CRMC, Reed to christen new R/V

July 12, 2007, WAKEFIELD –The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and U.S. Senator Jack Reed will christen the CRMC’s new research vessel, Jack Reed, on Monday, July 16 at 10 a.m. at Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina in Warwick.

The R/V Jack Reed is a 27-foot all-weather research vessel that will be utilized by CRMC staff to conduct underwater mapping. The R/V Jack Reed is outfitted with a Garmin plotter/sounder, which is used for navigation. This shows the boat’s location, depth, speed and direction of travel and displays the information on an electric chart. The CRMC will also use its Side Scan sonar and multi-beam equipment, which the University of Rhode Island has been utilizing. The sonar produces a high-resolution image of the ocean floor, and the multi-beam creates a 3-D picture of the ocean floor. A sediment penetrating depth profile sensor will also be used to create profiles below the sediment bottom, and an underwater camera will be used for a variety of tasks. It will be equipped with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), which will be housed in an Oceanscience Riverboat which will be towed behind the vessel. The ADCP is a rapid-sampling current profiling system that will be used to collect data on currents and sediment transport.

A Hydrographic Survey System onboard includes computer software, a portable Echosounder, which will record paper and digital records of ocean floor contours, a Trimble GPS (Global Positioning System) and laptop. Some additional specifications to the R/V Jack Reed are its two 150-horsepower Yamaha 4-stroke engines, 300-pound davit with electric winch and aluminum hull.

“The CRMC is thrilled to have a new research vessel to collect data in the field in a variety of areas,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian, who will serve as master of ceremonies for the christening. “With this vessel we will be able to track sediment movement and create profiles of sea beds, useful data for many of our programs and efforts. We are also honored to have the support of Senator Reed, after whom the vessel is named. We think it is a fitting tribute to a man who has always supported coastal management issues and the CRMC.”

The R/V will be christened by Meagan McCusker, a close family friend of Senator Reed. Meagan is a Cranston resident and is currently a sophomore at UNH studying health management and policy. Following the christening ceremony, Perry Raso, owner and operator of the Ocean State Aquaculture Farm, will be offering a complementary raw bar for guests. Funding for the vessel was secured with fees collected from the Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) cells, which the state owns and maintains. The vessel will be kept at Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina in Warwick; the marina location is central and its facilities will allow for the CRMC to get the vessel in and out quickly.

“The CRMC would also like to extend our gratitude to the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association for their support and to Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina for keeping the boat at their marina,” Tikoian said. “We have a great working relationship with the association, and we look forward to continuing that relationship well into the future.”

“I am honored that CRMC chose to name this new research vessel after me,” said Senator Jack Reed. “This boat will help provide researchers with new information about Narragansett Bay and our coastal waters and the health of these important ecosystems. It will further enhance the work of CRMC scientists.”

RI Coastal Resources Management Council