HSC FastCat Ryde

HSC FastCat Ryde is a high speed catamaran ferry. The vessel was originally built in Singapore for service in the Philippines as Water Jet 1. She was bought by Wightlink in 2000 and following an extensive refit entered service on the Ryde Pier to Portsmouth route in August of that year along with her sister ship HSC FastCat Shanklin.[2]

History
United Kingdom
Name	Water Jet 1 Supercat 17 Fastcat Ryde Fastcat-Ryde Rapparee Sochi-1
Owner	2011 onwards: Rosmorport
Operator	2000-2010: Wightlink 2010-2011: Severn Link
Port of registry	2011 onwards: Novorossiysk,  Russia
Route	Ryde to Portsmouth: 2000-2010
Builder	Kværner Fjellstrand, Singapore
Yard number	018
Laid down	15 June 1994
Launched	3 April 1995
Maiden voyage	1996
In service	1996
Identification	Call sign: UBIH7 IMO number: 9144976 MMSI number: 273351130
Status	In service
General characteristics
Tonnage	482 gt
Length	40 m
Beam	10.10 m
Draught	1.70m
Decks	2
Propulsion	2x 16-cyl MTU 16V396 diesel engines driving waterjets
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Capacity	361 passengers
Crew	4-5
Notes	[1]

From early Autumn 2009, Wightlink took delivery of two new vessels to operate the route, Wight Ryder I and Wight Ryder II.[3] Both the FastCat Shanklin and FastCat Ryde were retained by Wightlink until Spring 2010 and drafted in as replacements as teething problems occurred with the new vessels. They were then sold on to new owners in Bristol.[4]

On 12 January 2010, the FastCat Ryde crashed into Ryde Pier by landing heavily causing superficial damage to the vessel and a section of the pier. No one was injured in the crash and the vessel was sailed back empty to Portsmouth Harbour for a full investigation to be carried out.[5]

In 2010 she was sold, along with her sister craft, to Severn Link in Ilfracombe to operate a service between there and Swansea. As a result of a local competition she was renamed Rapparee. The projected service failed to materialise and in August she returned to Southampton. In May 2011, having been sold to Alien Shipping, a Russian company, the two craft were transported to the Black Sea on board the Beluga Fantasy.[6]