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Zyvex
Technologies announced that its 54′ boat named Piranha completed sea
trials early this morning near Puget Sound in the Pacific Ocean,
demonstrating record fuel efficiency. After six months of extensive
testing, the Piranha completed its final sea trial – an approximate 600
nautical mile (nm) rough-weather sea test off the shores of Washington
and Oregon. Piranha finished the tests in time to travel for its debut
at the Sea Air Space show near Washington, DC, on April 11.
A
conventional aluminum or fiberglass boat would have consumed 50 gallons
or more per hour at cruise speed, while test results prove that Piranha
consumed only 12 gallons of fuel per hour while cruising at 25 knots.
The Piranha demonstrates Zyvex Technologies’ ability to produce products
with nano-enhanced materials that are 40% stronger than metals, such as
aluminum, and result in significant weight reduction and increased fuel
efficiency.
Made
with 21st century advanced carbon fiber infused with carbon nanotubes
(CNTs), the Piranha is the first boat built with CNTs. Weighing only
8,400 pounds, compared to boats of similar size that typically weigh
40,000 pounds, the Piranha is 75% lighter, making it easier to transport
and cost-effective to operate.
“Our
chemists molecularly engineer better materials and our designers and
engineers make the world’s strongest materials more useful,” says Lance
Criscuolo, president of Zyvex Technologies.
“Metal boats have come a long way over the past 150 years, but it’s
only possible to reach new standards of performance using
next-generation advanced composite materials.”
Piranha
can travel 2,800 nm without refueling and has operated in open-ocean
conditions with waves exceeding 12 feet. Russell Belden, vice president
of Zyvex Technologies,
notes that other similar sized vessels built from heavier materials can
only travel 450 nm without refueling and have limited rough-weather
performance.
“The
lightweight Piranha delivers significantly better fuel efficiency and
capability than any vessel this size. The most expensive part of
operating a boat can be the fuel costs. Since the Piranha gets 2.5 miles
per gallon going 25 knots, its operators would only spend one fourth as
much on operating costs,” said Belden.
The
Piranha will begin demonstrations on the East Coast with an appearance
at the Sea Air Space exposition. With initial sea trials complete,
defense contractors are evaluating the Piranha for use as an unmanned
platform with a variety of mission applications, including anti-piracy,
harbor patrol, and oceanographic surveying. While in Norfolk, VA, Zyvex Technologies will also continue further integration of unmanned systems on the Piranha.
“Zyvex Technologies
is redefining standards for building and designing stronger and lighter
products for civilian and defense uses. Our technology, demonstrated by
the Piranha, is a great option for better maritime vessels, manned and
unmanned. There’s nothing else on the water that has this combination of
speed, efficiency, payload, and range. More and more structures will be
built with our nano-enhanced advanced composites, taking industries
such as marine, defense, and infrastructure to entirely new levels,”
says Criscuolo.
