FNS
Voyager 
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Apr 28, 2013 10:42:17 GMT -8
Question: Has the Island Home recently been in New York for dry dock work? I was in NYC on April 11, and noted a pair of wheelhouses matching the Island Home's in an apparently submerged drydock at the old US Navy Brooklyn Shipyard. I finally got around to looking for info tonight, and noted that the Island Home is showing up as being in Fairhaven, MA. If I am reading it right, it has been there since April 7th? (Edit: I did read this wrong. It's showing an ETA into wherever of July 4, which I thought was being shown in European format as April 7...) So what the heck did I see in New York? Is the data in error, and the Island Home was in New York, and is now back up north? Or did I see another similar class of vessel there in NY, perhaps one under construction? Here's a photo of the boat that we saw:  Thanks for any answers. Jody That was definitely the MV ISLAND HOME. Thanks for the picture!  This is a zoom of your photo. The JM2 Saloon Deck face, Saloon Deck to Sun Deck corner ladderways, and the Spaulding-like touch on her wide bridges confirms as being her. She was there for her required drydocking session. I read all the minutes from the monthly meetings the SSA puts on their website and the contract for the ISLAND HOME's work was awarded to the yard you've captured on you camera. I looked at the tracking right after the scheduled departure (from the minutes) and it showed her passing up the East River and out on the channel between the mainland and Long Island before reaching the SSA VMC at Fairhaven MA. I think the drydock there operates like a locks with a door that closes and the water drained out, lowering the ship's keel to the "cradle". I think the one at Esquimalt operates the same way. I was looking for photos on the web and updates on Google Earth with no sighting of her. Your photo made our day! Many thanks!!  |
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Jody
Chief Steward
Ferry Foamer
Posts: 152
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Post by Jody on Apr 30, 2013 7:56:56 GMT -8
Glad I could "help" by blundering around up there. After I sent the message, I remembered seeing a similar drydock on Mare Island near Valejo, CA earlier this year. Photo is attached below. Thanks for filling in the gaps in info that I couldn't find. Mare Island drydock. (I presume a proper cradle would be constructed underneath each vessel before draining the basin.)  Take care. Jody |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Aug 22, 2013 0:19:26 GMT -8
The SSA has made its decision. The GOVERNOR will be replaced by a "Super Freight" vessel. About seven feet shorter than the GOVERNOR and twenty feet shorter than the ISLAND HOME. About the same size as the MARTHA'S VINEYARD. Here's the story from the MV Times: www.mvtimes.com/2013/08/21/ssa-chooses-super-freight-boat-replace-governor-17011/SSA chooses super freight boat to replace GovernorAugust 21, 2013 At a meeting Tuesday in Hyannis, Steamship Authority members endorsed general manager Wayne Lamson's recommendation that the freight vessel Governor be replaced with a new 235-foot vessel that can operate year-round to either island with a vehicle capacity of up to 17 trucks or 50 car equivalent units and a passenger capacity of at least 384 passengers, including inside seating for at least 250. The proposed replacement vessel would be similar in size to the Martha's Vineyard, with the ability to carry a lot more trucks on certain trips, without the first mezzanine passenger decks. She would also be able to carry automobiles and passengers from those automobiles on other trips, according to a management report of the meeting. The SSA said the new vessel could be a prototype replacement vessel for the SSA's other freight vessels when they are retired. Board members agreed with management's recommendation that the replacement vessel be designed for use comfortably on both routes. However, they asked Mr. Lamson to return next month with an analysis of the costs and benefits that would result if the SSA were to increase the interior passenger capacity of the proposed replacement vessel to more than 500 passengers and were to include more passenger amenities on board, such as a food concession area and larger restrooms. Three options were on the table last month to replace the aging freight vessel. Each carries a price tag that will put pressure on the fare box. The authority members reviewed the options at their monthly meeting on July 23, held in Oak Bluffs. The choices included a "super-size" freight boat, a new passenger/vehicle ferry similar in size to the Martha's Vineyard, and an even larger ferry of the same type as the Island Home. Management estimated the cost to operate each boat and estimated operating revenues, or the forecast net loss, at between $2.25 million and $3.8 million. That difference between operating costs and revenue would be offset by a combination of revenue generated by an increase in traffic volume, greater efficiencies, and a hike in fares, Mr. Lamson said. In other business, management announced that work is to begin after Columbus Day on improvements to the Palmer Avenue lot in Falmouth, including a bike path connector between the Shining Sea bike path and Palmer Avenue, across from Katharine Lee Bates Road. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Here are the minutes from the meeting as a PDF document: www1.steamshipauthority.com/writable/files/ssa_meeting_summary_-_2013-08-20.pdf |
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Post by ldkendal on Nov 24, 2013 14:22:55 GMT -8
Hello Ferry Community- I am a Vineyarder (as in Martha's) now in Los Angeles. I've started a Facebook page on our ferries that might interest readers here. Please visit: www.facebook.com/ssnobska?ref=hl I am trying to post old photos and ephemera I have on hand, including pix of our retired vessels. Thanks! Lukas Kendall |
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Post by Mike C on Nov 24, 2013 14:54:30 GMT -8
Hello Ferry Community- I am a Vineyarder (as in Martha's) now in Los Angeles. I've started a Facebook page on our ferries that might interest readers here. Please visit: www.facebook.com/ssnobska?ref=hl I am trying to post old photos and ephemera I have on hand, including pix of our retired vessels. Thanks! Lukas Kendall Hi Lukas, welcome aboard! Please feel free to share your stories and photos here on the forum. We have a Facebook page as well (West Coast Ferries Forum) - check it out. Thanks for checking in! |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Dec 18, 2013 10:32:57 GMT -8
The next step of replacing the retiring MV GOVERNOR has been decided as announced by the SSA in their monthly meeting held yesterday, Tuesday, December 17, 2013. The SSA chose EBDG to do the design work. It is quite fitting that a Seattle firm does the design work of a new ferry that will replace a ferry that was designed in the same city. The meeting summary is at: www1.steamshipauthority.com/writable/files/meeting_summary_-_2013-12-17.pdf |
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Post by SS San Mateo on Apr 12, 2014 18:27:47 GMT -8
Ferry Islander laid to rest in ship graveyardBY STEVE MYRICK PUBLISHED APRIL 12, 2014 A chance encounter turned up the sad remains of the beloved vessel in the shoals between Staten Island and New Jersey.
It’s a sight that may bring a tear to the eye of many who traveled to and from Martha’s Vineyard aboard her, but the M/V Islander has made her final voyage to a “ship graveyard” off Staten Island. Most of the beloved vessel was cut up for scrap metal in a New Jersey salvage shipyard over the past year. But Nicole Dib, who writes a blog called The Escape Boat stumbled upon what’s left of the Islander’s hull while exploring a little known and difficult to find spot off the southwestern shore of Staten Island. There, in the tidal flats, she found the hull of the Islander lying among dozens of other ship carcasses. The hull and the freight deck appear in intact, along with a small portion of the vessel’s central support structure, but the rest of the ferry is gone. The ship’s name and hail port are still visible. John Wagenseil, a seaman who worked aboard Steamship Authority ferries from 1975 to 1981, saw a picture of the ferry online and sent it to The Times. More at: www.mvtimes.com/2014/04/12/ferry-islander-laid-to-rest-in-ship-graveyard/
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Apr 25, 2014 14:12:57 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 25, 2014 15:05:14 GMT -8
A fine looking ship, in the 2nd photo. That from-the-bow view is very BCF-Spaulding in parts of its style. Thanks for finding this and sharing it. |
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Post by compdude787 on Apr 25, 2014 16:07:23 GMT -8
Yeah, this new ferry does look pretty nice. I was expecting it to look a lot like their other truck ferries like the Katama, Gay Head, and Sankaty. This looks more like a single-ended version of the Island Home and more passenger space than the Governor has. Oh, and that pilothouse closely resembles the ones on the JMIIs and the Olympics. Also, there is a link in the article to a PDF document showing the plans for the vessel. Link: www.mvtimes.com/mvt/uploads/2014/04/SSA-Preliminary-Design-Plans-web.pdf |
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,885 
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Post by Mill Bay on May 30, 2014 10:34:16 GMT -8
Very nice looking ship... BCFerries could stand to take notes for replacements for the Burnaby and Nanaimo: Single-ended, enclosed bow and raised bulwarks at the stern to keep heavy seas out. It would likely need to be a bit bigger for route 9 or 17, but at least it would still capture the feel of the old Spauldings, and some of the look, too. I'm actually slightly surprised they wouldn't just build another Island Home-class vessel since that design is already proven. |
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Post by mariner42 on May 30, 2014 16:35:45 GMT -8
This vessel's general appearance somewhat resembles that of the new Fogo Island, Bell Island ships.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,885
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Post by Mill Bay on Jun 5, 2014 12:47:51 GMT -8
This vessel's general appearance somewhat resembles that of the new Fogo Island, Bell Island ships. So why is at that all these other ferry systems seem to be able to design nice looking new ships, but BCFerries only wants Island Sky type barges? I really wish the SSA design would find its way to BCFerries. If it was about doubled in length it would probably come close to BCFerries idea of 145 AEQ if gallery decks were added. With the passenger cabin extended out aft, and made a bit wider to compensate, it would be an even better stand in for the B-Class than the Alaska Class proposal. For one thing, no center casing to make loading the cardeck a nightmare, which is surprising because Elliot Bay seems to like that feature. Maybe that's a lesson that the SSA gleaned from the Island Home, and it could even make outside gallery decks a possible design feature on a single ended ship design. |
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Post by Kahloke on Jun 5, 2014 14:12:41 GMT -8
I really wish the SSA design would find its way to BCFerries. If it was about doubled in length it would probably come close to BCFerries idea of 145 AEQ if gallery decks were added. With the passenger cabin extended out aft, and made a bit wider to compensate, it would be an even better stand in for the B-Class than the Alaska Class proposal. For one thing, no center casing to make loading the cardeck a nightmare, which is surprising because Elliot Bay seems to like that feature. Maybe that's a lesson that the SSA gleaned from the Island Home, and it could even make outside gallery decks a possible design feature on a single ended ship design. FYI, the latest Alaska class design also eliminates the center fidley in lieu of stairways and elevator shafts along the side: www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/documents/010214_ACF_General_Arrangement.pdfWhen I rode on Island Home several years ago, the crew members I talked to that day alluded to the fact that they were not all that thrilled with Island Home's layout, and one of them said that they rarely use the platform decks because of the time involved in deploying them, loading them, and unloading them. It throws them off schedule too much, so even in the busy summer months, they often do not get used, or at least they didn't back then. Maybe they've figured out how to make it work better now; don't know. |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Jun 22, 2014 11:04:29 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Jul 15, 2014 13:15:21 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Oct 9, 2014 19:40:33 GMT -8
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Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 17, 2014 15:02:28 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Dec 6, 2014 8:00:53 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Dec 9, 2014 8:54:59 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Dec 12, 2014 23:41:19 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Dec 16, 2014 1:29:32 GMT -8
From the Vineyard Gazette: vineyardgazette.com/news/2014/12/15/ssa-awards-364-million-contract-new-freight-ferry?k=vg548326bfa106cAn updated 3D rendering of the MV WOODS HOLE is at: vineyardgazette.com/sites/default/files/article-assets/main-photos/2014/13098-client_rendering_101-1.pngThe Steamship Authority has awarded a $36.4 million contract for a large new freight ferry.
At a meeting in Hyannis late last week, the boat line governors voted to hire Conrad Shipyard to build the ferry at their shipyard in Morgan City, La.
The steel ferry, which has already been named Woods Hole, will be built inside a large building at the Louisiana shipyard and delivered to Fairhaven by spring of 2016.
The boat will accommodate 384 people and 55 vehicles and will replace the freight ferry Governor, plying both the Nantucket and the Vineyard routes.
Speaking by telephone last week, SSA general manager Wayne Lamson called the ferry a “super freight boat” and emphasized its large carrying capacity when compared with the other freight boats.
The ferry will have a larger passenger area and will include a snack bar. It will also be quieter than the other freight vessels and more maneuverable, Mr. Lamson said.
Conrad was the low bidder for the project. The other proposal was submitted by Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., which offered to build the ferry for $41 million.
Boat line representatives traveled to Conrad Shipyard last week to tour the facilities.
“They came away saying they felt the shipyard was capable of doing this and doing a very good job,” Mr. Lamson said.
The ferry will measure 235 feet long, about 20 feet shorter than the Island Home, the newest car and passenger ferry in the fleet that has been in service since 2007. And unlike the Island Home, the Woods Hole will have one wheelhouse instead of two.
The Island Home went to bid about 10 years ago, and cost $32 million; far more than any other previous boat project.
The Woods Hole will cost the Steamship Authority more. SSA senior managers estimate that all told, the budget for the overall project will exceed $40 million.
Many factors contribute to the high cost of ferry construction, said Brian King, vice president of engineering at Elliot Bay Design Group, the firm that designed the ferry. The original estimate for the boat put its price around $38 million.
“Getting a bid that was actually below the engineers’ estimate, that is perfect shooting,” Mr. King said.
Detailed cost estimates rely in part on an itemized assessment of the cost of the parts, labor, and equipment needed for construction, he explained.
The cost is also estimated based on the competitiveness of the market, which Mr. King said was significant among boat yards in the south this year. The yards are busy with commercial contracts, especially for oil rig vessels, so getting two bids on a public project was not a surprise, Mr. King said.
“They weren’t hungry for projects,” he said of shipyards. He added that regulations for the construction of a public-use vessel are more stringent than for commercial boats.
Since the Island Home went to bid, the cost of vessel construction has changed a lot, Mr. King said.
“The marine construction inflation rates have gone up considerably, part of that is the demand,” he said. “It is one thing to rationally assess the cost of construction, but the real cost of the vessel has to do with how much demand there is for the vessels.”
Now that oil prices are depressed, demand may decrease for oil rig vessels, he said.
The Woods Hole will be built in an assembly hall in Morgan City, unlike the Island Home which was built outside.
As a result, weather is not expected to stall the construction at any point. Conrad has 505 days to complete the project.
The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Woods Hole in spring of 2016 in time for Memorial Day weekend.
“I think it’s a great boat and it looks like it’s going to a very good contractor that is well qualified to do this work,” Mr. King said.
In other boat line news, starting in January, Vineyard governor Marc Hanover will become chairman of the Steamship Authority board.*** *** *** *** *** *** So, we guess this means that the clocks are ticking backwards by months and days of the long career of the MV GOVERNOR. She'll soon lose her engines to the MV SANKATY. |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Feb 15, 2015 12:45:17 GMT -8
We have another webcam to enjoy. This is supplied by the Woods Hole Inn and overlooks the ferry terminal.  This is a 50% thumbnail preview of what you can see on this webcam. I've captured this image today after yet another round of blizzard conditions hitting the area. We see the ISLAND HOME in the dock. There were cancellations today due to the storm. There should be some trips run tomorrow (Monday). This cam is a live video stream. Depending on your system and Internet connection speed, this is a rather fluid feed. It's fun to watch the ferries come and go day and night, and to see the buses from the parking lots drop off and pick up passengers. The flags will show you the wind direction. The ISLAND HOME's arrivals and departures are similar to what we see her west coast sisters do in Port Townsend. The cam can be currently seen at: woodsholeinn.com/the-area/webcam/It takes a little bit of time for the streaming video image to appear on your screen. Be patient. ENJOY! |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,942
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Post by FNS on Jul 13, 2015 5:15:57 GMT -8
Monday greetings! The SSA has released some first construction photos of the new MV WOODS HOLE being built at Conrad. This PDF is more than 5mb in size: www.steamshipauthority.com/writable/files/m.v.woodshole_construction_project.pdfwww.steamshipauthority.com/news/118-m_v_woods_hole_ferry_construction_project This is an updated 3-D rendering of the new MV WOODS HOLE released by the SSA. The Main Deck is similar to Calmac's new MV LOCH SEAFORTH with a closed bow and an open stern (the difference is that the forward part of the LS is an actual bow that opens up and the WH has giant sliding hatches like what the ISLAND HOME and QUEEN OF ALBERNI have).As common with some shipyards, the hull is being built upside down. It will then be up-righted with the superstructure added and finished. |
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 13, 2015 5:43:29 GMT -8
Monday greetings! The SSA has released some first construction photos of the new MV WOODS HOLE being built at Conrad. This PDF is more than 5mb in size: www.steamshipauthority.com/writable/files/m.v.woodshole_construction_project.pdfwww.steamshipauthority.com/news/118-m_v_woods_hole_ferry_construction_projectThis is an updated 3-D rendering of the new MV WOODS HOLE released by the SSA. The Main Deck is similar to Calmac's new MV LOCH SEAFORTH with a closed bow and an open stern (the difference is that the forward part of the LS is an actual bow that opens up and the WH has giant sliding hatches like what the ISLAND HOME and QUEEN OF ALBERNI have).As common with some shipyards, the hull is being built upside down. It will then be up-righted with the superstructure added and finished. These new vessels offer a really good design and either bow door function would seem to be a toss-up. Maybe with a bit more cabin /passenger space on an upper deck, wouldn't one of these ships be a good fit for a revived Route 40 service for Summer months and a more economical fit for Winter service on Route 11? Come to think of it, this design looks like it might be a good fit for many BCF routes.
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