Raketa was the first type of hydrofoil boats commercially produced in the Soviet Union. They were manufactured from 1957 until the early 1970s. The chief designer was Rostislav Alexeyev and the project 340 vessels had been planned already in the late 1940s. The first model, Raketa-1, was built by Krasnoye Sormovo shipbuilding plant in Sormovo, Nizhny Novgorod. On its maiden voyage, on 25 August 1957, it carried 30 passengers from Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan in seven hours. Raketa boats were soon in wide commercial service on the Volga River and elsewhere in the Soviet Union. To this day, the name is often used generically in Russian for all hydrofoil river boats. Later designs include the Meteor and Kometa types, among many others. There were several versions of project 340 vessels: project 340, project 340E and project 340ME.
In Finlandthe traffic with project 340 vessel started in 1962, when the cities of Lahti and Jyväskylä had a joint-venture company, which bought one vessel. They prolonged the operations until 1983. After that the ownership was transferred to the private persons. The first name of the vessel was Tehi due to the one part of the southernmost Päijänne, Vesijärvi. Later the hydrofoils were taken off. Later M/S Tehi became M/S Suvi-Tuuli.
M/S Tehi
M/S Tehi started its operations in 1962. Later the M/S Tehi was renamed as M/S Suvi-Tuuli :Lake Päijänne cities of Lahti and Jyväskylä 1962-1983, Pyhäjärvi 2008, river Kokemäenjoki 2009-
M/S Rosetta
M/S Rosetta is Raketa 314, which was bought from Tartu of Estonia in 1993. From 1995 to 2005 it was operated under the name M/S Suvijet ''. It was bought from Estonia and has been operated in Lake Päijänne for Royal Cruises since 2005 after the second renaming as M/S Rosetta. Raketa-314 was built in Feodocija in 1963. It may not prolong the chartered trips on Lake Päijänne after its sale. The home harbour of M/S Rosetta is in Lahti. The vessel does not have its original engine just like M/S Suvi-Tuuli does not have. Both of the vessels has a MAN 2842 LYE. The highest speeds are from 29 to 32 knots. During the renovation the steering was changed from the back side to the front.
The Lithuanian remaining Raketa has been operated by the UAB "Nemuno linija" line from the Kaunas passenger dock to Nida until 2010. It had two Raketas named "Aistė" and "Lina" of which "Aistė" was renovated. Both "Aistė" and "Lina" were constructed in 1963.
Poland
in the Gdansk area and on Szczecin-Świnoujście cruise line
Romania
8 boats were imported in Romania, ,,, Venus, Tismana, Fulger, Olanesti and Steaua.
