More than 200 boats later, the company has developed a range of craft for a variety of roles spanning a spectrum which includes commercial and sports fishing boats, marine research and hydrographic survey vessels, inter-island taxis and supply boats, and specially adapted craft enabling disabled people to participate in water-born activities. Indeed, it is the willingness of Cheetah Marine to tailor their basic hulls to a customer’s bespoke requirements, often involving ingenious design solutions, which contributes to the builder’s popularity and success.

The most recent example of Cheetah’s versatility is ‘Surveyor 1’, a 7.9m survey catamaran which will be delivered to the Saudi Port Authority (SPA) this month. Cheetah has built many hydro survey boats in the past but never before has it produced a craft with a moonpool fitted between the two hulls in the aft deck. The original design of the hydrodynamic pod was produced by Cheetah in 2005 for the Environment Agency’s 7.9m Cheetah Sentry III, to be retro-fitted after sea trials and testing. Coincidentally, Cheetah has now built two moonpool versions at the same time, the other being ‘Macoma’, a research craft for the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University in Wales, also on a 7.9m hull.

The order for the SPA followed on from the port authority’s observation of another Cheetah catamaran, a 6.9m version, operating in the region. By the time the SPA was ready to order through Saudi agent Almisehal, Cheetah had added the 7.9m catamaran to its range and the larger craft was to prove better suited to accommodating the impressive collection of hydrographic survey equipment fitted on board ‘Surveyor 1’. Almisehal is also the Saudi agent for Reson equipment and Surveyor 1 must be one of only a small number of trailerable boats thus far to receive Reson’s Seabat 8125 multibeam echosounder.

The multibeam transducer and motion sensor are fitted to a hydrodynamic Kevlar reinforced pod which is deployed through the moonpool and bolted into place. Dowel pins are used to fix the multibeam into exactly the same position every time it is used. The motion sensor, which sits atop the hydrodynamic pod, has been calibrated to within .01(DEGREE) of the titanium sonar head.

In developing the system, Cheetah fabricated and tested three hydrodynamic pods of varying design. All worked successfully but one in particular worked perfectly and delivered the best results. Surveyor Danny Wake of Reson said following trials, ‘After collecting data the system was fully stripped down and then reassembled. The system was then tested again and the data collected was identical, showing the de-mountable system to be very accurate.’

Surveyor 1 will speed to survey sites at up to 25 knots, with the hydrodynamic pod suspended from a stainless steel superstructure, built in-house by Cheetah, which works in conjunction with a Lewmar variable speed electric winch mounted aft on the wheelhouse.

When running at speed, the underside of a deck mounted blanking plate continues the ‘wavebreaker’, which stiffens and strengthens the central panel between the Cheetah’s hulls. On site, the survey equipment is mounted onto the pod, which is lowered into the moonpool replacing the blanking plate. Other marine survey and research equipment can be lowered into the water column through the standard size moonpool, such as and the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to be used with the Bangor University boat. Surveyor 1’s Sea Otter ROV will be deployed using the swinging davit and Lewmar winch.

Trials conducted off Cowes showed the optimal speed for completing transit lines to be 6 to 8 knots although higher speeds are possible with the multibeam in position. The shallow water sonar system delivers full coverage at depths to 60m but nearer to shore will happily gather and process survey data so long as there is sufficient draft beneath the hulls.

In addition to the Reson supplied Seabat 8125 and VRU-05 motion sensor, Surveyor 1’s £230,000 package of hydro survey equipment includes a Reson supplied Navisound single beam echosounder and SVP14 sound velocity probe, a Trimble MS860 – Trimtalk 450s RTK positioning system and the JW Fishers supplied Sea Otter ROV.

Surveyor 1 complies with the MCA Code of Practice category 4, to take four persons up to 20 miles from safe haven. In accordance, there is a full package of safety equipment on board, including life raft, life jackets, handheld VHF radio, ropes, thermal protective aids, anchors and harnesses.

Electronics supplied by SMG include a radar reflector, the ICOM M31 waterproof handheld VHF and an ICOM M421 fixed DSC VHF plus a Garmin GPS MAP 192C WAS enabled colour chart plotter and colour echo sounder.

The vessel is powered by twin 90hp Honda extra long shaft four stroke outboards, with HyDrive twin engine hydraulic steering supplied by Southern Cross Marine. There are two Cheetah manufactured inbuilt fuel tanks in a system which includes Honda water separators/fuel filters, gauges, senders, tank tops, shut off valves, fillers, fuel lines and vents. A 4kva Paguro 4000 generator powered by a four stroke diesel engine is installed with all necessary wiring and fuel tank in the transom area. The generator is wired up to provide 240 volts, protected by RCD and MCB via change over switch (also used for shore supply). A Victron Energy plus charger/inverter system monitors all three batteries on board. A Mermaid Marine air conditioning system completes the package supplied by Advanced Yacht Systems.

Cheetah’s own metal workshop has fabricated perhaps the most impressively comprehensive fit out of marine grade 316 stainless steel work yet seen on a Cheetah catamaran. It includes rails all round to comply with the MCA Code, an aft boarding ladder, folding roof mast gantry for lights, aerials, radar and reflector, the aft assembly for deployment of survey equipment and stanchions for an aft deck awning.

Cheetah Marine’s growth has provided employment for many skilled people at two current locations in Ventnor, on the south coast of the Isle of Wight. The company has six boats in production at almost all times.

After four years of negotiation with the Isle of Wight council planners, Cheetah hope to build a 45m by 15m workshop at Ventnor Haven. Ventnor Haven is a recently completed £2.2m development which expands facilities to welcome coastal pleasure craft calling at Ventnor and improve the efficiency of the local shellfish industry.

The new facilities will allow Cheetah to separate GRP activities from other functions. Fibreglass work will remain at the current Ventnor Industrial Estate site whilst fitting out activities, including the ability to lift boats into and out of the water, will take place at Ventnor Haven. Cheetah hopes to occupy the new facility this winter and be fully operational by the summer of 2008.

One of the local councillors who supported Cheetah’s application has high expectations for the improved infrastructure, which should enable Cheetah to boost its throughput. Arguing in Cheetah’s favour, Cllr Jonathan Fitzgerald-Bond said, ‘These people are internationally recognised and are a big employer in Ventnor.’