The Boeing 929 Jetfoil is a passenger-carrying, waterjet-propelled hydrofoil by the Boeing Company.
Boeing adapted many systems used in jet airplanes for hydrofoils. Robert Bateman led development. Boeing launched its first passenger-carrying waterjet-propelled hydrofoil in April 1974. It could carry from 167 to 400 passengers. It was based on technology developed for the U.S. Navy patrol hydrofoil Tucumcari, and shared technology with the Pegasus-class military patrol hydrofoils. The product line was licensed to the Japanese company Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[2]
Boeing launched three Jetfoil 929-100 hydrofoils that were acquired in 1975 for service in the Hawaiian Islands, which were operated by Honolulu-based operator Seaflite. Seaflite operated three Boeing 929-100 Jetfoils between 1975 and the company's demise in 1979. When the service ended, the three hydrofoils were acquired by Shun Tak Holdings' Far East Hydrofoil (now TurboJET) for service between Hong Kong and Macau.[3] About two dozen Boeing Jetfoils saw service in Hong Kong–Macau, Japan, South Korea, the English Channel, the Canary Islands, the Korea Strait, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.
In 1979, the Royal Navy purchased a Boeing Jetfoil, HMS Speedy, to provide the Royal Navy with an opportunity to gain practical experience in the operation and support of a modern hydrofoil, to establish technical and performance characteristics, and to assess the capability of a hydrofoil in the Fishery Protection Squadron.[4]
In 1980, B&I shipping lines opened a Jetfoil service from Dublin to Liverpool with the Jetfoil Cú Na Mara (English: Hound of the Sea). The service was not a success and was discontinued at the end of the 1981 season.[5]
The Belgian Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT) operated the Jetfoils Princesse Clementine and Prinses Stephanie on the Ostend–Dover route from 1981 until 1997.
In North America, the Boeing Jetfoil saw regularly scheduled service between Seattle, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia during the summer tourist season of 1980. Leased from Boeing, a single Jetfoil, the Flying Princess, was operated by the non-profit Flying Princess Transportation Corp., with the close co-operation and assistance of the B.C. Steamship Company.[6][7] Regularly scheduled service ran from Seattle to Victoria to Vancouver from April to September 1985 by Island Jetfoil. Boeing reclaimed the Island Jetfoil boat and sold it for service in Japan.[8]
Built under license by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. in Kobe, Japan
Built under license by Shanghai Simno Marine Ltd. CSSC, China
HMS SPEEDY was procured in 1979 to provide the Royal Navy with an opportunity to gain practical experience in the operation and support of a modern hydrofoil, to establish technical and performance characteristics, and to assess the capability of a hydrofoil in the UK 'Offshore Tapestry' role. The present paper describes the operational and technical evaluation of HMS SPEEDY undertaken in 1980-82, and outlines the results obtained.
