NOAAS Fairweather (S 220)
| 300px NOAA Ship Fairweather (S 220) | |
| Career (United States) |   60px |
|---|---|
| Name: | Fairweather |
| Namesake: | Mount Fairweather in Alaska |
| Builder: | Aerojet-General Shipyards, Jacksonville, Florida |
| Launched: | March 1967 |
| Acquired: | January 1968 |
| Commissioned: | October 1968 (USCGS) |
| Out of service: | 1989 - 2004 |
| Reinstated: | August 2004 (NOAA) |
| Homeport: | Ketchikan, AK |
| Identification: | Call letters WTEB |
| Notes: |
Served in U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey 1968-1970 Served in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1970-1989 and since 2004 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 1,591 tons |
| Displacement: | 1,800 tons |
| Length: | 231 ft (70.4 m) |
| Beam: | 42 ft (12.8 m) |
| Draft: | 15.5 ft (4.7 m) |
| Ice class: | A1 ice strengthened |
| Propulsion: |
2 Detroit Diesel engines, Bridge Wing Controls (Engines, and Thruster) Port and Stbd |
| Speed: | 13.5 knots |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles |
| Endurance: | 22 days |
| Boats and landing craft carried: | Two 29ft Jensen survey launches, One 17ft MonArk Skiff, One 23ft Zodiac FRB, One 23ft AMBAR Jet Boat |
| Complement: |
Commissioned Officers: 8 Licensed Engineers: 4 Crew: 23 Scientists: 23 (Max) |
The NOAA Ship Fairweather (S 220) is a research ship operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Fairweather primarily conducts hydrographic surveys in Alaskan waters, but is considered a multi-mission capable vessel. Fairweather has conducted fisheries research cruises, as well as Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoy operations. She is the sister ship of the NOAA Ship Rainier and the retired NOAA Ship Mount Mitchell.
Overview
Fairweather is named for Mount Fairweather in Alaska. She was commissioned into the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1968; when NOAA was established in 1970 and took over the Coast and Geodetic Survey's assets, she became part of the NOAA fleet. Deactivated in 1989, the ship remained alongside NOAA's Pacific Marine Center in Seattle, Washington, for thirteen years. After being refitted at the Cascade General Shipyard in Portland, Oregon, the ship was reactivated in 2004 to aid with the backlog of critical survey area in Alaskan waters. Her current homeport is Ketchikan, Alaska.
Crew
Fairweather, like all NOAA ships, is operated by commissioned officers of the NOAA Corps and civilian wage mariners. Fairweather has a complement of around 35 people, with additional berthing capability for visitors and scientists. The ship generally spends over 200 days per year at sea.
Equipment and Mission
Fairweather is equipped with two RESON model multibeam transducers (8111ER and 8160). Her survey launches are equipped with RESON 8101 multibeam transducers. Using this technology, the crew of Fairweather fully maps the ocean floor. This data is used to update NOAA's US Nautical charts, in tsunami displacement modeling, as well as to map fish habitats.
External links
- "NOAA Ship FAIRWEATHER". May 5, 2004. http://www.moc.noaa.gov/fa/index.html. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
- "About NOAA Ship FAIRWEATHER". May 5, 2006. http://www.moc.noaa.gov/fa/website/index.htm. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
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