HSC FastCat Ryde

HSC FastCat Ryde is a high speed catamaran ferry which operates between the Isle of Wight and mainland England. The vessel was originally built in Singapore for service in the Philippines as Water Jet 1. She was bought by Wightlink in 2000 and following an extensive refit entered service on the Ryde Pier to Portsmouth route since August 2000 along with her sister ship HSC FastCat Shanklin.[2]

History
United Kingdom
Name:
  • Water Jet 1
  • Supercat 17
  • Fastcat Ryde
  • Fastcat-Ryde
  • Rapparee
  • Sochi-1
Owner: 2011 onwards: Rosmorport
Operator:
Port of registry: 2011 onwards: Novorossiysk,  Russia
Route: Ryde to Portsmouth: 2000-2010
Builder: Kværner Fjellstrand, Singapore
Yard number: 018
Laid down: 15 June 1994
Launched: 3 April 1995
Maiden voyage: 1996
In service: 1996
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Tonnage: 482 gt
Length: 40 m
Beam: 10.10 m
Draught: 1.70m
Decks: 2
Propulsion: 2x 16-cyl MTU 16V396 diesel engines driving waterjets
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Capacity: 361 passengers
Crew: 4-5
Notes: [1]

From early Autumn 2009, Wightlink took delivery of two new vessels to operate the route, Wight Ryder I and Wight Ryder II.[3] Both the FastCat Shanklin and FastCat Ryde were retained by Wightlink until Spring 2010 and drafted in as replacements as teething problems occurred with the new vessels. They were then sold on to new owners in Bristol.[4]

On 12 January 2010, the FastCat Ryde crashed into Ryde Pier by landing heavily causing superficial damage to the vessel and a section of the pier. No one was injured in the crash and the vessel was sailed back empty to Portsmouth Harbour for a full investigation to be carried out.[5]

In 2010 she was sold, along with her sister craft, to Severn Link in Ilfracombe to operate a service between there and Swansea. As a result of a local competition she was renamed Rapparee. The projected service failed to materialise and in August she returned to Southampton. In May 2011, having been sold to Alien Shipping, a Russian company, the two craft were transported to the Black Sea on board the Beluga Fantasy.[6]

References
  1. "HSC Our Lady Patricia". Retrieved 3 February 2008.
  2. "Wightlink - FastCat Ryde details". Wightlink. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  3. "Wightlink catamaran launched". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  4. "Ferry problems again hit Wightlink". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  5. "Catamaran crashes into pier". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  6. http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Channel-link-plan-finally-scuppered/story-11714349-detail/story.html

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