The world‘s finest diving

SS Thorfinn

The SS Thorfinn, an impressive & sturdy 170-foot yacht, takes 22 divers in 11 cabins. Thorfinn offers diving on all the best of Chuuk's wrecks and includes both nitrox and rebreather support.

A word from Dom “A real ship. This classic vessel has the charming ambiance of a former era with all the modern & technical equipment you need for great wreck diving in Truk Lagoon.” … Dominick Macan

ss thorfinn Exterior opt786

On Board Pacific Master

1 upper deck TWIN/DOUBLE suite
king-size bed, adjoining bed settee, 44 inch TV monitor & player, PC table & chair, 4 view windows, walk-in closet, fridge and large shower/toilet room
1 upper deck TWIN/DOUBLE cabin
1 double bed & twin bunk
2 main deck TWIN/DOUBLE cabins
queen size bed & twin bunk above … 2 shared bathrooms for 3 cabins
1 main deck TWIN cabin
2 adjacent twin beds … 2 shared bathrooms for 3 cabins
5 lower deck TWIN/DOUBLE cabins
1 double bed & 1 twin bed

All have air-conditioning, in room vanities, TV’s and DVD players, indirect lighting and full length closets.

up to 4 dives per day
12 liter alu tanks (DIN & INT valves)
15 liter alu tanks (at extra cost)
scuba gear rental (by advance request)
nitrox
temperatures generally range between 28-30°C … 3 mm or 5 mm full length exposure suits are suitable

TECHNICAL DIVING: booster pumps; 2L and 3L CCR cylinder sets; stage / bailout cylinders are available to rent; Oxygen and CO2 absorbent (Molecular Products 797 Sofnolime); the scrubber is charged per full 4.5kg tub; O2 is charged per fill

accommodation & diving
meals, snacks & non-alcoholic beverages (except carbonated)
compressed air, tanks, weights & weight belts
airport transfers

international airfare
carbonated & alcoholic beverages
scuba rental gear (by advance request)
15 liter tanks
nitrox
tech & re-breather support

One Of The Grand Old Ladies Of The Sea

This wonderful ship is a serious diver’s liveaboard experience. She isn’t a luxury vessel, but she is comfortably furnished inside and out … and her wreck and tech diving capabilities are second to none.

You can kick back on the very top (partially covered) sun deck which is located at the stern behind the bridge and the stack. Or, you may want to relax on the stern deck one level down (the upper deck) around the enormous hot tub which accommodates up to 12 people (and sometimes more on final party night !). This is also where you’ll find 2 large camera tables. Inside on this deck, you’ll find a large, air-conditioned lounge and bar which features A 50” hi-def LED TV which feeds into a speaker surround system. Multi-system DVD players cover wide ranging inputs, and convenient connection points permit direct inputs from guest data equipment. A well stocked DVD and paperback book library, magazine rack, reference books (fish, wrecks) are all available for guest use. The bar provides a range of beverages – from coffee, tea, hot chocolate and soft drinks, to beers, wines and spirits at reasonable cost. Mid-ship on this upper deck are 3 cabins which share bathrooms, with the captain’s quarters in the forward section.

Situated on the main deck is the dining room at the front of ship, the suite and another cabin toward the aft … while, you’ll find a dive preparation area at the aft with bins for your personal dive items. The remaining 5 cabins are located on the lower deck.

Diving is done from high-speed launches and dive sites tend to be no more than 10 minutes from the Thorfinn. Air cylinders are stored on the launches which also feature fresh-water showers, allowing divers to rinse immediately after diving.

The chef prepares plenty of good healthy & hearty food and will do everything possible to cater to dietary needs with enough advance notice. It’s a remote region, so be aware that 100% of your requests may not be available.

Travel & Cruise Logistics

Your international flights should be booked to Chuuk International Airport(TKK). Most flights to Chuuk require transit via Hawaii or Guam. Staff from the Thorfinn will greet you at the airport after your arrival and take you to a nearby pier where a dive boat will be waiting for final transfer to the anchored ship. This trip is repeated in reverse at trip end. If you have enjoyed a night or more at a hotel you will be contacted by someone from the staff to confirm transfer arrangements and timings. At the end of their trip you will be transferred back to the hotel or to the airport as appropriate.

Layout & Specs

Deck & cabin layout here, the yacht specifications, the equipment & safety features

Specifications

IMO (International Maritime Organization) No. 5359901
Length, overall: 170ft / 58m
Beam: 30ft / 10m
Draft: 17ft / 5.5m
Displacement: 1,100 tons
Fuel Capacity: 340 tons
Consumption/Speed: 7 tons/day @ 11 knots, 11 tons/day @ 16 knots.
Water Capacity: 18,000 gals
Cruising Range: 9,000 nautical miles @ 11 knots
Maximum Speed: 16 knots

COMMUNICATIONS:

1 x Icom IC-M 700 Med. Freq. SSB radio telephones
1 x Icom IC-M 80 25w VHF radio telephone
1 x Sailor RT 144 25 wVHF radio telephone
3x Standard Horizon 25w VHF radio telephones, 2 located on dive launches
1 x Alden Marinefax IV weather facsimile unit
1 x Kenwood R-2000 multi-band radio receiver
3 x standard Mod. HX 250S hand held portable VHF r/t’s
1 x Trimble Galaxy Sentinel Inmarsat-C Comsat terminal
1 x Inmarsat Sailor Fleet BroadBand 500 Comsat terminal, with Wi-Fi Internet to entire ship
1 x Iridium IOP comsat terminal for auxiliary Broadband backup

MACHINERY:

Main Engine: Fredriksstad Mek 4 cyl. double compound steam – 2,500 h.p. @ 140 rpm
Boilers: 2 x Foster Wheeler D type 18,000 lbs./hr @ 250 psi, 600 deg F superheat)
2 x Yanmar 6HAL-DTN diesels driving Marathon 250 kw 220 VAC 3 phs 60Hz generators
1 x Mitsubishi diesel driving 40 kw 220 VAC 3 phs 60 Hz generator
Ships power supply is both 220 and 110 VAC single and 3 phs 60 Hz outlets

PUMPS:

Steam: 1 x 12 in. , 1x 8 in., 2x 3 in. Gen. Service
Electric: 6 x 2 in. submersibles
Gasoline fire pump: 1 x 2 in. Standby Emergency
Oily water separator: REC Boss 107 system

NAVIGATION:

GPS: 2 x Magellan Nav DLX-10, # Garmin handheld units
Radars: 2 x Furuno Model 1954C 15kw radars feeding Navnet VX2 GD -1920C color video plotters, with sonar input feeds.
Main Compass: Furuno Satellite Compass SC 30 via an AMI-GMV KW 941-D stepper retransmitter unit
Auto Pilot:Wagner Mk IV
Sonar: Furuno Network sounder Model ETR-6/10N

DIVE EQUIPMENT:

Dive cylinders: 90 pcs 80 cu. ft standard alloy; 10 pcs 100 cu ft; and 20 pcs 30 – 40 cu ft ponies; 8 sets manifolded /banded double 80’s
Breathing gas storages: 6000 cu. ft. air supply @ 5000 psi; 2,400 cu ft Oxygen@ 2,000 psi
Fill stations: 2 x 4 cylinder capacity manifold setups Port and Starboard with in water filling
Rentals (6 full sets of gear incl. computers, reg’s, BCD’s, fins, masks, lights, SMB’s)
Oxygen Generators: 2 x OGSI Mod. 2020 producing 960 cu ft daily
Oxygen Boosters:
2x Rix MB 230 Micro Boost electric primary units
1x Midwest Pressure Systems Model 42AAV48-ACG O2, air driven
1x Masterline Mfg Model 211V3 electric, as final deck gas blending unit
O2 Blending System for EAN Nitrox and Tri-mix provisos – via portside blending setup
1 x Bauer Model IK 15.1 ll unit producing 21 cfm to 5000 psi
1 x Bauer/Poseidon P 201 of 7.5 cfm to 5,000 psi

DIVING LAUNCHES

2 x 30 ft custom built Auztec Heavy Aluminum, covered – Twin Yamaha 150’s
2 x 24 ft Kellahan Mfg heavy duty alloy modified V, with twin Yamaha 60’s
1 x 24 ft Ozawa heavy duty modified fiberglass, with twin Yamaha 40’s

Itineraries

SS Thorfinn re-positions herself within a limited distance to place divers as close as possible to the day’s diving. Dives are rarely more than 10 minutes by tender from the ship. Thirty or more wrecks can be dived on a 7-day cruise.

Thorfinn includes as many of the wrecks as possible on each cruise … but you’ll need to do more than one cruise to see them all.  Here are a few of the popular favorites which you may be lucky enough to visit. Many of the wrecks are “Maru” or merchant vessels that had been left at anchor when the American attacks came.  A few had been fortified with anti-aircraft weapons and many carried important army supplies including Zero Fighter aircraft parts, tanks, torpedo shells, trucks and road supplies.  Bottles, cooking utensils, items from everyday life and personal artifacts can be found in several of the wrecks.

Fujikawa Maru – Immensely popular & easily accessible wreck, originally designed to carry both cargo & passengers, divers can penetrate the superstructure to see the remains of parts which were being transported …. tanks, propellers, wheels, artillery shells & torpedoes. You can see also visit the engine room, staterooms, and galley. Good corals, lots of fish, great photo ops.

Emily Flying Boat – This huge fighting plane was armed with machine guns, canons and bombs. After being hit by the Americans, the plane managed to fly to Truk, although several important Japanese officers on board had been killed. The pilot crash landed and a few of the crew survived. The impressive wreck is amongst the most popular in Truk for photographers.

Nippo Maru – This is a wreck which nearly every wreck diver dreams of visiting. Another favorite for photographers, the helm & telegraphs make startling subjects. You’ll also find a load of weapons & artillery, mines, gas-masks, shoes and more in the holds … trucks & a tank … Howitzers & an anti-aircraft gun on the deck

Amagisan Maru – Another ship originally used for both passengers & cargo, the Amagisan Maru offers a big photographic gun on her bow & one at the stern, plus aircraft parts, trucks and a car the hold. There’s also a tanker truck just at her side.

San Francisco Maru – Pre-requisition by the Japanese Navy, the San Francisco Maru carried passengers and cargo of minerals & coal. The haunting gun on the bow of the ship is one of Truk’s most photographed. The San Francisco also features several trucks & armored tanks, the usual artillery, torpedoes and bombs … along with airplane parts.

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