Design and Construction of Three Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRVs) --Enabling Effective and Efficient Coastal Ocean Science

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ABSTRACT 24 January 2013Proposal Number: 1262188Institution: Oregon State UniversityPI: C. ReimersCo-PI: D. BaileyThis proposal requests funding to support advancement of NSF?s Regional Class Research Vessel (RCRV) to the Conceptual Design Phase with Oregon State University as the Lead Institution for up to a three-ship construction effort. Broader Impacts: The science tool kit has evolved dramatically since the last Regional Class ships were delivered in the early 1980's. The interdisciplinary oceanography community now routinely employs a wide range of sophisticated instrumentation (acoustics, optical sensors, video, high speed data links, specialized nets and corers) deployed in a variety of ways (ship-mounted, lowering on ropes and cables, Remotely Operated Vehicle and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) and geared toward multiple scales of interest. The new class of Regional vessels will include state-of-the-art design features and equipment for enhanced investigation of the present and emerging coastal science themes. These capabilities are simply not available on the older Regional vessels due to their age and physical configuration. Along with the R/V Sikuliaq, the RCRV project represents NSF's inter-agency commitment to Academic Fleet modernization.