R/V Tegula

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries acquired the 22-foot R/V Tegula in 2021 for use in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and other national marine sanctuaries off the West Coast. The addition of this vessel greatly expands and enhances research as a dive platform. The vessel is also used for emergency response, regulatory inspections, resource protection missions, and educational cruises. The vessel's homeport is at the Monterey Harbor in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Vessel Description

R/V Tegula (pronounced "TEG-you-la") was built and designed by D.R. Radon Boat Building, Inc. in Goleta, California in 2021. The vessel's length is 22 feet and the beam is 8 feet 6 inches. It is equipped with twin Honda 150 HP outboard motors; capable of up to 35 knots in smooth waters, and cruising speeds of 20-25 knots.

General Specifications

Builder: D.R. Radon Boat Building, Inc., Goleta, CA
Design: Fiberglass single hull dive boat
Length (overall): 22 feet
Beam: 8 feet 6 inches
Draft: 20 feet
Propulsion: Twin Honda BF-150A 150 HP outboard motors
Speed: 35 knots (max)
Fuel: gasoline
Capacity: 6 people including operator
Crew: 2 minimum
Range: 100 nautical miles (estimated)

Mission Statement

The R/V Tegula supports collaborative research, education and resource protection projects in the Central and Northern California national marine sanctuaries to inform and implement sanctuary management.

General Uses

The primary function of R/V Tegula is to support biological and oceanographic field work such as scuba diving, deployment and recovery of light oceanographic gear, wildlife monitoring and observation, wildlife disentanglement, and resource protection operations. This vessel is also used for special projects, vessels of opportunity, instrument testing, and other hydrographic or non-hydrographic scientific missions.