welcome aboard the research vessel Savannah the RV Savannah is an oceanographic research vessel operated by the University of Georgia skidaway Institute of Oceanography the Savannah is ideal for Biological chemical physical and geological studies in estrine and continental shelf waters throughout the southeastern United States she is a member of the university national oceanographic laboratory system or unis fleet and is available for use by scientists needing a capable ocean-going research platform the Savannah can operate anywhere from inshore to beyond the Gulf Stream in a range from Cape Hatteras to the northern Gulf of Mexico the RV Savannah is 92 feet long with a beam of 27 feet and displaces approximately 300 tons her twin Caterpillar diesel engines power her at a cruising speed of just over 8 knots she carries a crew of five and can accommodate a science party as large as 16 for round-the-clock operations her cruise endurance is 2,400 miles and up to 10 days the Savannah's work decks provide large open areas for deck operations or carrying buoys or other instruments for deployment the fantail work area comprises 606 square feet the bridge is equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art navigation and communications equipment this includes a sailor 500 fleet broadband system which provides voice data and email services cellular phone VHF radio and VHF radio telephone the suite of electronic navigation equipment on the RV Savannah is comprised of a number of integrated and redundant systems of course food is an important part of any cruise and the RV Savannah is equipped with a full service galley and mess a cook is on board for hot meal preparation on all Savannah cruises the RV Savannah can accommodate up to 16 science personnel for cruises ranging from overnight to several weeks there are five separate cabins including a double berth on the bridge level for the chief scientist along with two triples and two for bunk cabins on the lower deck cabins are equipped with individual heating and air-conditioning units reading lights and privacy curtains for each bunk the vessel is equipped with four heads for science party use including three with showers sensor delivery in late 2001 the Savannah has provided a versatile and capable platform for educational activities focused on a stream or ocean environments the vessel has accommodated entire class groups for unique at sea experiences ranging from overnight trips to cruises up to a full week even larger groups can be accommodated for day cruises the 308 square foot dry lab is on the port side of the main deck the space is climate controlled with lab shelving and benches 120 volt uninterrupted power supply receptacles a fume hood and a freshwater sink the ship's scientific computer system is also located in this space with monitors providing displays of meteorological navigation surface mapping a DCP and CTD cast data next door is the 158 square-foot wet lab containing shelving and bench space a refrigerator and freezer for sample storage and then contaminated sea water supply a freshwater sink and 120 volt UPS receptacles the shipboard data acquisition system collects and displays atmospheric sea surface and navigational data using the NOAA developed shipboard computer system hummus Savannah's main decks - frames provide the means to a wide variety of nets boys and Instrumentation the a-frame is used for trawls and other toes off the stern as well as deploying instruments in collecting cores and other geological samples the jframe mounted on the starboard side is typically used for CTD casts and net tows the RV Savannah is also equipped with a Palfinger marine crane primarily used to load and unload the vessel at the dock repositioned deck gear and launch the rigid hull inflatable work boat the conductivity temperature and depth profiler or CTD is available for vertical water column profiles and to collect water samples at discreet depths up to 600 meters the standard carousel sensor configuration includes pressure temperature conductivity chlorophyll flora millar color dissolved organic matter fluorometer photosynthetic active radiation backscatter and dissolved oxygen a variety of sediment sampling equipment is available from a single Spade tube core up to an usne L boxscore for larger samples the vessel is equipped with a number of nets for Biological trawls the RV Samana carries a 13 foot rigid hull inflatable boat this boat serves as a tender for the savanna and is equipped with a four-stroke 40 horsepower Honda outboard it has a capacity of twelve hundred pounds or six people and is used during dive operations and other science missions as needed the Savannah also provides an Operations platform for the deployment and retrieval of data and meteorological boys which provide real-time data to scientists meteorologists and the general public the vessel is also maintained a set of boys off to Georgia and Florida coast which track endangered north and right whales in real-time as they move in and out of their southern calving grounds for additional information or to book a cruise on the research vessel Savannah contact marine Superintendent Michael Richter and area code 9 1 2 5 9 8 2 4 5 6 or michael dot richter @sk IO dot UGA edu