Going Green!

Doing our part for the environment.

As boaters, we are very conscious of the environment and the negative impact that boats can have on it. At the time of purchase, we outfitted THRILLER with the most fuel efficient diesel engines available that would fit into the allotted space in the hull. THRILLER utilizes Arneson surface drives. In addition to their much higher efficiency than normal propellers, Surface drives have a very low underwater sound signature. Having a low underwater sound signature is important to the marine mammals in the area because they are frightened away by loud underwater sounds thus reducing the chance to dolphin watch while on a tour. By keeping our underwater sound signature low, we aren’t chasing away any of the dolphins and will be able to view them swimming alongside the boat as we tour through the harbor.

To help keep our impact on the water down, we have not applied any bottom paint to the boat that would eventually flake off into the water as time passes. To keep the plant growth off the bottom of the boat, we have purchased a special floating boat lift. The boat pulls up onto the lift, which is submerged at the dock, and the lift raises THRILLER out of the water for the night. What makes this lift special is the fact that it uses water pressure to raise the lift up and down instead of hydraulic oil. This way, there is no chance of any type of hazardous material spill in the water. Also, since the lift is floating, there is no need to permanently install any pilings to hold the lift in place thus eliminating any impact on the marina from this lift.

At Pegasus Charters, we are aware of the concerns others may have regarding the noise pollution that can be generated from tour boats of this size and type.  To minimize our impact on others enjoying the harbor, we have done two things.  First, we are using diesel engines instead of gas engines which are typically found in high speed, cigarette boats.  Diesel engines are significantly quieter than the gas versions and secondly, we redesigned the exhaust system on THRILLER to produce an even quieter ride.

As technologies continue to evolve and new environmentally friendlier products are produced for larger tour boats, we will strive to incorporate these technologies into THRILLER. Helping to keep the environment safe and clean for future generations is important to us at Pegasus Charters and we are committed to trying to do our part.