Cat diesels for excursion catamarans

Caterpillar Marine is supplying four C18 diesels to power new excursion vessels scheduled to be launched later this year.

Great Western Attractions has added to its portfolio of tourism activities with the addition of two new catamarans, Orca I and Orca II, both powered by twin Cat C18 engines rated 803 bhp at 2100 rpm, which drive Veem Nibral propellers through ZF marine transmissions.

The 80 ft. x 27 ft. Orca I and Orca II, which will carry up to 149 passengers and be capable of 22 knots at 80% power, are scheduled to launch later this year.

All American Marine and Teknicraft Design built the two aluminum vessels. Local Cat dealer, N C Power Systems, is working with Great Western Attractions to provide lifecycle maintenance and technical support for the engines through a Customer Value Agreement (CVA) crafted to deliver the high uptime and low operating costs.

Caterpillar said the CVAs are tailored ownership plans designed to accommodate the business needs of each customer to further promote extended equipment life and maximum investment. With the support of the Cat dealer network and with service-based outcomes at the heart of the CVA strategy, Caterpillar is working with customers to provide solutions that fit their business needs and drive valuable outcomes.

By supporting the engine lifecycle through a CVA, Caterpillar said the value-add serviced based outcomes contribute to:

- Minimized downtime between scheduled maintenance intervals by utilizing digital monitoring solutions.

- Supporting sustainability goals through fuel/emissions management.

- Long term savings with an active fluid and filters supervision program.

“Our goal is to have a positive impact on the Caterpillar engine ownership experience through our CVA solutions, along with the related services that Caterpillar and dealers provide,” said Nick Lythgoe, Marine CVA development manager for Caterpillar. “We’re extremely excited to grow our new CVA offerings with Great Western Attractions and N C Power. This CVA solution for Orca I & Orca II, provides peace of mind that the vessels will always be ready to tour. In addition, with a focus on sustainability, the engines and CVA solution help reduce the carbon footprint.”