Irish Ferry Car Capacity

[Curtis]

How do you think they fit over 1000 cars on one ship? I think there is some sort of ramp that goes to another deck below. Anyone have a explanation?

[Balfour]

They probably have many ramps on the Ulyses

[cascade]

PR Queen - in an answer to your question - on the Ulysses - she has two stern ramps which load two lanes of cars - therefore 4 lanes of cars drive in. Internally on her she has ramps - so what we call in Europe a "twin decker".

So more info on her -
Keel 24th Jan 2000
Launched 1st September 2000
Top Speed - 22 KN. She runs about 18knts service speed
L - 209M
B - 31.2M hence how she is able to load 4 lanes of cars. Also for you to remember European cars are not as wide as North American car - nor as long.

She was built in Finland - not a cheap country per say to built - but they have done a great job. Yes she is big - 12 decks - lot's of space.

Now for your info - here in Europe - to unload the ferry - you drive around inside the vessel and out the Stern - it is not a pure RO/RO like the BC Ferries. Therefore she can work from any Ferry dock in Europe - as they are all the same.
Also there is not a problem with "bow" doors - like what has happen in the past. By making the bow - "normal" - she can get up to speed quickly and there are no increase in Bow weight - or increases in the structure - steel in the bow section for the doors.

If you look at most BC ferry vessels - you will notice that they are "bow" heavy - hence they "dig" in to the waves while making a crossing - more like plow into a wave - then surf over it. This is due to the extra weight the vessels carry for the bow door structures.

[NMcKay]

and then you should look at the lynx, shes so stern heavy she tends to "jump" outta the water in heavy waves, but she still gets up to 30+ knots.

[Alex]

cascade said:

Therefore she can work from any Ferry dock in Europe - as they are all the same.

Didn't you just say she loads from two ramps? I thought you said before that most ferry terminals in Europe were single ramped.

[Curtis]

Now I know she has about 7 decks for cars trucks and trailers and lots more

[Quinsam]

Here is a pic I found on A Google Search:

[Curtis]

Now thats what im talkin about look at all the car decks

[NMcKay]

I dont think there is much of a added weight with the bow doors. The Pacificats did. but that was to allow her to access existing BCF Berths. The Bow doors shouldn't weigh that much extra.

[Alex]

cascade said:

Also there is not a problem with "bow" doors - like what has happen in the past. By making the bow - "normal" - she can get up to speed quickly and there are no increase in Bow weight - or increases in the structure - steel in the bow section for the doors.

Actually, the Ulysses DOES have bow doors. They're different than the BC Ferries ones, and even different from the northern ships in BCF. But beyond that, I still don't think that the bow doors would be all that heavy. I mean, any device that is designed to be moved is going to be optimized for weight, right? I can't think of a specific reason why the doors would need to be any stronger than the hull itself, and therefore it shouldn't weigh much more than the hull.

[cascade]

Alex,

They do not have pure bow doors - but what we call side bow doors. You at the last picture and you can see them. They have internal ramps - that drop down to load and unload.

On this vessel the large - commercial trucks go on the lower decks - where as the two mid - decks - the height is not there for trucks - hence cars take these decks.

They can unload via the side bow doors and by driving around inside the vessel - cars do that - exit via one of the two stern ramps - as shown in the picture.

[Alex]

cascade,

What about the two ramp loading system? They showed the trucks loading from two ramps on the show I was watching.

[Political Incorrectness]

which show

[Curtis]

Super Ships?

[Political Incorrectness]

what channel?

[cascade]

Alex,

The two stern ramps you see in the last picture - they use this to load first the trucks - two at a time. Once all the trucks are loaded - they drop the internal ramps and the cars go in - first to the top - mid deck level, then that ramp is put up and the next level is loaded - cars only. It does take time to load her. I believe around 4 hours.

[Political Incorrectness]

HOLY CRUD!!

[Curtis]

Thats Crap

[Curtis]

ferrymaniac101 said:

what channel?

Discovery Channel

[Political Incorrectness]

DARN IT ALL THE TIME!! I need schedules when stuff is coming up are they showing it again?

[Alex]

cascade said:

Alex,

The two stern ramps you see in the last picture - they use this to load first the trucks - two at a time. Once all the trucks are loaded - they drop the internal ramps and the cars go in - first to the top - mid deck level, then that ramp is put up and the next level is loaded - cars only. It does take time to load her. I believe around 4 hours.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear!

What I meant was that you said most terminals in europe are single ramp loading, yet you also said that the Ulysses could be used at any dock in Europe.

If so, the same could be said for the C's, no? They have internal ramps to load the upper car deck. Well, I know the Surrey and the Oaky Bay do anyways. This kind of contradicts your previous statements about how it was bad business for BC Ferries to have two ramp loading systems.

[Balfour]

I know the Coq has an internal ramp as well, and I think the Cow too, but not the Alberni.

[Political Incorrectness]

and the oak bay and surrey

[Curtis]

They all do except for ol no ramp

[Balfour]

That's the Alberni, right?