Wavelength 4, the new boat for Wavelength Reef Charters arrived at the Reef Marina at midnight last night, 26th June, 2015.  

This is the first new Australian built reef boat in Port  Douglas since 2008.  According to co-owner Jenny Edmondson, “Wavelength 4 is the most environmentally clean power tour boat on the reef so far. She’s a product of the very latest technology and the best designers and boat building”.  Wavelength 4 cost $2.2 million and is a 19.6 metre catamaran 

John Edmondson, the owner of Wavelength Reef Cruises said “The boat is a change for Wavelength as she’s a catamaran. We still wanted to keep with a small group size and initially it was hard to get a boat as good for small groups as our existing one.

We spoke to Incat Crowther, who are the world leaders in high speed catamarans, and their latest hull design provides very good ride comfort comparable to a larger catamaran of the previous generation. They’d just finished the new marine park’s boat “Reef Ranger” and we were also able to use environmental features from that boat.” 

The order for the boat was placed last year with Aluminium Marine in Brisbane. The company builds fast commercial catamarans up to 35 metres and is well known for their excellent engineering and quality of fabrication.

Wavelength 4 has been delivered on time with very good performance on sea trials, where she reached a full load top speed of 29 knots in Moreton Bay and cruised comfortably with very low fuel consumption at 24 knots with her two 650hp Yanmar engines.

John also said “We’re proud that the boat is designed in Sydney and built in Queensland, especially as she's such high quality. We were able to eco-source the materials, for example the timberwork was done by Peter Gonsalves in Port Douglas with reclaimed Maple, there is special seating fabric from the UK, and the flooring and carpet from New Zealand all have high recycled content. We’ve been able to track the eco-credentials of potential suppliers and use those with certified environmental performance. The boat is even mostly welded with electricity from the yard's large solar array.”

“Aluminium boat building has been a real manufacturing strength for Australia in the past but only a couple of builders of this sort of boat are left due to the high Australian dollar and competition from overseas. This boat shows that when quality and environment are included in the bottom line Australia still provides the best product at good value.”

The new tour boat should be one of the most eco-friendly on the reef and employs environmental features like solar power to avoid the need to run a generator when moored, has no antifouling, and uses the cleanest and most fuel efficient engines. 
The boat will soon after start taking snorkellers out to Wavelength’s moorings at Opal Reef.

If you are a lover of luxury sea vessels, the list of amenities and environmental features will leave you speechless.

Not only will the comfortable features impress any seafarer,  there are “large panoramic windows in the saloon for great views, including forwards to help avoid seasickness” for those without sea legs.

And for those who are environmentally conscious the “minimum carbon footprint of construction was achieved by local build, recyclable materials, and welding with the help of solar electricity…”

And the list of the Environmental features goes on http://www.wavelength.com.au/about-wavelength/our-boats/