Ross Labs Delivers a 35-ft. Survey Boat

In mid-May Ross Laboratories, Inc., Seattle, Wash., delivered the first of two survey boats to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Rock Island District. The Ross "Mini-Sweep" is a small boat multi-channel survey system, designed for inland rivers and shallow water surveying. The "Mini-Sweep" is ideally suited for installation on small trailerable vessels. The "turn-key" system for Rock Island District included a custom designed 35 ft. Twin-hull work boat from SeaArk Marine, Inc. of Monticello, Arkansas. Two 20-ft. booms mounted on either side of the vessel provide a 50-ft. overall sweep width. The booms are stored in recessed areas in the hull, leaving the deck clear at all times. The booms are deployed by a hydraulic system using controls at the helm station. Electronics are stowed in a desktop cabinet, containing the depth sounding system, data collection computer, and DGPS sub-meter system. Coastal Oceanographics "Hypack Max" software will be used for data processing. The second boat, currently under construction at SeaArk Marine, is a 34-ft. Cathedral hull workboat, which will be outfitted with 20 ft. hydraulically, operated booms and a complete "Mini-Sweep" system for delivery this fall. The Rock Island District is responsible for surveying on 314 miles of the Upper Mississippi River from Guttenberg, Iowa to Saverton, Missouri, and 268 miles of the Illinois Waterway from Lake Street in downtown Chicago to the LaGrange Lock and Dam, southwest of Beardstown, Illinois. This new trailerable system will help District crews respond to critical surveys much faster and with only a two person crew.