Sydney JetCats

The Sydney JetCats were a class of catamarans operated by the State Transit Authority and Sydney Ferries on the Manly service.

Sydney JetCats

View of the ferry Sea Eagle in Sydney Ferries Corporation livery
Class overview
Builders	NQEA
Operators	State Transit Authority Sydney Ferries
Completed	3
Laid up	1(?)
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Catamaran
Length	34.8 metres
Beam	10 metres
Propulsion	2 x MWM TBD260 V16s
Speed	30 knots
Capacity	268 passengers

History

Three JetCats were delivered in 1990/91 to replace the remaining four Sydney hydrofoils on the Manly service. The 268-seat vessels were built by NQEA, Cairns to an Incat Crowther design.^[1][2]

In December 2008, the State Government announced the JetCat service would cease and called for tenders to operate the service on a commercial basis.^[3] The last JetCat service operated on 31 December 2008.^[4] JetCat patronage had dropped from 1,453,000 passengers per annum in 1995/96 to 393,506 between July and December 2008, while ferry patronage on the route rose from 3.7 million to 6.0 million (full 08/09 year) in the same period.^[5] However this referenced source clearly reveals the change in Jetcat patronage can be explained by the reduction in the number of timetabled Jetcat services being operated from typically 256 return trips per week in 1995/96, down to 116 per week in 2008 (both including ferry replacement trips). The JetCats were sold to a broker, who resold them for three times the price.^[6]

Manly Fast Ferry commenced operating the service on 10 February 2009.^[7]

Vessels

Name	Date in service	Fate
Blue Fin	16 July 1990	sold to SuperCat Fast Ferry Corporation as SuperCat 36, renamed St Benedict.[8][9] Current status unknown
Sir David Martin	21 December 1990	sold to SuperCat Fast Ferry Corporation as SuperCat 38, renamed St Dominic.[8] Sank during hurricane in 2020[citation needed]
Sea Eagle	19 March 1991	sold to Korea[which?] as Arcadia, resold to Kazakhstan as CM Jet 5[8] then as Sprinter, destroyed by fire 24 November 2019[citation needed]

Ex-Manly JetCat "Sea Eagle" was destroyed by fire in 2019 at her berth, along with another vessel "Forward" - both vessels were "utility boats" serving offshore platforms. Arson is suspected.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Do you remember the Hydrofoils Part 2 Afloat Magazine July 2007
2. Manly Fact Sheet Special Commission of Inquiry into Sydney Ferries
3. Calls for Expressions of Interest for Manly Fast Ferry Minister for Transport 9 December 2008
4. High and dry as JetCat sails into history Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 31 December 2008
5. Jetcat Patronage 1995 - 2008 Archived 18 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine MANLYmania Jetcat Page 2008
6. Retired JetCats cause more embarrassment Archived 11 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine The World Today (Radio National) 10 December 2009
7. Jet Cat Withdrawal and Manly Fast Ferry Commencement NSW Ministry of Transport
8. Manly Jet Cat Sea Eagle living in Kazakhstan Archived 16 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Yacht & Boat 29 June 2011
9. Blue Fin / SuperCat 36 Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Ferries of Sydney