Over the last 10 years, Ocean Ecology has been making a conscious effort to make our research as "green" as possible. Changes in our lifestyle and personal values, increasing impacts of global warming, and rising fuel costs have all added weight to our need to be more sustainable. Finally, with great sadness, we came to realize that our faithful old research vessel, the Moody Blue, was simply not going to be sustainable for us in the long term. While we will miss her powerful 225 hp engine and her gumption to go where no self-respecting ex-halibut fishing boat should go, we will be glad not to spend $1000 filling her diesel tanks, and look forward to the joys of traveling on the wings of the wind. And so our adventures with the Awen begin.
The Awen's specifications are as follow:
- Builder: Siltala Yachts, Finland
- Model: 33 Nauticat Motorsailor
- Length overall: 35 feet (10.69 meters)
- Beam: 10.7 feet (3.25 meters)
- Draft: 5.5 feet (1.68 meters)
- Power: 40 horsepower
- Cruising speed: 6-7 knots
- Hull: Fibreglass
- Engine: Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel
- Masts: Mizzen and main
- Sails: Mizzen, main, genoa, storm jib, spinnaker
