THE IDEAL PLATFORM FOR A VARIETY OF EXPEDITIONS

marine research, film industry + contract work charters

research science film marine private charter work prince william sound alaska

Designed to meet the diverse needs of many expeditions, we are experienced at supporting Alaska marine research, government contract work, film industry support, and photography projects. Pictured above are Discovery Channel marine film project and below, Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin

Launching this February 2025, the Samantha J is our brand new U.S. Coast Guard-inspected 12 person overnight charter vessel offering multi-day support vessel services in Prince William Sound, Gulf of Alaska, Cook Inlet, and Kodiak Island waters.

Our cutting-edge vessel, the Samantha J, is built for optimal efficiency—reducing transit time and enhancing comfort to keep you focused on the work that matters most. With smart design features, your time at sea becomes more productive and less impacted by unavoidable 'down time.' With accommodations for up to 12 overnight guests in four staterooms and three gourmet and hearty meals a day, we combine comfort, and top-rated safety features with Alaskan-tough capabilities that your team depends on.

ADVANCED FEATURES FOR YOUR

PROJECT’S SUCCESS

  • Work Spaces: A 300 sq ft expansive aft work deck for gear and equipment, a 10-person rigid body skiff for shoreline support, a scuba ladder, and an extra-large swim deck, a 1,500 lb deck crane, the Samantha J offers unparalleled functionality for a wide variety of contract work needs.

  • Fast + Stable: Your team will accomplish more with speeds at 25-38 knots plus a state-of-the-art gyroscopic stabilizer that mitigates up to 95% of the boat’s roll. This translates into being more productive with less “on hold time” due to unsteady work conditions.

  • Range: An impressive 1500-mile range gives your team more dedicated project time at sea and increases your project’s geographic scope.

OUR 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

We bring over 20 years of expertise in supporting research missions, government projects, and film productions with Tundra Adventure Charters. As a premier support vessel service, we’ve built a reputation for reliability, safety, and adaptability in Alaska’s challenging environments. Whether assisting scientific expeditions, facilitating government missions, or enabling unique film and photography projects, our team and vessels are equipped to meet the diverse needs of every client.

ELEVATE YOUR MISSION WITH US

  • Safety + Compliance: The Samantha J is a Bay Welding 2025 custom-built 60’ aluminum yacht, 20’ beam, meticulously engineered and constructed to meet the highest U.S. Coast Guard Safety Rating Vessel standards. This ensures the utmost trust in our operation for guests as they traverse Alaskan waters with us.

  • Private Staterooms: Overnight guests will appreciate the four spacious staterooms with 6’6” headroom. Each stateroom features a lower queen-size bed and a single upper bunk, and can thus sleep up to three guests if desired. All staterooms have large porthole windows, ample storage, and dedicated electric heaters.

  • Lounge in the Salon: The primary indoor area is 300 square feet, featuring an open modern design. Highlights include beautiful teak and leather interiors with ample tabletops and spacious seating for 18.

  •  Wheelhouse: A spacious pilothouse features  THREE captain’s chairs (two for guests) and additional elevated lounge seating for up to 10 more guests. These comfortable, elevated seats offer 360-degree viewing.

  • Culinary Focused Dining: Adventurers are treated to gourmet meals prepared by a dedicated chef, with fresh, local ingredients that complement the onboard luxury. We can accommodate dietary restrictions.

  • Additional Amenities: Include bathrooms utilizing our onboard water maker ensures ample fresh water for luxuriously long hot showers, heaters in each stateroom and designated gear drying rooms.

“Our company has chartered the Tundra and Captain John Earle twice for environmental assessment projects. Compared to using a helicopter, this has ended up saving the company money while giving field workers more comfort, more flexibility with weather, and the ability to transport additional gear/weight into the field. We will continue to call John first whenever we have projects in the area.”
— Carson K, BGES Inc.

gyroscopic stabilizer

38 KNOTS TOP SPEED

2 engines-1600 hp

300' aft deck

Captain with 40+ years exp

Brand New in 2025

uscg safety inspectioN

gyroscopic stabilizer • 38 KNOTS TOP SPEED • 2 engines-1600 hp • 300' aft deck • Captain with 40+ years exp • Brand New in 2025 • uscg safety inspectioN •

STATE OF THE ART FEATURES ON SAMANTHA J

customized exterior

Interior comforts

Speed + Safety

LOA- 60 feet

Beam- 20 feet

Displacement- 38 Gross Tons

Draft- 4 ft

Cruising Speed -25 to 38 knots

Engines- Twin Volvo D13 at 800HP each for total 1,600 HP

Generator-Northern Lights 20kw with sound shields

Wet Exhaust- Triple combo SEP Mufflers (quietest made)

Transmission- Twin Volvo D13-IPS-1050

Bow Thruster- 10” 24 volt 20 HP

Fuel- 1500 gallons, 2 tanks

Fuel filters- Dual Racor 1000 series Max on each main and gen

Lube oil transfer system- Reverso

Portlights-5 Commercial grade 3/4 "inch glass, aluminum dead light cover

Watertight Doors- 2 Commercial grade, 6 dogs each

Water Capacity- 800 gallon with 800 GPD watermaker

Power Inverter- 3000 Watt Pure Sine Inverter

Heating System- Hurricane 2 diesel-fired hydronic 50,000 BTU boiler system. Planar 9D forced air furnace. Six- 1000 Watt King electric heaters for back up and gear drying

SAMANTHA J TECHNICAL DATA

Watertight Compartments- Six

Sound & Thermal Insulation- Closed cell rigid Foam, XPE foam underlayment, Mascoat DTM sound and thermal barrier. Sound Down premium insulation throughout engine room/seakeeper room

Electronics- A full suite of electronics including:

Radar- Garmin GMR Fantom 18 HD

Navigation- Garmin Navigation system

Sonar- Garmin Panoptics PS70 with Airmar deepwater 10,000 ft transducer

Radios- Three VHF’s and loud hailer

Communication- Satellite Phone

Internet- Starlink System

Emergency LocatorS- 2 EPIRB’s

Anchor Winch- Kinematics hydraulic

Pot Puller- Commercial hydraulic

Davit Winch- Commercial hydraulic

Crane- Steelhead E-1500 12ft

Bilge/Washdown pump-Commercial hydraulic

RIB Tender Boat-Highfield Patrol 500, 10 passenger with 100 HP Yamaha

Life Raft- 28 man Solas A pack

Meet our Crew

Let’s work together.

Interested in working together? Whether you're planning a research mission, government contract, or a one-of-a-kind trip our team looks forward to assisting with your unique project. Let us help make your vision a reality!

work in safety & style with US