THE SWATH ADVANTAGE

Nekton's Liveaboards utilize a unique Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design technology to provide you with the smoothest ride unlike any other live-aboards.

Why are SWATH vessels so stable? The key is the two submarine-like pontoons (see pictures) that can ride completely submerged beneath the surface of the water (unlike a catamaran where the pontoons only ride on the surface of the water.)

As a diver, you know that even on a rough day, the water is calmer just a few feet below the choppy surface - that's precisely where the pontoons which provide the buoyancy for a are located - hence the submerged pontoons act as stabilizers giving you the feeling you're on a vessel more than eight times its size!

Nekton's live-aboards are approximately 25 meters (80 feet) long and 12 meters (40 feet) wide. Propulsion is provided by two large 850 kilowatt diesel engines located down aft in the pontoons thus isolating the guest area from noise and vibration and providing for more space.

120Volt/60Hz electrical power is delivered to every cabin by redundant diesel generators. Ballast tanks in the pontoons can be flooded with seawater and pumped out by huge pumps in very short notice. Ballasting up (catamaran mode) allows for shallow water harborage (1.8 meters/6 feet) and maximum speed. Ballasting down SWATH mode) provides for maximum stability.

The entire dive platform with stairs, raises and lowers via hydraulic lifts making for easy access to and from the water.

The Nekton's live-aboards have modern instrumentation and communications including a global Inmarsat satellite phone with voice and fax; a side scanning SONAR, dual D-GPS navigation; RADAR; real-time weather data; EPIRB; SSB short-wave and VHF radios; and cellular telephone.

Telephone calls via satellite can be placed anytime while onboard via satellite (airtime fees apply).

Onboard fresh water is provided by high capacity desalinators and compressed SCUBA air is provided by certified dual redundant high capacity SCUBA compressors.

The Nekton Liveaboards were designed by SwaCat Technologies. Both are variations on the SWACAT80™ design. The difference in the Liveaboards is related to slight trade-offs in stability versus speed. The Nekton Rorqual with it's single struts on each side is slightly faster than the Nekton Pilot with it's two struts per side. The Nekton Pilot is slightly more stable than the Nekton Rorqual. Both designs are vastly more stable than conventional mono-hulls used by Nekton's competitors.