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Western Washington University's Engineering Technology program has received a $125,000 grant to build a hydrofoil that will be used on a new passenger ferry being built for Kitsap Transit by Bellingham-based All American Marine Inc.

The project is the first to be conducted in the new Marine Trades Innovation Partnership Zone established recently between Western and the Port of Bellingham. The grant is being paid for by All American Marine ($25,000) and Pacific International Engineering ($100,000).

Assistant Professor of Engineering Technology Nicole Larson will lead the team charged with fabricating the hydrofoil - a T-shaped wing mounted to the hull of the ferry, producing lift and raising the boat's hull partly out of the water, greatly reducing drag and increasing speed.

"Our goal is to cut the weight of the hydrofoil in half by using new composite materials that are lighter and stiffer than aluminum or stainless steel, which will increase efficiency and decrease fuel costs," she said. "The new hydrofoil will also retain its shape better at speed, further boosting fuel efficiency."

Larson said the first step in the process will be the completion of a ¼-scale model. The full-size hydrofoil will then be fabricated and delivered to All American by June 2009.

Matt Mullett, CEO of All American Marine, said Western Washington University (WWU) was a natural partner for the project.

"Western is well known for the work they do in plastics and composites, so it was a good fit," he said. "In addition, projects like this are just what the Port of Bellingham and Western envisioned for the new Marine Trades Innovation Partnership Zones designated by the state."

Phil Osborne, head of the Coastal Projects division at Pacific International Engineering in Edmonds, said the vessel's design, acquisition, and testing is part of a multi-year research program funded by the Federal Transit Administration through Kitsap Transit.

The vessel is being brought into the research program to conduct impact assessment and to validate the modeling tools developed by the study. Impact studies are to be conducted on the Seattle-Bremerton route through Rich Passage, an area with very strict no-wake rules because of existing beach erosion problems.

Osborne said part of his company's role in the project will be to install instruments in the new hydrofoil to measure its performance and compare that data to the computer modeling that has already been done.

"The weight reduction by using the new composite hydrofoil should allow for increased wake performance, payload, and fuel efficiency, thus reducing the overall impact of the vessel on the environment," he said.

"We're excited about this opportunity to work with WWU and All American Marine and learn more about how composites can help make a high performing, low-wake boat even better."

Larson and Mullett said this is the first phase of WWU's collaboration with All American Marine. It is hoped that work will then progress in the future to moving more of the boat's hull and superstructure to composite materials.