High-speed vessel officially lifts off

Business boost: Supervisor David Chiu, whose district includes Pier 39, hopes the RocketBoat gives visitors another reason to spend money in The City. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner)

SAN FRANCISCO — Tourists and locals eager to explore San Francisco Bay can now soak up the scenery faster than ever.

The RocketBoat will be officially unveiled today, as it zips passengers at 38 mph around Treasure Island, Alcatraz, AT&T Park and the Bay Bridge in a span of 30 minutes.

Whipping winds, the occasional jolt of sea spray and gut-dropping hairpin turns are now part of the experience, with a boat that travels twice as fast as normal cruise ships, according to the Blue and Gold Fleet, which operates the vessel out of Pier 39.

On Thursday, a 135-person crew, including Elaine Coreas, an 11-year-old resident who lives near Pier 39
on North Beach Place, took part in a special preview voyage of the RocketBoat.

“It was amazing,” said Coreas, whose school gave her permission to take the day off to ride on the open-air tour vessel with her family. “Definitely my favorite part was getting splashed in the face.”

Coreas and other riders, including members of the media, city government and local businesses, cruised under the Bay Bridge and into McCovey Cove near AT&T Park, where passengers experienced the quick acceleration of the RocketBoat, which boasts two
1,400-horsepower engines.

Tickets cost $26 for adults and $21 for children under 11. Daily 30-minute tours are available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The biodiesel-powered boat operates at a lower decibel level than most cruise ships in the Bay, according to the Blue and Gold Fleet.

San Francisco Supervisor David Chiu, who rode Thursday and whose district includes Fisherman’s Wharf, said the RocketBoat would be a valuable addition to Pier 39, which is the most visited tourist destination in The City.

“There is no question tourism will be a key factor to The City’s economic future,” said Chiu, who caught a few rounds of ocean water from his seat at the bow of the RocketBoat. “This ship is another unique and exciting reason for people to visit San Francisco and Pier 39.”

wreisman@sfexaminer.com