The Elastec Omni Catamaran is a trash skimmer boat. The marine-grade aluminum litter basket allows it skim floating debris in harbors and protected waterways. Designed to be easily maneuverable in hard to reach areas, the 23 ft boat has an inverted bow to usher litter into its 98 cu ft trash basket. The Omni Catamaran’s interchangeable pod system allows it to be used for a wide variety of marine maintenance duties.
Trash Skimmer Boat
The Elastec Omni Catamaran is manufactured in our Carmi, Illinois, USA facility. Easy to operate, trash is skimmed from the water’s surface at an optimum speed of 2 to 3 mph (1 -2 knots). The captured debris floats in the litter basket adding no weight to the boat, keeping the draft shallow. Removal is easy as the basket features strengthened corner points with lifting positions and shackles for crane hoisting. Wheeled fenders allow the craft to operate along quay walls where trash is most likely to collect.
Low Maintenance and Multi-Functional
The Elastec Omni Catamaran has minimal maintenance requirements as there are no complicated hydraulics or belts to service. Propulsion is provided by a single outboard. The unique pod design between the catamarans allows the trash basket to be removed and replaced with a range of options including a pumpout, washdown, a-frame, work deck, or weed cutter. The Omni Cat can be customized to meet the specific needs of any water maintenance district.
“We were searching for something simple [to skim floatables], and we found the Elastec Omni Catamaran.”
Brian Levy, Senior Civil Engineer MWRD of Greater Chicago
Stay in Compliance with the Clean Water Act
The Omni Catamaran assists Combined Sewer System managers in meeting Clean Water Act requirements, aids in the reduction of unsightly floating pollutants in waterways and helps protect aquatic ecosystems. Marine litter and debris control is an emerging environmental issue. Of primary concern are municipalities with Combined Sewer Systems (CSS) which means that wastewater and stormwater flow together in a single pipe. During heavy rain events, stormwater runoff can cause the sewer system to reach maximum capacity and overflow into waterways. This is called a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO). Some of the excess water flows out into the waterway and so does the trash. Floating debris such as Styrofoam, plastic bottles and cigarette butts create health risks, kill marine life and cause flooding.
Omni Catamaran Used in Chicago River
Elastec developed a solution for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to comply with a U.S. and Illinois EPA Consent Decree. To keep the Chicago River clean and beautiful, Elastec and MWRD worked together to develop two custom trash skimmer boats. MWRD requested a simple design, with few moving parts and easy to operate. Aptly named, the Skimmy Dipper and the Skim Pickens, the boats are designed for daily trash skimming in hard to reach areas near Navy Pier and along seven miles of the river.
The MWRD is located primarily within the boundaries of Cook County, Illinois serving an 883 square mile area which includes the City of Chicago and 125 suburban communities. The MWRD owns and operates one of the world’s largest water reclamation plants and treats an average of 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater each day. The MWRD controls 76.1 miles of the Chicago Areas Waterways (CAWS), which are part of the inland waterway system connecting the Great Lakes with the Gulf of Mexico.
Elastec has also designed trash skimmer vessels for the City of Waco, Texas and the City of Austin, Texas’ Watershed Protection Departments.