The MV Manly was a notable hydrofoil ferry of the Supramar PT20 type, serving on Sydney Harbour from 1965 until 1980. Constructed in Japan by Hitachi under licence from Sachsenberg Supramar, the vessel featured an aluminium hull and tempered steel foils, designed for high-speed passenger service. It arrived in Sydney on December 30, 1964, and underwent trials before beginning operations. The ferry's primary service commenced on January 7, 1965, providing a rapid connection between Circular Quay and Manly. The journey on the hydrofoil took approximately 17 minutes, with only 9 minutes spent on the foils, significantly faster than the 32–37 minutes required by conventional ferries at the time. The fare for this high-speed service was 3 shillings (roughly $3.80 in 2015 currency), a premium reflecting its speed and novelty. In 1968, the MV Manly experienced a technical issue when its propellers, which had a design fault, were replaced by the manufacturer. The vessel's operational history included a brief additional service in 1973 between Circular Quay and Gladesville, utilizing larger hydrofoils. However, this route was discontinued after six months due to excessive noise along the Parramatta River and the absence of a backup vessel. The vessel was then kept in reserve. Operational costs and mechanical reliability issues led to the vessel’s withdrawal in 1980, after which it was laid up in Neutral Bay. Subsequently, the ferry was sold to Hydrofoil Seaflight Services Pty Ltd in Queensland, renamed Enterprise, and used for a route between Rosslyn Bay and Great Keppel Island. This service proved unsuccessful, and the vessel was eventually stripped of its foils and engine, with its hull laid up at Rosslyn Bay. In 1991, the hull was transported to Mildura for potential use as a floating restaurant, and later, in 1995, it was moved to a private property north of Sydney for conversion into a private cruise boat. The vessel remained there until it was ultimately scrapped, with its alloy hull recycled.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.