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The King County Ferry District is leasing the MV Melissa Ann from Four Seasons Marine Services for the Vashon Island/Downtown Seattle route. The Melissa Ann is a 77-foot catamaran that has capacity for 150 passengers with a crew of three. The vessel can carry 18 bicycles. With a cruising speed of 28 knots, the Melissa Ann crosses between Vashon and downtown Seattle in about 22 mintues. The vessel's interior features a combination of theater-style seating, bench seats with tables, and facing seats. Some outdoor seating is available on the upper deck. The Melissa Ann has an air conditioning/heating system and restrooms. The Melissa Ann has two 1,400 HP propulsion engines that meet Tier 1 pollution standards. The vessel also is equipped with two radar systems, a GPS plotter, a depth sounder, and an automated information system transponder. At cruising speed, the Melissa Ann consumes a maximum of 120 gallons of fuel per hour. She is inspected annually by the U.S. Coast Guard. Specificiations for the Melissa Ann: - Length - 77 ft.
- Beam - 29 ft.
- Draft (deepest) - 5 ft.
- Weight - 47 tons
Capacity: - Diesel oil - 1,100 gals.
- Potable water - 250 gals.
- Holding tank (sewage) - 200 gals.
- Holding tank (bilge water) - 50 gals.
Environmental features: - Compared to the vessel that has been in use on this route (the Skagit), the propulsion system will have less impact on bottom sediment and will create a smaller wake.
- The exhaust is routed through mufflers and discharged between the hulls to minimize noise.
The Melissa Ann will be backed up by the MV Spirit, a similar sized vessel. The Melissa Ann was built for the U.S. Army in 1988 at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders on Whidbey Island. She is named after the daughter of one of the owners. She was used to ferry workers to and from the ballistic missile tracking station on the Kwaijalein atoll (in the Pacific). The Melissa Ann also served for one year as the Bremerton-Seattle foot ferry and for two years in Hawaii as a commuter ferry. To top
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