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Utility Navigation

Marine Operations

NOAA operates the nation's largest fleet of oceanographic research and survey ships.

Specifications

Oscar Dyson Specifications (OMAO , pdf, 170.29 KB)

Design Specifications
Designer Halter Marine
Builder VT Halter Marine, Inc., Moss Point, MS
Launched October 17, 2003
Delivered August 1, 2004
Commissioned May 28, 2005
Length 208.6 ft.
Breadth 49.2 ft.
Draft 19.4 Center Board Down: 30.3 
Depth to Main Deck  
Hull Description Welded steel /ice strengthened
Displacement 2479 metric tons
Speed & Endurance
Emergency Speed 14 knots
Cruising Speed 12 knots
Range 12,000 nm
Endurance 40 days
Endurance Constraint Food
Maximum Complement
Commissioned Officers/Mates 5
Engineers, Licensed 4
Engineer, Unlicensed 3
Deck 9
Survey 7
Stewards 2
Electronic Technicians 2
USPHS Medical Officer 0
Total Crew 24
Scientists 15
Berthing
Single Staterooms 3
Double Staterooms 18
Four-person Staterooms  
Total Berths 39
Food Service Seating Capacity
Mess Room 32
Ship's Navigational Equipment
RADARS (X AND S BAND) 2 Sperry Marine / Bridge Master / Bridge 
GPS AND DGPS Two Simrad MX512 Bridge 
GYRO COMPASS Two / Sperry Marine MK 37 VT / Bridge 
DEEPWATER AND SHALLOW NAVIGATIONAL ECHOSOUNDERS Furuno 5200, Bridge 
ECDIS Sperry Marine Vision 2100 
Scientist's Navigational Equipment
GPS and DGPS SCS Feed from Bridge 
Gyro Compass SCS Feed from Bridge 
Deepwater and Shallow Navigational Echosounders  
ECDIS  
Charting Program with Ship’s Position  Globe
Laboratory Spaces and Other Scientific Spaces
TypeLocationFt.2Description
Wet Lab  Main Deck; Starboard (1-58-0)    Continuous Underway Fish Egg Sampler (CUFES), Variable speed conveyor sorting table, Fish/biological waste disposal chute, Saltwater washdown system, Remote PC hookup, Second sorting table, So-Low C85-9 Ultra-Low temperature freezer, 2 freshwater sinks, Scientific Uncontaminated Seawater line, Emergency eyewash station/shower, Scientific walk-in freezer, Labconco lab hood/Hazardous material storage, 2 ship's service pneumatic air fitting 
Dry Lab  Main Deck; Starboard (1-31-1)    Four ship's service pneumatic air fittings, Remote PC hookups, Scientific Uncontaminated Seawater line, External Bathythermograph workstation, Sea-Bird CTD/Seacat workstation, Freshwater sink, Emergency eyewash station 
Climate Controlled Space  In wet lab/scientific ready room    Controllable built-in chiller system, Scientific Uncontaminated Seawater line, Freshwater faucet 
Electronics/Comp uter Lab  Main Deck; port (1-38-2)    Scientific Computer System (SCS) server, OSCAR DYSON network domain controllers, Netscape E-mail console, Canon color copier, Simrad EK-60/ER-60 Fish-finder workstations, 5 PC workstations, Simrad ME-70 Multibeam workstation, RD Instruments Ocean Surveyor Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, Applanix Position and Orientation System for Marine Vessels, Remote PC hookups, Simrad MX-512 GPS receiver 
Bio Lab  Main Deck; Starboard (1-47-0)    “Chem Lab” includes Turner Designs 10- AU Flourometer, Sea-Bird SBE 45 Micro Thermosalinograph, Scientific Uncontaminated Seawater/Pump control, Freshwater sink, Scotsman Ice Maker, Small lab refrigerator, Labconco Lab Hood/Hazmat storage, Emergency eyewash station/shower, 4 ship's service pneumatic air fittings, Remote PC hookups
Hydro Lab  Main Deck, Starboard (1-31-1)    CTD Rosette storage area, Stainless steel workbenches w/6-in. vise, Remote PC hookups 
Scientific Data Collection Systems and Supportable Operations
Acoustic Current Doppler Profilier (ADCP)  Centerboard, acoustics lab; RD Instruments Ocean Surveyor 
Atmospheric CO2 Data Collection pCO2 System 
Conductivity, Temp., Depth (CTD) With Water Samples Hydrographic lab; Niskin bottles, SeaBird, Wetlabs 
Expendable BathyThermographs (XBT) Capable  Dry lab 
Mooring Deployment/Recovery Capable Cranes 
Multibeam Equipped for Biological Surveys Acoustics lab and hull mounted; Simrad ME-70 Downward-Facing Multi-Beam Sonar 
Plankton Gear Deployement Hero deck; A-Frame; bongo net 
Scientific Computer System Equipped Ship-wide 
Trawl Fishing Capable Fantail, Trawl winches, 3rd wire winch 
Trawl Sensor Equipped Simrad FS-70 3rd Wire Netsounder, temp/depth sensors, door spread sensors, Simrad ITI Trawl Eye 
Thermosalinograph SeaBird, wet lab 
Dive Team Equipped CompAir Mako Compressor 
Multibeam Equipped for Hydrographic Surveys Simrad ME-70 Downward-Facing Multi-Beam Sonar 
Conductivity, Temp., Depth (CTD) Without Water Samples Hydrographic lab, SeaBird 
Other  Simrad EK-60 GPT Multi-Purpose Transceivers @ 18,38,70,120, & 200 KHz 
Data Collected by the Ship's Scientific Computer System (SCS) in the Standard Configuration
DescriptionUnitsData Source
DPT - Depth of Water with transducer offset  m  
GLL - Geographic Position (Lat/Lon)  Deg.  Simrad MX512 
HDG - Heading (Deviation and Variation)  Deg.   
HDT - Heading (True)  Deg.  Gyro
HFB - Trawl Headrope to Footrope and Bottom  m Simrad temp/depth sensors 
ITS - Trawl Door Spread  m Simrad door spread sensors 
MTW - Mean Temp. for Water  Deg. C Furuno through hull sensors, Simrad temp sensors
MWP - Mean Wind - Port Sensor (Direction)  KTS  RM Young sensors 
OSD - Own Ship Data (Ship course & speed)    GPS 
RPM - Engine Shaft Revolutions  rpm  Engine shaft sensors 
ROT - Rate of Turn    Rate of turn Gyro 
TDS - Trawl Door Spread Distance m Simrad door spread sensors 
TFI - Trawl Filling Indicator    Simrad trawl eyes 
TPR - Trawl Position Relative Vessel  Deg.  Simrad net sensors and hull mounted transducers 
TPT - Trawl Position True  Deg.  Simrad net sensors and hull mounted transducers 
ZDA - Time and Date (UTC. d. m, yr, TZ)  UTC. D. m. yr, TZ  GPS/Time Server 
Boats
TypeHPLengthMax. PersonsComments
Rescue Boat (SOLAS Approved)  256 22 ft.  6 FRB- VHS radio 
Survey Launch  260 27 ft. 8 Work boat- Furuno Plotter with Radar, GPS, Furuno Plotter with Depth Sounder, VHS radio with position and time feed 

Deck Equipment

Winch – Hydrographic Winch
Quantity 2
Manufacturer Rapp Hydema 
Model HW 500 
Drive 4.7 I/Rev 
Max. Pull  
Max. Depth  
Drum Capacity 1000 mm x 905 mm 
Type of Cable Installed EM 9.5 mm 
Length of Cable on the drum 3600 m
Location 01 Deck, Starboard 
Winch – Trawl Winches (Stern)
QUANTITY 2
MANUFACTURER Rapp Hydema 
MODEL TWS 10040 
DRIVE 36.36 I/Rev 
MAX. PULL  
MAX. DEPTH  
DRUM CAPACITY 1780 mm x 1820 mm 
TYPE OF CABLE INSTALLED 1665 mm 
LENGTH OF DRUM CABLE 4300 m
LOCATION Trawl Winch Room; Starboard/Port 
Winch – Oceanographic Winch
QUANTITY 1
MANUFACTURER Rapp Hydema 
MODEL RWS 2326 S
DRIVE 8.30 I/Rev  
MAX. PULL  
MAX. DEPTH  
DRUM CAPACITY 1750 mm x 1370 mm
TYPE OF CABLE INSTALLED Rope, EM 17 mm, fiber optic 
LENGTH OF DRUM CABLE 5000 m
LOCATION Oceanographic Winch Room 
Winch – Gilson
Quantity 2
Manufacturer Rapp Hydema 
Model GW-4000B 
Drive  
Max. Pull  
Max. Depth  
Drum Capacity 990 mm x 400 mm 
Type of Cable Installed Spectra Rope 796 mm 
Length of Drum Cable  
Location 01 Deck, Aft 
Crane, Telescopic Boom
QUANTITY 2
MANUFACTURER Appleton 
MODEL EB 70-60-25S 
BOOM LENGTH 60 ft.
LIFTING CAPACITY 6250 lbs.
LOCATION Aft (Port/Starboard)
Crane, Fixed Boom
Quantity 2
Manufacturer Appleton 
Model SB10-23 
Boom Length 23 ft.
Lifting Capacity 1000 lbs.
Location Bow
A Frame (Starboard)
QUANTITY 1
TYPE Rapp Hydema 
CLEARANCE OVER THE SIDE  
HORIZONTAL CLEARANCE  
SAFE WORKING LOAD 8050 lbs.
LOCATION 01 Deck Starboard 
A Frame (Aft)
Quantity 1
Type Rapp Hydema 
Clearance over the side  
Horizontal Clearance  
Safe Working Load  
Location Aft/Fantail 
Anchor - Bow
QUANTITY 2
TYPE Stockless
WEIGHT 5000 lbs.
PORT ANCHOR CHAIN LENGTH 150 fathoms
STARBOARD ANCHOR CHAIN LENGTH 165 fathoms
Anchor –Stern 
Quantity 1
Type Dansforth
Weight 2000 lbs.
Port Anchor Chain Length  
Starboard Anchor Chain Length  

Medical Facilities

One medical treatment room containing one berth for patients. Emergency and first-aid equipment aboard, administered by designated vessel personnel. 

You are here: https://www.omao.noaa.gov/learn/marine-operations/ships/oscar-dyson/about/specifications
Reviewed: July 17, 2017. Contact us with page issues.

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