OIMB has a small fleet of boats available to visiting investigators, students and groups. These include flat bottom aluminum boats for use in the estuaries, an inflatable zodiac that can be used nearshore in the open sea, a 42-foot inboard trawler that can be used up to 20 miles offshore, a 20-foot covered aluminum boat for use in Coos Bay, and a large Kayak for estuarine work.
Boats may only be used for research purposes.
R/V Megalopa
R/V Megalopa is a new 48-foot vessel designed and built by Tarheel Aluminum for the specific needs of OIMB. It has twin John Deere marine engines for a total of 660 horsepower with bow thruster to add to its maneuverability and station-keeping to conduct varies operations at sea. With 5,000 feet of cable on the main winch, it can conduct research in extreme depths. It has various designs to simplify and add safety to operations with a hydraulic A-frame gantry that can deploy equipment from the deck to clear of the stern. An articulable boom with winch for loading/unloading equipment.
The R/V Megalopa can take up to 36 passengers well beyond 50 miles offshore. It has a walk-in private head/shower, two beds, a large v-berth style seating with a 40” TV for viewing ROV video and other data. The pilot house is well equipped with the most up to date navigation systems, large working stations, and a wraparound dinette.
R/V Pluteus
R/V Pluteus is a 42-foot aluminum-hull trawler with twin inboard motors that was built specifically for use as a marine laboratory teaching vessel. It is equipped with GPS, radar, VHF radio, inflatable life raft, fixed a-frame and a hydraulic winch that currently carries approximately 100m of cable. The ship works well for classes or groups of up to 12 and can be used for trawling, dredging, bottom grabs, plankton sampling, whale watching, CTD casts and other kinds of shallow oceanographic sampling. It is also an excellent dive platform. Interior space includes a small galley, a head and two berths below, and a wheelhouse with approximately 6 linear meters of laboratory bench space on the main deck.
R/V Pugettia
R/V Pugettia is a 20-foot aluminum (Woolridge) boat with a 130-horsepower outboard motor that carries small groups efficiently throughout the Coos Bay system. It can also be used outside the bay on calm days.