Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Aug 31, 2014 22:03:48 GMT -8
what is her longest run that she does?? How long was the run you did??
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Aug 31, 2014 22:28:51 GMT -8
what is her longest run that she does?? How long was the run you did?? The Juneau - Sitka round trip requires less than 12 hours for everything including loading time in Juneau right through to unloading upon return to Juneau. The actual transit time for me was about four & a half hours berth to berth, or less than half the time required to do the trip on a conventional ferry. More importantly, the Fairweather is not dependant on tidal conditions in order to transit certain narrow sections of the route where conventional ferries have to wait for slack tides. The Fairweather is currently working only the Juneau - Sitka route. I understand, however, that it could (& has in previous years) worked the Juneau - Haines - Skagway route, and could also do a route from Juneau to Petersburg. This vessel is also quite capable of doing return trips on these two routes as day trips (i.e, the return trip completed in about 12 hours). Although this vessel (& her sister) are fuel thirsty, there are compensating savings based on a much reduced crewing level, as I understand it. Although these are fast catamaran type ferries driven by water jets they don't have a whole lot in common with the fast cats that we had here in the BCF fleet.
|
|
|
Post by Name Omitted on Sept 12, 2018 18:38:15 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by ancflyer on Sept 16, 2018 3:07:00 GMT -8
Should never had them in the first place.
Not sea-worthy in Alaskan waters . . . .
|
|
|
Post by northwesterner on Sept 16, 2018 14:25:13 GMT -8
Should never had them in the first place.
Not sea-worthy in Alaskan waters . . . .
She has been barely used on the Lynn Canal run, one that, from a transportation network perspective, made a ton of sense by cutting the ferry travel time in half versus a conventional vessel. When I rode her in Sept 2009 from Juneau to Skagway, I was impressed.
|
|
hoale
Oiler (New Member)
Posts: 2
|
Post by hoale on Nov 20, 2018 15:12:17 GMT -8
Fairweather is apparently back on the schedule around Christmas for North Lynn Canal sailings. I thought AKDOT claimed the Fairweather can't operate in cold weather???
|
|
|
Post by Name Omitted on Apr 4, 2019 4:27:41 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by ancflyer on Apr 6, 2019 15:41:06 GMT -8
Neither of the FVFs should have ever come to Alaska. Seen Aurora turn around in Lynn Canal because of WX (Weather). Fairweather and Chenega simply not suited for that. Been aboard Mat when she was beaten up pretty good in the same place.
Be glad to see them go.
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 13, 2019 15:22:29 GMT -8
Neither of the FVFs should have ever come to Alaska. Seen Aurora turn around in Lynn Canal because of WX (Weather). Fairweather and Chenega simply not suited for that. Been aboard Mat when she was beaten up pretty good in the same place. Be glad to see them go. A Time-Saving Hint to AHMS from the folks at BCFS: 'Don't call us, we'll call you'. Hint to be taken as an April Fools Day joke.
|
|
|
Post by darkfred on May 24, 2019 8:24:28 GMT -8
Key Factors to sell the high speed ferries (Fairweather and Chenega) 1. Federal fund obligation. Federal funds were granted and used for building and repairs of both vessels. Those grants come with intended use or pay back obligations. We are talking millions of dollars. 2. Where can they operate? Who is going to buy them? These are not open ocean vessels. They are only suited to inland waters. Only places that would make sense is where there are long 3 plus hour high passenger volume runs in protected waters.
What would make sense is for a proper operating plan to be implemented for these vessels. The operating plan would have no operation during the winter. They would only operate on the high volume runs. The vessels work very well during the summer tourist season. The vessels actually make revenue when they are full of cars and passengers. It was demonstrated that the Fairweather made significant more revenue then the Columbia on a day to day basis when the fairweather was working during the summer in northern lynn canal.
|
|
|
Post by Name Omitted on Jan 15, 2021 19:43:13 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Mar 15, 2021 20:13:33 GMT -8
So long to Alaska's fast ferries ... Tonight I am looking back to my trip from Sitka to Juneau in late July 2014. I found the vessel to be fast, efficient & comfortable. It was, however, summertime in Alaska.
|
|
|
Post by northwesterner on Mar 15, 2021 22:42:30 GMT -8
So long to Alaska's fast ferries ... Tonight I am looking back to my trip from Sitka to Juneau in late July 2014. I found the vessel to be fast, efficient & comfortable. It was, however, summertime in Alaska.
I traveled from Juneau to Skagway in September 2009 on Fairweather - I had the same impression of her you did.
|
|
|
Post by northwesterner on Mar 15, 2021 22:49:02 GMT -8
Has anyone sailed on one of Alaska's FVF ships as well as one of BC Ferries old PacifiCats? I wonder what the passenger experience is like compared to our old fast ferries that seemed really cramped inside and had very little outside deck to walk around on. In order to keep things as light as possible, the interior fixtures on PacifiCats also seemed to be cheaply constructed - smaller harder seats, etc. Also, are there issues with their wakes? Or do they travel in mostly open water? I suspect most of the coastline up there is unpopulated so maybe there's not an issue? It looks like I missed this question a little while ago... Me! Fairweather > PacifiCat
|
|