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Post by yak on Jun 30, 2016 23:39:06 GMT -8
The Canada Day long weekend traffic was very busy for the major routes. Routes 1 and 30 were sold out from TSA and route 2 had the Cowichan do an extra round trip at 2105h and 2305h. The extra sailing from HSB was 60% full! The final sailing at 2235h on route 3 was 56% full. I think Friday morning will be exceptionally busy again. Route 9 was right up against the maximum passenger count (953 persons) tonight even with Route 9a running with the Bowen Queen. Nearly 200 passengers were transfers for Saturna Island alone...
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Post by yak on Jun 6, 2016 19:44:34 GMT -8
These posts are very interesting to me - so please don't view this as a criticism - but - the BCFS "versus" Washington factor hasn't been addressed much by people in the know. It's just curious the two systems accomplish the same job faster, and without the same number of crushed hay trucks. In all seriousness the time difference isn't that substantial but certainly noticeable. The old age, double ended, awkward layout issues plague both systems. I can't help too much with perceived differences between the two systems as I've never had the pleasure of riding on a WSF vessel and I am therefore missing a point of reference. However, the main thrust of my posts was that BC Ferries safety culture has minimal impact on how quickly the ships make it in and out of the dock and that other factors do play a large role in how smoothly a turnaround occurs. In the Southern Gulf Islands a significant factor affecting how long it takes to load and discharge is foot traffic. The inter-island ports do not have overhead walkways and all foot traffic is discharged from the main car deck. During peak times this could mean dozens of bicycles and a hundred or more foot passengers. In some places I am waiting for several minutes while stragglers finally clear the ramp and trestle before I'll start moving vehicle traffic - a period that far exceeds the actual raising and lowering of the ramp.
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Post by yak on Jun 5, 2016 22:43:19 GMT -8
I agree with the gist of the above comments. BC Ferries is ponderously slow in both dock approaches and departures, and loading. Part of it is because of fuel saving measures, as vessels on minor routes, and some major, drift into dock. But, like WettCoast, I'm frequently mystified as to delays in loading. Sometimes you're sitting there with nothing happening. And the tie up/ untying and ramp procedures seem to take far longer than with WSF vessels. Given that WSF has a pretty good record with regard to serious mishaps, I wonder if BC Ferries is slowed down by overly careful TC dictates. The recently reported traffic related delay on the Powell River - Comox route seems a bit ridiculous; there's enough dock time that the ' Burnaby should be able to unload and load. Of course... the fact they're saving fuel by running her at fourteen knots maximum does tighten things up a bit. Let me preface my post by being clear that I am speaking from my own experience and not as any sort of ferry representative. So, just to share a few things regarding docking and ramp procedures. Fuel has never been part of the equation on the ships I've worked on when it came to approaching a dock - we come in at the speed that is comfortable and safe for the operator given the conditions. However, you are correct that while navigating the ferries do generally operate at an efficient cruising speed rather than "top speed" unless they are trying to catch up to the schedule. As you can imagine with any ferry route there are several routine things that have to happen when coming into a dock. For BC Ferries (at least the ones I've worked on) these things include establishing contact with the terminal, performing a series of checks, and undertaking a series of maneuvers (ie. intial speed reduction and stern pitch) when approaching the berth. All of these things must be completed (and logged) before docking can commence. Depending on the conditions it may be safer to approach with more or less speed and the ship-handler will constantly adjust based on factors such as wind and tide as well as known characteristics of a dock. For example, Otter Bay on Pender Island has less forgiving pads on the wing-walls so a Captain will be more apt to make a slower approach into that dock. In several docks low tide means that it will require much more pitch to slow the vessel as interaction with the bottom is increased - as one Master I work with puts it "Barnacles mean brakes!" The point is that no two berthings are exactly the same and the professional mariners at the helm make judgement calls based on their experience to ensure the safest and most efficient landings. One thing I wouldn't do is "drift" into a dock as that is a condition where there is very little control. I mentioned in my last post that I don't feel that BC Ferries safety procedures particularly impact loading/unloading times. Delays at the dock to occur for a number of reasons though - many of which I can see not being immediately recognizable to passengers. Here are some things off the top of my head: * The ship will wait at a dock simply because we are actually early and do not receive clearance from the terminal until ticket sales are cut off . To an observer this may look like "slow ramp procedures" * We are waiting for vessel traffic to clear; at terminals with more than one berth sometimes there is a conflict between two or more ferries * Traffic. 40 minutes goes fast if there is anything out of the ordinary. Heavy traffic or oversized traffic is a challenge on a vessel like the Burnaby or the Nanaimo. All it takes is one dead battery in the wrong lane and the schedule could be shot. Recreational drivers in big campers have to be watched closely. Missing drivers in the terminal (a huge issue on a busy day). Elevator access vehicles that need to be loaded at a specific time in the sequence. A glut of inexperienced ferry riders during the holidays. Heavy walk-on traffic with bicycles on the car deck. Etc. Etc. When it comes to the actual ramp procedure, there isn't too much that could be made more efficient. From the ship's point of view at a manned terminal it goes more or less like this (the Cliffs Notes version): Lowering the ramp: 1. The bridge buzzes the car deck to indicate clearance to lower the apron 2. The loading officer signals the ramp attendant to lower the apron 3. The ramp attendant signals that the ramp is secured and the pins are in; the loading officer confirms the signal and the deckhands make fast the lines. 4. The loading officer contacts the bridge and confirms the apron is on the deck and the lines are secure, he also switches on the Nemetz Light. The bridge clears the officer to unload/load. Raising the ramp: 1. The loading officer confirms that the ramp barrier is down and instructs the deckhands to release the lines. 2. The loading officer signals the ramp attendant to raise the apron. "Barrier down, apron up and lines off" is verbally confirmed with a deckhand. 3. The loading officer switches off the Nemetz Light and contacts the bridge confirming "Barrier down, apron up and lines off" as well as the passenger count. 4. The Imminent Departure Lights are activated from the bridge and 30 seconds pass before departure can be conducted. In practice on the Queen of Nanaimo, I would estimate that from the time the bridge buzzes the car deck until the time the first walk-off passengers are getting off the ship is 45 seconds to a minute. Also, I would estimate that from the time the barrier is lowered on the ramp until the time the Imminent Departure Lights are activated would be only 30 to 45 seconds. There are two exceptions I can think of: First, when the ship is particularly busy the Mate may have to wait an extra 30 seconds or so for a deckhand involved in parking traffic to make his or her way to the bow to let go of the lines. Second, in Tsawwassen the Mate gets clearance from the control tower rather than the ramp attendant and this is granted only after the barrier is down; this clearance is done via a phone in the ramp booth and it adds a minute or so to the procedure. The 30 seconds waiting for the Imminent Departure Lights isn't even really wasted as there are other things happening on the bridge in that time such as making traffic calls. Anyway, sorry for the long post but I hope that it provides some insight at least into my experiences with the ferries and these particular aspects of the schedule.
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Post by yak on Jun 5, 2016 21:31:08 GMT -8
The Nemetz lights and the associated procedure don't help the expediency of the loading/unloading procedure at BCF. There are lots of reasons for loading to take the entire turnaround time; however, Nemetz Lights, Imminent Departure Lights and other procedures followed by BC Ferries to ensure the safe loading and unloading of the vessel don't really impact the expediency of getting out of the dock. Pre-departure checks on the bridge largely occur concurrently with the Mate securing the car deck and the lifting of the ramp apron. After the bridge gets clearance from the Mate the "strobes" (Imminent Departure Lights) are for only 30 seconds before departure is commenced; I'd suggest that is about the extent of the "delay". Remember that if there is busy traffic both ways (or if there is a delay such as a dead battery) it takes time to not only load but also unload vehicles from a ship the size of the Burnaby. My experience is with the Nanaimo, and granted Route 9 is very different, but during "peak" traffic every minute counts when trying to leave on time - even with a 40 minute turnaround in Tsawwassen. The lanes on these ships were designed for 1960's era vehicles and I don't think anyone envisioned 50' 5th wheels...
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Post by yak on May 30, 2016 23:41:36 GMT -8
Found some rather stunning footage of the crash on Youtube that I've never seen before: It is weird since I am not particularly squeamish, but I literally feel a bit physically ill every time I see the Queen of Victoria nearly sliced in half. I think it is something about the way that her momentum just simply stops carrying her forward. Interestingly the cover of the Queen of Nanaimo's "Critical Incident" binder, contingencies in the event of a major incident, has a photo of the freighter embedded in the side of the Queen of Victoria.
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Post by yak on Apr 22, 2016 18:28:40 GMT -8
Seaspan Greg in Swartz Bay
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Post by yak on Apr 20, 2016 13:27:46 GMT -8
Tuesday morning startup on the Queen of Nanaimo. I am looking forward to our summer cruises...
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Post by yak on Apr 20, 2016 13:23:56 GMT -8
Racing the SoBC to Portlock Point...
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Post by yak on Apr 20, 2016 13:15:06 GMT -8
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Post by yak on Mar 29, 2016 11:09:33 GMT -8
I believe that was discussed quite some time ago that they were going to fuel the LNG ships the same way they fuel the ships with Diesel now...the truck simply boards after the service day fuels the ferry and then leaves! I don't think it means their going to have LNG trucks on a regular sailing..!! I cant believe someone actually has a strange way of thinking!! Correct. The exception being Route 9 where fueling will take place in Tsawwassen (as it currently does with Diesel) and never with passengers on board. From what I've seen there is a significant amount of planning going into this. Not all of my questions have been answered so far but I am keeping an open mind as it seems that the project is being conceived with the significant details being addressed. Of note is the fact that the whole system is designed to meet a "comparable level" of safety and reliability to a conventional ship (the details of "comparable level" are contained in the draft version of the IMO's LGF Code).
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Post by yak on Mar 9, 2016 23:38:07 GMT -8
I also see the Queen of Nanaimo has cancelled her stop at Galiano due to high winds. She will go directly to Mayne Island. Tell me why is it the Nanaimo cancels the Galiano stop yet the Bowen can still sail to Galiano from Swartz Bay?? oh what that sailing would be the Skeena Queen right now. Still a smaller a ship though although I guess the Bowen and Skeena dont have to turn around off Galiano which could have something to do with it! Others have basically answered your question but since I was on the bridge I'll add that the concern was more about departing Sturdies Bay than it was about docking. When the wind is from the East it can pin a conventional ship like the Nanaimo to the floating lead. In order to comfortably clear Burrill Point when backing out the ship has to come off that wall before booting astern. On the stop on the way towards Tsawwassen things were already starting to get a little gnarly in there and after departing we monitored the worsening conditions. The Master made the call to bypass Sturdies Bay before leaving Tsawwassen in order to avoid a risky situation. We had steady winds of 35-40kts both ways across Georgia Strait which meant that it was a pretty easy decision. Given the expert shiphandling that was required to get into some of the other, more favourable, docks tonight (two attempts were required at both Tsawwassen and at Otter Bay on the return) it would be fair to say that Sturdies would have exceeded the safe limitations of the ship. That's in my own, personal opinion anyway.
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Post by yak on Feb 24, 2016 19:00:56 GMT -8
Thanks for the info guys, didn't know they did that. Whats the reason for stopping at all the islands before doing the drills? No problem. They didn't - that track is likely from yesterday. The Operational Readiness Exercises are pretty intense but they are a really good opportunity for the crew to run through drills in depth and to be critiqued constructively by the drill conductors. While drills are held regularly it is difficult to go into the same amount of detail as when a whole watch is devoted to them.
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Post by yak on Feb 24, 2016 18:46:58 GMT -8
Anybody know what Queen of Nanaimo is doing? Left Long Harbour then headed out into Trincomali Channel where it stopped. It is performing a wide selection of company-planned "ORX Drills" during this "No-sail" Wednesday. They've stopped because they are likely doing a blackout drill or the abandon ship drill at this point. I was on board when they did this a few weeks ago.
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Post by yak on Feb 17, 2016 10:57:23 GMT -8
The Deckhands on the BSC are required at a minimum to hold a Marine Emergency duties certificate, and hold a valid STCW Basic Safety (MED A1 and MED B2) and Survival Craft Rescue Boats training (MED B1) qualification. BC Ferries prefers that Deckhands hold a Bridge Watch Rating Certificate. The BSC has two radars and an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). The Transport Canada ECDIS certificate course is 30 hours long - it's a fair bet that anyone in the glass house on the BSC holds this qualification, and it's all you need to operate and ECPINS or ECDIS as it's not that complicated. Taking a course is one thing for an operator, having gained command experience ( which is necessary in emergencies ) as a certified officer, another. Maybe there are cue cards on the bridge, like at Needles fliphtml5.com/zige/nvsa/basicThere's nothing unique about having critical response procedures on the bridge of a vessel organized as a response card or as a checklist. The BCF Fleet Operations Manual lays out the template for the lists used on the ferries (presumably including the Connector).
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Post by yak on Feb 16, 2016 0:17:45 GMT -8
Riding Spaulding designed single-enders should be possible for quite a few years to come on the Queen of New Westminster, the Coho, & Alaska's remaining Spauldings. Some seem to think the Coho has another 40 years of service left. Hopefully. I had a passenger express some regret today that the writing is on the wall for the Nanaimo. He was talking about the design of the bow doors of all things. One small thing I've really sort of appreciated since working on the ship is the sound of the pneumatic controls - something I haven't had on the more modern vessels I've worked on. The hiss of the lever is kind of cool and the big "whoosh" when you dump the sticks is pretty neat too.
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Post by yak on Feb 10, 2016 2:03:22 GMT -8
Here's 13 soundings of Robert Swanson's Airchime horns, on board the Queen of Burnaby. ...evidently, 12 wasn't enough. It is funny, I have always loved the horns on these boats. Working on the sister ship, the Nanaimo, I've discovered from veteran crewmembers that there is actually an art to the perfect whistle. Many BCF bridge crews seem to take pride in coaxing the perfect chime out of the ship's horns. There is a lever that produces a sharp sound with all pipes activating together (which seems to have been used in most of the clips you've provided flugelhorn) and which is the easiest way to sound the whistle. I usually use this to make maneuvering signals such as three short when we are backing out of Tsawwassen. However, another way, and by far the most artistic way (if there is such a thing with a ship's whistle), is with a manual pull on the cable from the bridge. If you carefully, slowly, gingerly yank on the wire just right (and believe me, some crews really try) you can activate each horn individually and get the classic tones of the BCF whistle. Just today I had a visiting Officer from another, more modern, ship on board who lamented the lack of such an an iconic whistle on his vessel.
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Post by yak on Jan 31, 2016 19:47:18 GMT -8
Looking across Tsawwassen Terminal from Berth 2 on Saturday morning. A warm sunrise illuminated the New Westminster but some threatening skies loomed on the horizon..
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Post by yak on Jan 20, 2016 15:42:15 GMT -8
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Post by yak on Jan 8, 2016 12:14:10 GMT -8
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Post by yak on Jan 2, 2016 13:58:58 GMT -8
I think you'll find its lines look better when it is sitting lower in the water (there is still a lot of weight to be added when the machinery and fittings are installed) and when the visors are in place. The rubbing strake will be a little less than 2m above the waterline - a little more than half what you see in the pictures. In fact, you can see the 4.65m design draft mark in the pictures. The visors will add another 2m or so on either end as well, giving a sleeker line to the vessel. If the visors add approximately another 12 1/2 feet to the linear outline of the vessel that will be an improvement. Sitting lower in the water with yet to be installed machinery etc. will reduce the 'stubby' look, as you say. I have had a great love affair with our venerable Spaulding class ships and have over the course of time been introduced to the C - class vessels, then the Coastals from Flensburger and onward to the Salish class, Polish built newcomers, and as a bit of an 'old-schooler' the changes over time take a bit of getting used to. The first two Salish class ferries will not only be replacing 2 of our old Spaulding favourites, but will also have to compete with other new passenger conveniences we have been afforded with the 'C class' and 'Coastal' ships. Hopefully the 'Salish' class ships will hit the mark with the best of what we have come to enjoy and expect. As you can probably tell from my avatar I am also a fan of the Spaulding designs. It is too bad that the ships of that era are approaching the end of their useful lives. I consider myself fortunate that I've gotten to work on two of them before they are retired. Part of what got me into sailing was watching the Queen of Burnaby as it came and went from Little River as I grew up - my highschool graduation was on that ship! That being said, I am also excited by the prospect of fresh ships being introduced into the fleet - both as someone who will get to sail them and as a lifelong follower of the ferries.
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Post by yak on Dec 31, 2015 15:44:36 GMT -8
I think you'll find its lines look better when it is sitting lower in the water (there is still a lot of weight to be added when the machinery and fittings are installed) and when the visors are in place. The rubbing strake will be a little less than 2m above the waterline - a little more than half what you see in the pictures. In fact, you can see the 4.65m design draft mark in the pictures. The visors will add another 2m or so on either end as well, giving a sleeker line to the vessel.
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Post by yak on Dec 21, 2015 19:38:55 GMT -8
I have just a small disagreement with routeone... I know a number of people who are moving along well in their careers on this coast who began in Cadet programs. Of my cohort that completed BCIT's program I know of one person working with Seaspan, one with BC Ferries (myself), two with the Coast Guard and two others with Shearwater - all in Licensed positions. In addition, I know of several alumni who graduated before or after me that have successfully made the jump back to this coast. It is true that cadet time will likely be earned elsewhere; however, the outside perspective that is brought back with you isn't necessarily a disadvantage. Cadets being "frowned upon" is only a point of view held by some as I have encountered many decision makers who appreciate the formal education component of a structured program. Also, in my experience, the average age of program alumni working as Officers is lower than those who came up through the hawse pipe. All that being said, I don't disagree with the benefits of learning on the job or making local connections early. Many of the best Captains and Mates I have worked with began as deckhands on the same ships that they are in charge of now. I wouldn't imply that there is anything wrong with routeone's suggestion that a prospective employee look at getting a foot in the door at the ground level. What I would say is that that is only one path and that in my experience going the route of formal training has proven to be at least equally beneficial to pursuing a career in BC.
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Post by yak on Dec 12, 2015 23:37:17 GMT -8
Not often the Quadra route gets cancelled by weather, and it seems a bit curious right now, as EC currently reports gusts of 43k at Campbell River.
Not a good day for a cancellation on route nine, as I believe the 'Nanaimo takes on fuel on Saturdays, so if she isn't able to do the afternoon crossing, that will impact the schedule another day, as well.
Folks on Cortes and Texada cut off again... been a bad week for them. The Nanaimo will try to minimize the impact of taking fuel by filling up in two goes this week.
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Post by yak on Nov 25, 2015 9:49:25 GMT -8
Thanks for the info Yak. Any idea what routes and GT these new ICF vessels will be? Sorry I am responding to this so late, I didn't see the post until now. The 3 new intermediate ferries are planned to replace the two Nanaimo Class ships. Two are earmarked to run the Little River-Westview route and the Long Harbour-Tsawwassen/Gulf Islands route (both of these routes are acceptable to TC for seatime). The third is envisioned as a relief vessel that supplements the other two during busy periods and during refit - though I don't know if BCF has decided exactly how to integrate it. As far as GT goes I am not 100% sure of the exact number but it will be far in excess of the minimum to earn seatime for bigger tickets.
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Post by yak on Nov 24, 2015 17:39:45 GMT -8
I think that the finished product will look a lot sleeker than the impression people are getting from the partially primed hull. They still need to add the visors and it looks like they still need to add the bridge wings too. I bet that with the bright white and blue as well as sitting a little lower in the water when all is said and done she'll grow on some of you.
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