83 August 22, 1999

Yacht-Like Dive Charter Boat for B.C. Waters

The dive charter business continues to grow on the B.C. coast, in most cases utilizing a range of converted vessels. Now one company, Lever Diving, is having a purpose built craft constructed for the 2000 season. Building at Sylte Shipyards on the Fraser River at Maple Ridge, British Columbia, the all steel 116x27-foot boat is designed with a yacht profile and over 4000 feet of interior space. In addition to crew accommodation, the vessel will provide two executive suites, nine private staterooms with head and shower and six dorm bunks with shared head and shower.

Classed for Canadian Coast Guard Home Trade III with berthed passengers, the boat will have both a crane and a built in stern ramp for launching and recovering tenders. It will carry a 38-foot aluminum skiff with twin 200 hp outboards, a 24-foot aluminum skiff and a 17-foot inflatable RIB and six kayaks along with assorted windsurfers and dinghys. The steel hull, with its bullbous bow and seven foot draft, was designed and tested to provide passenger comfort at a 12-knot cruising speed. Main engines are a pair of six-cylinder Cummins NTA855 M rated at 335 H.P (250 Kw) each. The engines were specially derated by Cummins to 335 HP continuous to allow for an unmanned engine room under Transport Canada regulations. The boat's extensive electrical needs will be met by two 70 Kw Onan gen sets powered by six-cylinder Cummins 6BT5.9 G2 diesels.

Tankage is provided for 10,000 U.S. gallons of diesel and 7,000 gallons of potable water. Other features include a water-maker and a 220,000 BTU boiler for ample cabin heat & shower water. Delivery of the new boat, to be named "Nautilus Explorer", is scheduled for the spring of 2000. The Lever Dive company maintains an excellent web page with more details on the boat and diving in British Columbia as well as profile and general arrangement drawings of the "Nautilus Explorer" at: http://www.divebc.com/Lever_Diving.htm

For additional information:

Earling Sylte
Sylte Shipyards Ltd.
76 Wharf St.
Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada
Phone: (604) 465-5525

Mike Lever
Lever Diving
PO Box 2256
V.M.P.O., B.C., V6B 3W2
Phone: (604) 657-7614
E-mail: mike@divebc.com

Ryan Chan
Commercial Marine Sales
Cummins British Columbia
18452 - 96th Avenue
Surrey, B.C. V4N 3P8
Phone: 604-882-5000 Fax: 604-985-3936

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