Marcelle Melosira
The R/V Marcelle Melosira arrived at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory on July 23, 2023. It is staffed with a full-time Captain and a Research Vessel Specialist who are experienced in aspects of limnological, geological, and fisheries sampling including: water sampling, plankton sampling, sediment coring, gill netting, bottom and mid-water fish trawling, and hydroacoustic sampling.
Watershed Alliance offers K-12 programs on the R/V Marcelle Melosira which give elementary, middle, and high school students and teachers the opportunity to learn first-hand about the study of limnology and to collect their own data on Lake Champlain with the aid of professional educators and lab research staff.
The R/V Marcelle Melosira is available for charter to groups or individuals for research, education, outreach, or other functions.
Contact for more information.
R/V Marcelle Melosira Stats
- 20 meters long, 6 meters wide
- Hybrid-electric catamaran
- 32-person capacity
- BAE Systems patented HybriGen® system propulsion package
- Up to 3 hours of electric run time
- Projected 60% reduction in fossil fuel use from the previous vessel
- ADA-compliant
- Equipped with:
- First-of-its-kind winch technology
- Echo-sounding technology to ID and map underwater species distribution
- Multi-net plankton and fish larvae sampler
- Profiler to study large particles and zooplankton
- Echoview software to process hydroacoustic data
- Gas analyzer to measure gaseous compounds
- Corer for sampling lake bottom sediment
Other Boats
Shiner
The Shiner is an 18-foot, aluminum Henley runabout with open deck space. The vessel is powered by a 60-hp outboard engine and tiller steering. The Shiner is trailerable, making it a cost-effective platform to perform research operations, sampling, and field work on Lake Champlain.
Tron
Tron is an 18-foot, Smith-Root electroshocking boat. This specialized boat is designed to allow researchers to implement temporary electric stunning techniques.
No Plane Jane
No Plane Jane is a 15-foot workboat with an outboard motor.
Small Fry
Small Fry is an 11-foot dinghy with oars.
Using Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory Boats
Float Plans for Field Work Safety
For safety purposes when going out into the field, researchers should complete the appropriate float plan and send to Captain Taylor Resnick and a contact person.
