Gondola for high-speed multibeam echosounder surveying by semi-displacement or planing hull vessels

A high-speed multibeam echosounder (MBES) surveying system, the system comprising:

• a high-speed survey vessel having a semi-displacement hull or a planing hull;
• and
• a high-speed MBES gondola coupled to the semi-displacement hull or the planing hull of the high-speed survey vessel, wherein the high-speed MBES gondola comprises:
• a housing having an enclosed volume extending between an upper surface of the housing and a lower surface of the housing, wherein a multi-head MBES transducer array is provided within the enclosed volume and extends through one or more apertures of the lower surface;
• a nose fairing extending from a forward portion of the housing at a maximal width of the upper surface and the lower surface;
• a tail fairing extending from an aft portion of the housing at a minimal width of the upper surface and the lower surface;
• and
• a hydrofoil strut segment having first and second hydrofoil surfaces extending between a first distal end of the hydrofoil strut segment and a second distal end of the hydrofoil strut segment, wherein:
• the first distal end of the hydrofoil strut segment includes a coupling configured for flush attachment to the upper surface of the housing;
• the second distal end of the hydrofoil strut segment includes a coupler portion configured for attachment to the semi-displacement hull or the planing hull of the high-speed survey vessel;
• and
• the first and second hydrofoil surfaces are orthogonal to the upper surface of the housing and are configured to generate opposing hydrodynamic forces during high-speed MBES surveying by the semi-displacement hull or planing hull high-speed survey vessel.