Read about the R/V Pacific Storm in Progress magazine.

Journey of the Pacific Storm

The R/V Pacific Storm is an 84-foot OA steel-hulled research vessel with a 24-foot beam that is outfitted for year-round coastal service. The vessel can accommodate up to 7 people (beyond the crew) in 3 cabins for overnight and extended science missions up to 30 days duration. The vessel is operated by a licensed captain, licensed chief mate, and chief engineer.
The Pacific Storm was a commercial trawler gifted to the Marine Mammal Institute in 2004. It has been extensively refitted for research by private donations. Nearly all vessel upgrades and maintenance were undertaken in Newport, Oregon, by Curry Marine, Yaquina Boat Equipment, and 40 other local businesses.
The R/V Pacific Storm has excellent low-speed handling and positioning. A new 5-ton articulating A-frame on the stern can launch and recover small boats, moorings, and sampling equipment. Features include a dry-lab, knuckle boom with a 5-ton lifting capacity, and 32’ reach mounted slightly starboard of mid-ship that can service the entire back deck for loading/unloading supplies, boats, equipment, and other provisions.
The aft deck area measures 27’ long by 23’ wide and can carry an inboard 22’ Zodiac Hurricane RHIB. Additional boats or other equipment can be located behind the wheelhouse on top of the lab area. A series of 1500-watt lights illuminating both the deck and the waters in front of the vessel provide the capacity for around-the-clock work.

The R/V Pacific Storm is available for charter.

Contact Christine Golden at (541) 867-0200 to inquire about availability.
Cruise Planning:

R/V Pacific Storm Operations & Safety Manual

R/V Pacific Storm Cruise Plan Template

UNOLS RVOC Safety Training Manual

Post-Cruise Assessment Report

UNOLS Shipboard Civility Video

Vessel Specifications

  • Length: 84 foot
  • Beam: 24 foot
  • Average draft: 10 foot
  • Endurance: 30 days
  • Gross regulatory tonnage: 153 GRT
  • Minimum speed: 1.5 knots
  • Maximum speed: 9.5 kts ~15 gallons/hr fuel consumption
  • Cruising speed: 8.5 kts
  • Fuel capacity: 15,500 gallons
  • Lube oil capacity: 100 gallons
  • Hydraulic oil capacity: 400 gallons
  • Water Maker 2800-gal tank, reverse osmosis 900 gallons of fresh water daily
  • Galley: stove, oven, freezer, washer/dryer, eating area
  • Berths: 12 (7 for science party)
    • Wheelhouse captain’s bed
    • V-berth sleeps 4 crew forward of the galley with adjacent head and shower
    • Below the back deck area there are 2 rooms with 2 bunks each and 1 room with a set of bunks and a single bed, with 2 heads and 1 shower for the science party
  • Interior room air conditioning
  • Washer and dryer
  • Air compressor with attachments throughout the vessel
  • Fuel transfer pump for bringing diesel to the aft deck for refueling small vessels
  • Main engine Caterpillar 3412 (factory rebuilt 2007) 520 hp
  • Hydraulic engine Cummins 300 hp in-line 6 cylinder
    • 2, 60-gallon pumps
    • 1, 45-gallon pump
    • 1, 35-gallon pump
  • Generators
    • John Deer 70-kw generator: 110/220VAC 3 phase
    • Isuzu 30-kw generator: 110/220VAC 3 phase
  • Electrical Power
    • AC: 110/220VAC single-phase and 220VAC 3 phase
    • DC: 12/24/32VDC
    • Lights run on 110V so there is always AC power available
    • Circuits in dry lab
    • Van/deck connections
  • Simrad EK60 scientific echo sounder system
  • Starlink internet system
  • Iridium satellite phone
  • 6” x 20’ stainless steel pivoting transducer pole with standard 8-bolt 6” flange
  • Dry lab with computer monitors and printer
  • Three dedicated work stations that can accommodate seven scientists
  • Prime RHIB is 6.4m Volvo diesel I/O; spare RHIB is available. Both boats can be carried on board.
  • Decks for visual surveys at 5.5 m and 10 m above the sea surface
  • Flow-through water sampling system
  • Kongberg AIS 200
  • Furuno 1935 AIS Radar 48-mile range, Furuno 1832 Radar 36-mile range
  • Comnav 2000 autopilot with 2 Furuno GP 37 GPSs
  • Furuno SC502 satellite compass
  • Furuno FCV-292 600 watt dual-frequency (50/200) echo sounder
  • Dell computer with Nobeltec NavTrack plotting software
  • Garmin chart plotter
  • VHF radios
  • Panasonic watch alarm
  • Web cam on back deck fed to wheelhouse
  • 5-ton knuckle crane (with 32’ reach 2,260#)
  • 5-ton stern hydraulic A-frame with Gearmatic slow-speed winch
  • H-18 Pullmaster winch 18,000-pound pull high-speed reverse on top of lab
  • PL4 Pullmaster winch 4,000 pound pull on top of lab
  • Stabilizer poles are winch-deployed
  • Bering Sea surveys
  • Blue, Fin, Humpback, Gray and Sperm whale tagging off the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica
  • High-resolution tectonics and seafloor mapping of California, Oregon, and Washington coasts
  • Core drilling operation off the Columbia River requiring three-point anchoring
  • R.O.V. operations off California, Oregon, and Washington coasts
  • A.U.V. operations off California, Oregon, and Washington coasts
  • Buoy recovery and anchoring
  • Autonomous glider deployment and retrieval
  • Deployment and monitoring of experimental bottom-mounted and mid-water devices