Hands-on marine science programming for thousands of students is to get a boost with the build of a new purpose-built research and education vessel.
Designed in collaboration with Chartwell Marine, a pioneer of next generation vessel design, construction will take place at Derecktor Shipyards’ New York yard for SoundWaters, a Stamford, Connecticut–based nonprofit dedicated to environmental education and Long Island Sound stewardship.
The R/V Brewer is a 50' × 23' aluminium research catamaran named in honour of Jack Brewer, founder of Brewers Marinas. Able to carry two crew and up to 35 passengers, the vessel blends proven performance with a flexible educational layout, including a wet/dry laboratory, optimised for data collection, onboard learning, and passenger safety. With R/V Brewer, SoundWaters will offer on-water programming to Long Island Sound schools from New Rochelle to New London and Port Washington to Greenport.
“This project brings together craftsmanship, collaboration, and community,” said Erik Derecktor, New Construction, Derecktor Shipyards. “SoundWaters’ educational mission aligns perfectly with our own vision of building vessels that make an impact in the community. This platform will serve our employees’ families, our neighbours’ children, our industry’s future craftspeople and mariners.”
SoundWaters, founded in 1989, uses the waters of Long Island Sound as a living classroom to promote environmental literacy and conservation. By traveling up and down the Sound, the new vessel will enable the organization to reach 10,000 more students, conduct expanded scientific programming and continue its mission to protect and preserve one of America’s most vital estuaries.
“R/V Brewer will use our waterways to bypass highway traffic, enabling our education team to reach 10,000 more students across the Long Island Sound region” said Leigh Shemitz, President of SoundWaters. “We are very excited; Derecktor’s reputation for quality, smart innovations, and close proximity made them the ideal partner to bring this next chapter of our mission to life.”
The project also signals Derecktor and Chartwell’s expanding role in semi-custom, purpose-built vessel production, offering adaptable platforms for research, training, and commercial missions.
“The Chartwell and Derecktor teams are continuing to adapt and improve each other’s workflows to deliver excellent vessels to market”, said Andy Page Managing Director, Chartwell Marine. “Common structural modules, optimized aluminum extrusions, reduced system complexity, and continuous improvement allow us to balance performance, value, and quality.”
