WSF building new ferries

[SS San Mateo]

www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/NewVessel/

News release:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/commuter_updates/index.cfm?fuseaction=press_releases_content&press_release_id=280

-- LB

[Political Incorrectness]

FYI old stuff

[SS San Mateo]

ferrymaniac101 said:

FYI old stuff

I know. I didn't see anything about it posted here (at least not in its own topic), so I figured I'd post the article here.

Depending on how WSF decides to deal with the dock at Keystone, they may end up building additional boats. Currently only the Steel-Electrics can be used on that route. They were planning on relocating the dock, but the legislature told WSF to look at possibly modifying Keystone Harbor. If they do that, then they may have to built boats designed specifically for that route.

-- LB

[NMcKay]

and we all know how that worked (Fastcats)

[SS San Mateo]

Looks like they may be building an additional ferry. According to this article:

seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp?category=6420&slug=WA%20XGR%20Gas%20Tax%20Ferries

WSF is planning on replacing the Hyak (which is odd considering WSF has recently done interior improvements on her and replaced the car deck lighting and she is getting an elevator soon).

-- LB

[Koastal Karl]

How come the steel electrics can only use the docks at Keystone?? They not big enough for the other ferries?

[SS San Mateo]

Karl said:

How come the steel electrics can only use the docks at Keystone?? They not big enough for the other ferries?

The harbor is narrow and at low tides the larger ferries would probably run aground. Currents would probably also cause problems with the larger boats (they would have to go fast into the harbor to prevent getting caught in the current and probably wouldn't have enough time to slow down). The Rhododendron (which used to operate on that route) can't be used on that route (as well as most other routes) because it's only certified for routes that don't cross major shipping lanes and are at most 0.8 or 0.9 nautical miles from shore.

-- LB

[Political Incorrectness]

SS is right, they are going to modify the harbor but there are zones where they can't do any construction do to the enviornment.

[SS San Mateo]

Tacoma yard appeals ferry bid rejection

seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/220392_ferry16.html

-- LB

[Quinsam]

I Think that WSF Doesn't even have minor vessels like BCFerries Does, not sure though.

[Curtis]

The smallest ship in that fleet is the Hiyu

[Quinsam]

Is this it?



Looks like a cross between Nimpkish and Skeena Queen.

[NMcKay]

yeah that would be her. ugly eh?

[Political Incorrectness]

the old Hiyu used to run between Port Defiance and Telequah and now it is mothballed at Winslow as a classroom for new WSF employees

[Curtis]

Crrraaazzy thats what the Hiyu looks like Harry you're right it's a combination of the Nimpkish and the Skeena although I would say combined with the Quinitsa. Or it could be the Nimpkish's car deck flattened out and the bridige modifyed to drive both ways and put in the center of the ship

[SS San Mateo]

Dan said:

the old Hiyu used to run between Port Defiance and Telequah and now it is mothballed at Winslow as a classroom for new WSF employees

In the early 80's, she did the San Juan inner-island run during the summers and was permanently assigned there in the summer of 1990 (the Olympic became the year-round boat on the Pt. Defiance-Tahlequah run until the Rhododenron returned to service in mid-1992).

Her last duty with WSF was on the Mukilteo-Clinton route.

She has been used on the Steilacoom-Anderson Island-Ketron Island run (operated by Pierce Co).

She has/had a sister ship that ran to/from Ford Island in Hawaii.

www.netvettes.com/rr/rrjims57.html - see bottom picture.

-- LB

[hergfest]

The new transportation package just passed by Washington includes money for another new boat ($112 million) to replace the Hyak, one of the Super Ferries. I have not seen if it will be one of the new class (Issaquah 130 type) or a direct replacement for the Hyak. The Kaleeten, Elwha, and Yakima, the other three in the Super Ferry class, have all been refurbished and will continue to run in the San Juans in the summer mostly.

[SS San Mateo]

hergfest said:

The new transportation package just passed by Washington includes money for another new boad ($112 million) to replace the Hyak, one of the Super Ferries.

Which doesn't make a lot of sense, considering she's gone through some interior upgrades, new lighting on the car deck (she was the last currently active WSF ferry to have incadesant lighting for the car deck), and will soon be getting an elevator.

-- LB

[Dane]

Isnt the ship a mechanical piece of crap?

[hergfest]

Not really. I don't recall the Hyak breaking down lately, although the Elwha and Kaleetan have both broken down in the last year.
The main advantages of the Super Class are a 2500 person passenger capacity and a 20 knot speed. They also have a narrow, shallow hull which means less wake (a bonus in the San Juan Islands). All four were built for the commuter runs out of Seattle and you don't need the passenger capacity for the San Juan runs. The other point is that they are more costly to operate than the current Issaquah Class vessels, and even more so for the new class. So it is a money saving move for the future, especially if gas keeps going up.
The only place they run the Supers now are in the San Juan Islands, execpt for relief work in the winter. This is because this is the biggest ferry WSF can run in the San Juans because the Islanders didn't like the Jumbo Class. WSF ran the Walla Walla in the San Juans and the Islanders complained about the wake and "influxe" of cars she put on the Islands. So even though the Supers now hold only about 15 more cars than the Issaquah class, they need that capacity in the summer. And since they only need three Supers, the Hyak is the odd boat out since it never had a mid-life refit.

[NMcKay]

yeah. they are nice boats, but they are a little more spartian than what we are used to.

[SS San Mateo]

The super class ferries are still used on the Bremerton run (which seems to generally have a combination of the Kitsap, Walla Walla, and a super ferry (either Hyak or Kaleetan).

I was looking at the vessel assignments once the new ferries are in service and it mentioned that the Hyak would be in the reserve fleet if it hadn't gone though refurbishment.

-- LB

[Koastal Karl]

That one summer when we went down to Washington State they had the Elwha plus two other Super Class ferries in the Saun Juans. Probably the Kaleeten and Yakima. Plus the little inter island ferry. They are different boats than our ships. They had the galley on the upper passenger deck on the Anacortes end. Basically the lower passenger deck was just lounge seating, as hardly any amenities that's why they can carry 2500 passengers. Bare bones those ferries. Interesting though. I would like to ride the Steel Electric Class ferries once before they retire.

[hergfest]

Best place to ride a Steel Electric is the PT-Keystone Route. Take the Victoria ferry to Port Angeles, then across the ferry, then back to Canada.

[Koastal Karl]

Yeah I had thought of doing that trip once. Hopefully one day!