VESSEL REVIEW | Fathom – Canadian resort’s new taxi/tourist boat

Fathom, a 10.7-metre asymmetric catamaran, has recently arrived at Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort on Canada's west coast.

The resort is located up an arm of the Nimmo Inlet and, with no road access, is serviced entirely by the water. Armstrong Marine of Washington State in the USA partnered with Jutson Marine of Canada to design and build a vessel that could suitably expand the resort's fleet.

The result is an all aluminium catamaran with a hydraulic landing craft bow door and large main cabin for eight passengers. The vessel has been built to Transport Canada standards and is suitable for beach landings for loading and offloading both passengers and supplies.

The passengers are accommodated in shock-mitigating seats and can access both the bow and stern areas thanks to forward and aft doors in the cabin. The cabin also houses a shower and head for the passengers to use when out on longer duration wildlife viewing voyages.

The aft deck of the vessel hosts a fish cleaning station that also has room for bait storage and is another well implemented customer request for this versatile craft.

Propulsion is thanks to a pair of 260kW Yamaha outboard motors that have been fitted with stainless steel propellers. A top speed of 43 knots is achievable although she will normally cruise comfortably at 35 knots.

The helm station is equipped with various pieces of electronics to make the job of the skipper easier and includes a GMR radar with 36nm ranger and a large screen Garmin plotter. Also equipped is a remotely operated searchlight and a remote control for the windlass.

"The catamaran landing craft is just what we needed for the comfort of our guests as they experience the many wilderness activities in and around the Broughton Archipelago," Craig Murray, Resort Founder, remarked.