaris II”

Contacts:

Gary Wilson (Management Committee Chair) April 2007