Katmai National Park Landing Craft Carries Passengers and Equipment to Remote Camp

Coastwise Corporation completed the design of a landing craft for Katmai National Park and Preserve. The shallow water roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) passenger and vehicle ferry operates on the Naknek River and Lake carrying passengers and heavy equipment to remote Brooks Camp. The vessel’s name, Qit’rwik, means “sheltered place on the water” in the original Sugt’stun language of Pacific Coast and Kodiak Island peoples.

The 65-foot-long aluminum landing craft is powered by twin 285 hp engines. The Qit’rwik is designed to carry full size road graders, loaders, and tanker trucks. The vessel’s aluminum ramp is designed to load these heavy vehicles from un-improved beaches. Designated as a day-boat the ro/ro landing craft will operate June to mid-September and be hauled out of the lake, prior to freeze up.

The U.S National Park Service required a vessel that could stand up to the shallow, boulder strewn river, and navigate beach landing sites with floating pumice rocks. Coastwise provided an extremely stable and fuel efficient design capable of operating in the demanding environment.