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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 9, 2007 11:10:24 GMT -8
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Post by EGfleet on Mar 16, 2008 10:16:58 GMT -8
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Apr 4, 2008 16:45:40 GMT -8
Greetings, all! I have just received two new ferry books in the mail today. These are in the "Images of America" series, the same what Mr. Pickens has his book "FERRIES OF PUGET SOUND" under. Publisher is Arcadia. www.arcadiapublishing.comThe first one to mention is: "MICHIGAN STATE FERRIES" Les Bagley 2007 This book is a must for those SUZY-Q aficionados. Great photos of her and an inside pic as well. Very excellent coverage of the services provided by the Great Lakes ferry lines. Well done coverage of the MV VACATIONLAND with her own chapter extending through the rest of the book as well as western coverage of her as the MV SUNSHINE COAST QUEEN to that unbearable photo of the last moments we could see her. Well done! The other one is: "FERRIES OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY" Paul C Trimble with William Knorp 2007 The SWSTR SANTA CLARA is on the cover. This is an unbelievable book! There are some photos I haven't seen yet. Well done. Page 82 shows the launching of the MV MENDOCINO, later our beloved MV NISQUALLY, on April 14, 1927. Pay no attention to the photo below as this real photo postcard is actually the REDWOOD EMPIRE (they masked her name out and hand written MENDOCINO on the master). The two photos on Page 83 are correct and are of the MV REDWOOD EMPIRE and MV SANTA ROSA. Superb photos of the other ferries. Very nice photos of the first ISSAQUAH (she was a north San Francisco Bay ferry after her initial Lake Washington days were over). I'll let these books speak for themselves! *** *** *** LET THE REVIEWS POUR IN ON THESE NEW BOOKS!  edited to change thread title per request |
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Post by Ferryman on Apr 4, 2008 17:36:34 GMT -8
Thanks for the update, Ferrynut. Les Bagley is a member of our forum (divcoles), and I was in touch with him about 2 years ago now, through this forum. About 20 years ago, he created a movie called "A Ferry's Wake", and dedicated to all those who had worked on the Sunshine Coast Queen. The video consisted on the entire history of the vessel, right from when the first drawing was ever made for the vessel, before it was ever built, right until it sank in the Pacific Ocean. But it was really a slideshow of photos, and was narrated by himself. He sent me a copy of this video on a DVD through the mail, and I thuroughly enjoyed the video. I remember him mentioning to me about a book on the Michigan State Ferries that he was writing at the time. So I'm glad to see that it's out now. (Congrats, Les!). PS: right now I'm running off a wireless connection at YVR, waiting for my flight to Kelowna, which has been delayed....  |
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Apr 4, 2008 18:31:04 GMT -8
Great info, Chris.
Hope your flight is a good one from CYVR to CYLW!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 4, 2008 19:30:31 GMT -8
The first one to mention is: "MICHIGAN STATE FERRIES" Les Bagley 2007 This book is a must for those SUZY-Q aficionados. Great photos of her and an inside pic as well. Very excellent coverage of the services provided by the Great Lakes ferry lines. Well done coverage of the MV VACATIONLAND with her own chapter extending through the rest of the book as well as western coverage of her as the MV SUNSHINE COAST QUEEN to that unbearable photo of the last moments we could see her. Well done! Good to hear that Mr. Bagley's book is now out. Check out this thread for more info: ferriesbc.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=otherna&action=display&thread=1205939634 |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 4, 2008 19:35:00 GMT -8
Les Bagley is a member of our forum (divcoles) a-ha, now that makes sense. Thanks for that bit of info, Chris. I'm glad that Mr. Bagley is on our forum, from time to time. I really enjoyed reading through his series that was published in the St. Ignace newspaper. |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 15, 2008 6:26:34 GMT -8
professionalmariner.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=DFBD8E2C07A040419CEE3B8A311F0BD0&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS
Ferry with 22 aboard stalls, drifts in middle of Potomac RiverCoast Guard evacuates passengers, assesses vessel conditionThe following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (BALTIMORE) -- The Coast Guard is responding to White's Ferry after it became stuck in the middle of the Potomac River Friday. A Coast Guard marine inspector and an investigator from Coast Guard Sector Baltimore are responding to the ferry, which stalled in the river at about 8 a.m. Loudoun County and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews were able to remove 22 passengers from the ferry and transport them to the Maryland side of the river. "The marine inspector is going to examine the vessel for damage and ensure further safe operations," said Lt. Cmdr. John Dittmar, chief of the inspections division at Sector Baltimore. The incident is currently under investigation.
professionalmariner.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=1332FC9725814F4D93803677D01749F4
Texas car ferry runs aground at Galveston Island landing
Divers inspecting hull of the Ray Stoker Jr.The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: (HOUSTON) -- Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Galveston along with TXDOT responded to the grounding of the Bolivar Ferry, 60-yards from the ferry landing Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008. MSU Galveston received a call at approximately 8:30 a.m. from the ferry dispatch office, which reported the Ray Stoker Jr. had run aground. The ferry was carrying 38 people and 20 cars, and was transiting from the Bolivar Peninsula to Galveston Island when it grounded. The ferry re-floated and was underway by 9:30 a.m. No injuries to passengers or damage to the vessel has been reported. The Coast Guard has restricted the use of the Ray Stoker Jr. until it is verified that the ferry sustained no damage. Divers will be used to inspect the hull of the vessel. The Coast Guard is currently investigating the cause of the grounding.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 16, 2008 11:51:43 GMT -8
marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=213882
Christening of Gemini, Eco-Friendly FerryOn Dec. 12, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) christened the first of its fleet of ferries, Gemini, to enhance the region’s emergency response capability and water transit network. Representative Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson performed the christening ceremony. Ms. Haught Johnson applauded the Bay Area for coming together to forge strong partnerships to enable WETA to build a fleet of ferries that are revolutionizing the ferry industry. "Gemini’s innovative design and propulsion technology shows that the Bay Area is on the forefront of environmental innovation. We responded to the concern of local communities for cleaner air and bay protection," added Ms. Haught Johnson. Gemini’s exhaust is 85% cleaner than EPA emission standards for Tier II (2007) marine engines, and is ten times cleaner than existing Bay Area ferries. In 2004, state legislation approved WETA’s strict air emissions standard and its Regional Ferry Plan following completion of required environmental documents. Significant emissions reductions are achieved by incorporating selective catalytic reduction and a blend of biodiesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. Two solar panels installed on the bridge deck will gauge the feasibility of solar power in the Bay’s foggy conditions. The catamaran’s sleek hull design reduces fuel consumption and minimizes shoreline response to wake impacts. Other innovative measures include sonar for avoiding whale strikes and floating debris. Additionally, the U.S. Geological Service completed a three-year rafting bird study to enable WETA to operate the vessels with minimal impact on water birds for safety and security, the bridge was raised and eight-foot wide windows were installed to give the operator a 360-degree view. WETA’s 149-passenger vessel will be put into service on the Alameda/Oakland Ferry and Tiburon routes in January 2009 after modifications to the Alameda and Oakland docks. Gemini will also be available as a spare vessel in case of temporary disruption of transit service or damage to the Bay Area highways and bridges. Gemini and her future sister vessel, Pisces, were constructed with $16m of funding from Bay Bridge tolls (Regional Measure 2) approved by Bay Area voters in 2004. Gemini has room for 34 bicycles, 20% more capacity than similar size ferries on the Bay. A spigot and hose was installed for cyclists to wash off sea spray off their bikes. Gemini’s interior design responds to Bay Area commuters’ desire for convenience and comfort. Restrooms are ADA compliant. Passengers will have WiFi accessibility. The design and construction of Gemini was managed by a woman engineer, Mary Frances Culnane ("Mare"), WETA’s Manager of Marine Engineering. Mare previously supervised tanker construction projects for Chevron Shipping Company and sailed as Chief Engineer for Exxon. She is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY (1980). Two Washington state boat builders – Ice Floe, Inc. dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) and Kvichak Marine Industries (KMI) built Gemini. Pacific Power (Washington) provided the propulsion system. Bay Ship and Yacht Company (Alameda) performed a haul out for hull cleaning and final survey. WETA entered into an agreement with the City of Alameda to place Gemini into the Alameda/Oakland Ferry Service. This service is operated by the Blue and Gold Fleet under a contract with the City of Alameda. WETA is expecting delivery of its next ferry, Pisces, in March 2009. In late 2009, two other vessels are scheduled for delivery. WETA’s four new vessels will launch the South San Francisco-Oakland service in late 2010 and/or the Berkeley/Albany to San Francisco route. They will also be used as spare vessels for emergency response. Environmental and design studies are underway for new ferry routes to Berkeley, Redwood City, Hercules, Richmond, Antioch and Martinez. WETA is a regional agency created by the State of California to develop and operate an environmentally responsible regional ferry system that connects communities, reduces congestion, and provides an emergency response capability. A board of five members appointed by the Governor and Legislature governs WETA.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Dec 16, 2008 13:55:59 GMT -8
Good on San Fran for the new service. As I have said before I am in strong favour of diversified transit options.
The costs of incenting such services are not as dear as some people think. Tax breaks and incentives could make marginal services much more stable. Ask CLF and GIWT. Easy access to docks and less red tape would also go a long way. Ignoring side issues, does it really cost Translink that much to have one, two or three services feed into their dock? Particularly when some of those arrivals will link into transit.
San Fran learned the hard way after the last earthquake and the need for alternatives to the bridges. Vancouver with its two bridges is very vulnerable to a lot of disruptions. I have missed flights at YVR through bridge problems and having to detour into heavy traffic at Ironworkers/Second Narrows.
Not only is it wise for disaster/disruption reasons, but the cost of having the population car dependent is already being paid in many areas including health care. The explosion of childhood Asthma and other illnesses that can be directly connected to things like air polution.
VANOC is vey quiet about non-Sea-to-Sky alternatives but hopefully they have plans in place that are extensive just not public.
Imagine if the disruption to the Lions Gate that took place during the deck replacement, took place for weeks at an end including prime time daytime. The costs to individuals for gas and time alone would be astronomical. A tremor that puts into doubt the foundation of one of the piers for example.
I am not in favour of masses of money being spent for "what if" items but the expanding of options in the lower mainland is past the point of just being a good idea. When we lived there they were talking about more of it, and even were talking subways which they only are getting to now.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 17, 2008 6:23:59 GMT -8
San Fran learned the hard way after the last earthquake and the need for alternatives to the bridges. Vancouver with its two bridges is very vulnerable to a lot of disruptions. I have missed flights at YVR through bridge problems and having to detour into heavy traffic at Ironworkers/Second Narrows. heh heh heh...let me bust yer chops ;D ...I would say it's at least 10 bridges plus the tunnel connecting Vancouver to the suburbs over three major water crossings; the Fraser and Pitt Rivers and the harbour. This does not include several outliers in the Fraser Valley, nor does it include rail bridges or intra-city bridges. Many are questionable as to their ability to survive a significant earthquake even with the retrofitting received in the last 10 years. lol...that out of the way, I'd agree wholeheartedly that Vancouver would be in for a rude awakening should "The Big One" hit. The city proper is isolated, as is the North Shore, and if the bridge links are significantly damaged, the city will have a lot of difficultly getting aid to those areas without some form of alternate transportation. |
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Post by Northern Exploration on Dec 17, 2008 7:15:36 GMT -8
I didn't know there was any other part to Vancouver other than the North Shore.  The other stuff is just the bad traffic and what you have to drive through to get to the view.  |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 17, 2008 10:29:50 GMT -8
I didn't know there was any other part to Vancouver other than the North Shore. The other stuff is just the bad traffic and what you have to drive through to get to the view. Careful, you don't want to upset the West Van crew... |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 22, 2008 8:47:43 GMT -8
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 22, 2008 8:51:27 GMT -8
www.jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2008-12-17/number_of_people_riding_the_ferry_is_dwindling
Number of people riding the ferry is dwindlingMAYPORT - Ridership has dropped significantly since the Jacksonville Port Authority took over the St. Johns River Ferry Service a year ago, but so has the deficit that the ferry's operators had been carrying. For the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 279,057 vehicles used the Mayport ferry compared to 356,015 in fiscal 2007. The ferry carries commuters and others across the river from Mayport village to and from Fort George Island. Peak ridership was reported from April through August, topping out at 1,500 vehicles a day. The figure dipped to about 500 vehicles a day, JPA figures show. The JPA took over the service after Jacksonville and Mayor John Peyton said the city budget could no longer fund the service, especially with about a $1-million subsidy required from the city. JPA spokeswoman Nancy Rubin said the JPA still has a ferry operating budget of $1.7 million, but they only need to kick in about $500,000 in subsidies because most of the costs are covered by tolls and grants. Even though the ferry's fees were increased and operating hours were decreased in the past year, the JPA didn't expect such a dramatic decrease in ridership, Rubin said last week. "We're puzzled by the loss in ridership. We realized when there was an adjustment to the fares and schedule, some riders would leave the service. But there was such an outcry from the public" to save the service, Rubin said. Rubin and ferry Capt. Chris Cavanaugh said the spike in fuel prices this year likely contributed to the decrease in ridership. But Cavanaugh said even he's surprised at the dip in ferry riders. He was at the helm of the Jean Ribault vessel on Friday. "There has been a significant reduction in ridership. What has caused that? Your guess is as good as mine," Cavanaugh said as he maneuvered the ship across the river. "I would like it to be better. It makes it more energetic and robust when you're leaving people behind because you're so filled up." Cavanaugh, who has been working on the ferry for five years, said the ship rarely has its capacity 38 vehicles these days. Friday's ship log showed several trips had only one vehicle and one crossing had no vehicles. The greatest number of vehicles on the boat was 16 until noon on Friday. While Cavanaugh and the JPA are hopeful the ridership turns around for the better, many of the regulars who use the ferry say they haven't noticed any difference. "It seems to me like it's fairly normal," said Bob Masters, who uses the ferry twice daily to commute from Fernandina Beach. "It's busy in the morning and it's busy in the afternoon. I can't see and I've not noticed a big difference." Clay Morgan of Ponte Vedra Beach, who uses the ferry several times a week to get to Fernandina Beach, said it seems as if the service is still being regularly used. "I hadn't noticed any difference," said Morgan, adding the service is critical to his needs. "It's very important. It's part of [Florida] A1A and it has to stay here unless they build a bridge." Maria Mark of Atlantic Beach said the service has to remain intact and that the ferry is essential to Beaches residents. "From the Beaches side, it's very important because I'd have to drive all the way around to the Dames Point bridge," Mark said as she sat in her sport utility vehicle while crossing the river. That's the kind of reaction Rubin said the JPA had expected to hear repeatedly since the authority took over operations. "That was our hope; of course, we hadn't been in the ferry business," Rubin said, acknowledging the JPA prefers to run the ferry as a business and not a subsidy. "It's a real variable business. We had hoped that it would be close to having less of a loss. That is something everyone still has in mind. How we're going to get there, I'm not sure there are any real clear answers right now." While JPA officials examine prospects to enhance ridership, they are committed to keeping the service running. There will be an 18-day shutdown of the service to conduct $689,288 worth of repairs for the Jean Ribault. The work will place the vessel in Jacksonville, most likely in February, although exact dates have not been set, Rubin said. "We must keep it safe and we must maintain it, that's what water vessels require. We are continuing to invest in running a ferry service," said Rubin Rubin said the JPA would have to have a major debate before the agency ever backed off its commitment to the ferry. "We are going to continue to keep an eye on it and continue to revisit the question. If we ever feel that the ferry threatens the financial health of the entire organization, we will revisit the decision to be in the ferry business," said Rubin. "We've learned a lot and we have brought down the cost on running the service. But everything will hinge on the ridership from here on out," Rubin said.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 30, 2008 8:48:22 GMT -8
www.lakesunleader.com/news/x16581602/Wind-uproots-dock-ferry-Atlantis-Island-fixture-blows-across-cove-damages-3-boats-1-dock
Wind uproots dock, ferry; Atlantis Island fixture blows across cove, damages 3 boats, 1 dockLake of the Ozarks, Mo. - Two docks and a boat were damaged sometime Thursday night after a dock, ferry and tugboat moored at Atlantis Island broke loose. The Missouri Water Patrol was called in around 5 a.m. on Friday morning to inspect the damage. High winds appear to have swept the dock and ferry across the cove, where it hit three docks and the boat. Two of the docks sustained damage, according to the Water Patrol report. At least one of the docks was destroyed. The dock and ferry ended up on the upstream side from the island, headed toward Bagnell Dam. The ferry serves the Atlantis Island development at the end of Lake Road W-12/Knox Road. If shuttles vehicles back and forth to the condominiums on the island. The island used to be referred to as Hawaiian Island. In the past, there have been requests to build a bridge across the span from the shoreline to the island. AmerenUE policy says unless a public entity such as the county or state were to take over the structure once it is built, they will not approve a permit.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jan 1, 2009 5:29:39 GMT -8
www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/nyregion/26boat.html?_r=1&em
The Urban Pirate Life: Making a Ferry a Home in NYCThe residence is 6,000 square feet across four floors, with 15-foot ceilings. From a roof deck the size of a tennis court, there is an unbroken view of the Manhattan skyline. The main room is so big it even has a swing — perfect for the frequent all-night parties held there, about which there are no neighbors to complain. Best of all, one can live rent free in exchange for helping to keep the place up. But there is no insulation and the heating is patchy, so its five residents often see their breath indoors and must sleep under piles of blankets. The power from noisy diesel generators is intermittent and there is no mail delivery. The shower does not work and the toilets flush only if someone hauls a bucket of water from over the side and throws it in. This particular residence once served as a 650-passenger ferry shuttling people between Martha’s Vineyard and New Bedford, Mass., for $17 round-trip. Since March 2007, the ship, now moored in a spot about a 10-minute boat ride from Midtown, has become home for a small group of secretive and resourceful people looking for an inexpensive, unorthodox place to stay. While there had been a gangway, boarding the 143-foot vessel now requires slipping through a hole in a fence and leaping onto a back deck, with the risk of plunging into icy, polluted waters. “One of my friends asked if she could wear heels, and I had to say no,” recalled Martina Mrongovius, 28, a holographic artist who is the only female resident. “Not unless you want to go swimming. You cannot tromp around a boat in high heels.” The ship is owned by a 29-year-old real estate investor named Jonathan, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be published and the precise location of the ship and its name not be mentioned because its status is legally murky. Jonathan, who lives on the ship, said it is registered as required, but, tied up to some steel pegs embedded in a concrete wall, it does not pay docking fees to a private marina or the city. He said he found the ferry on yachtworld.com and bought it in 2007 for a price he would not disclose except to say, “All of my friends spend more on their tiny studio apartments than I do on this.” Originally, Jonathan hired workers to remove benches, with dreams of turning the ferry into a proper residence or a floating playground, complete with helipad, and of mooring it in a more proper location. But those plans were scrapped as the economy soured this summer. The ship’s five residents have a Christmas tree, a full-size refrigerator and even a drum set on the ship, but generally brush their teeth and use the toilets at local cafes and shower at friends’ apartments. Bobbing along next to the ship is a small sailboat and a motorboat that they use for jaunts into the city or to pick up friends for parties. They keep an old van in a nearby parking garage to pick up assorted items — including five couches — that people have given away on Craigslist. Using a Sprint wireless card, they shop on eBay and Craigslist for things like a generator ($2,000) and a wood stove ($240). “It’s not some Donald Trump yacht,” Jonathan said. “Everything is just a pain,” and, he added, “It’s really cold.” “But it’s a magical, fantastical thing and that’s why we’re here. You see the sun set behind the Chrysler Building every day. It sounds ridiculous, but you’re so in touch with nature.” There are about 30 boats legally moored in New York City that have people living aboard year-round, according to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which administers required licenses and provides most of the available berths; at least 400 more are on a waiting list. Jonathan’s ferry would have to pay more than $28,000 per year, in advance, if it could get one of those spots, which doesn’t seem likely — a parks spokesman said 100 feet is the largest boat the city would consider. Jonathan sleeps in the captain’s quarters, a small cabin littered with power tools and candles. Bruce Beese, who grew up with Jonathan in Montana, moved into the pilot house a few weeks ago, and sleeps next to the ship’s wheel on a bed he got free on Craigslist. “I was a little worried about the possible bedbugs situation, but I think it’s good,” said Mr. Beese, 28, who remodels homes. “It probably helps that it’s freezing in here.” Jason Menders, 31, who works in construction and is also from Montana, has lived on the ship since the beginning. “Summer is better than winter,” he said. “But even that gets too hot. And you can smell the sewage from the sewage outflow sometimes.” Ben DeVoe, 25, an artist and landscape gardener, left a shared apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, two months ago, cleaning out the lifejackets to bunk in a storage room. His bed is meticulously made next to huge wheels of inch-thick industrial cable that were too heavy to shift. “I don’t know if I can go back to living in an apartment because that’s just so ... normal,” he said. “This is almost rural. It’s like we’re camping.” Mr. DeVoe has been trying to build a painting studio on the lower deck where his artworks, oil on board, sit propped on the floor next to mechanical detritus and pools of spilled diesel. “There’s always something else that’s more important to do,” he said, explaining why it was taking so long to set up the studio. “I had to fix a generator today, and I’ve never worked on one in my life.” Ms. Mrongovius, originally from Melbourne, Australia, has taken over the very front end of the ship, hanging a thick, floor-to-ceiling red curtain to make a room and requiring visitors to ring a bell before entering. “Any tools, dirty socks, used food containers or drink bottles that have been spiked with alcohol that get left in here are ejected into little piles outside the curtain,” she said. Ms. Mrongovius said she manages to shower every day, carrying henna and coconut shampoo, a toothbrush and a change of clothes with her on daily ventures onto land in case she should come across an unoccupied shower. She was introduced to the ferry when a friend asked her to run the motorboat back and forth to shore for a party, and two months later she left behind her residence in Queens. “I realized how much the boys here needed someone perhaps interested in hot food and a feminine touch,” she said. “It’s currently like ‘Mad Max’ except we don’t have shotguns.” The five residents are looking forward to summer, when they plan to fire up the ferry’s two Cummins diesel engines, which can propel it forward at about 14 miles an hour. They looked into a trip to Bermuda but, learning that it required $40,000 in fuel, made more modest plans. “We’re going to take this thing up the Long Island Sound and drop the anchor next to some little island somewhere and just hang out,” Jonathan said. “We’ll still be sitting there with our Internet connections and working and living on the ship. But when you get that urge to go run and dive off the balcony, you will just be able to do it.”
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 1, 2009 8:33:05 GMT -8
The ship is owned by a 29-year-old real estate investor named Jonathan, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be published and the precise location of the ship and its name not be mentioned because its status is legally murky. Interesting read, thanks for posting. Next time, don't be so shy to give the reporter your last name. ;D |
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 1, 2009 10:28:39 GMT -8
Its the wife who won't let him say it . |
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Jan 1, 2009 17:11:12 GMT -8
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that that is the MV Islander, the ship the Island Home replaced at Martha's Vineyard.
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Jan 1, 2009 23:51:23 GMT -8
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that that is the MV Islander, the ship the Island Home replaced at Martha's Vineyard. I dunno Nick... that description would fit the Islander's past life, but the images they're showing don't seem to be of the Islander. This is the Islander for comparison. www.flickr.com/photos/aberjona/2558952470/sizes/o/ |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jan 2, 2009 5:25:30 GMT -8
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that that is the MV Islander, the ship the Island Home replaced at Martha's Vineyard. I dunno Nick... that description would fit the Islander's past life, but the images they're showing don't seem to be of the Islander. This is the Islander for comparison. www.flickr.com/photos/aberjona/2558952470/sizes/o/I'd agree...the Islander measured in at 201ft, more than a third longer than the vessel noted above. Actually, a little hunting and I found this story, and the name of the ferry: www.mvgazette.com/news/2005/07/05/schamonchi_new_york.php
An Old Ferry Sails to New York; Schamonchi Reborn as Party BoatThe old ferry Schamonchi has sailed off into the sunset - literally. The unwanted remnant of Steamship Authority ferry service between New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard left its Fairhaven dock around 7 p.m. last Wednesday and steamed west for New York city. Fourteen hours later, the vessel arrived in Queens, three to four hours faster than expected. On board the 130-foot steel-hulled vessel was a skeleton crew that included Jewan Singh, operations manager of Caribbean Shipping & Marine Services of Flushing, N.Y. Caribbean plans to refurbish the vessel, which can carry up to 650 passengers, and use it as a party boat in the New York city area. The ship, which will retain its name, may began its new service in September. Last month, Caribbean bought the Schamonchi for $105,000 from the SSA. The boat line had hoped to obtain at least $625,000 for the vessel, bought as part of a $1.75 million package in 2001. But the bids for the Schamonchi, which was built in Maine in 1978, came in far lower than expected. Only two bids were received: $26,000 from one bidder, and $77,000 from Caribbean. SSA governors then gave boat line management a green light to sell the vessel for at least $100,000. Caribbean bought the ferry for $105,000, with $5,000 going to a marine broker for the deal. The vessel, which last operated as a ferry in 2003, had sat at the SSA maintenance dock in Fairhaven for almost two years. The boat line meanwhile had licensed New Bedford Traditional Ferry Inc., a sister company to New England Fast Ferry, to operate a conventional ferry on the Vineyard-New Bedford route. Rather than the Schamonchi, the New Bedford company chose to use its own ferry, a former whale watching vessel named the Portuguese Princess, on the route. That left the SSA holding onto the Schamonchi, which generated operating losses of about $800,000 per year in the three years that it operated the ferry. Last year, after unsuccessfully casting about for uses for the passenger-only vessel, the boat line board decided to sell it. But where many observers would see a vessel with rust spots sitting forlornly at a dock, Mr. Singh found a mechanically sound vessel in need of some cosmetic work. "The steel was unbelievably good," he said earlier last month about his decision to buy the vessel. "These engines are doing very well. This is a very nice boat." One member of the crew that brought the vessel to New York was Kevin McNeil, who was present at the vessel's creation in East Boothbay, Me., and who worked on the Schamonchi for most of the ensuing years. Back in 1978, Mr. McNeil was working for the Thames Shipyard in Connecticut. The Schamonchi, he said, actually was a collaborative effort between the Thames yard and the Edward T. Gamage yard in Maine. Mr. McNeil would drive equipment, much of it World War II surplus, from the Thames yard to East Boothbay, where it would be installed in the Schamonchi. "It made it more interesting," he said. Mr. McNeil said the shipyard workers laid the keel of the Schamonchi on Jan. 2, 1978. He helped deliver the vessel Schamonchi to New Bedford on that year's Fourth of July weekend. He stayed with the vessel, rising to captain and working for its operators, the Thompson family, who ran the vessel seasonally between New Bedford and the Vineyard. In the winters, he would take the vessel down to Tampa, Fla., to serve the seasonal market there. The Schamonchi, he said, was not a run-of-the-mill vessel. "There were a lot of things that didn't go right," Mr. McNeil said. "There were a lot of things that did." He said the ferry handled very well at sea for a vessel of its size. "We've been in a hurricane off Hatteras," he said. "The workmanship was unbelievable. I felt confidence - I knew what was under me." The vessel's problems, Mr. McNeil said, were more political than economic. Docking at the Vineyard often was up in the air until just before a season started. In 2001, the SSA moved to acquire the Schamonchi, its docking rights and other assets, both to secure a Vineyard-New Bedford route of its own and to keep out Hy-Line, a private ferry company also interested in the route. Mr. McNeil again stayed on with the vessel, going to work for the boat line. These days, Mr. McNeil works as a ticket agent in Hyannis for the SSA. But last month, he returned to his beloved old Schamonchi, first to get the ship's engines running again and then, last week, to pilot the vessel out of Fairhaven on its way to New York. Speaking of Mr. Singh, he said, "I'm glad he's doing something with it."
A little more history here: www.mvgazette.com/news/2004/01/16/ssa_retires_schamonchi.phparchive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/06-01/06-05-01/a01sr003.htmwww.boatinfoworld.com/registration.asp?vn=60076EDIT:
***link fixed*** |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Dispensing gallons of useless information daily...
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jan 2, 2009 5:28:42 GMT -8
The ship is owned by a 29-year-old real estate investor named Jonathan, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be published and the precise location of the ship and its name not be mentioned because its status is legally murky. Interesting read, thanks for posting. Next time, don't be so shy to give the reporter your last name. ;D Its the wife who won't let him say it . Yes, she was concerned the location of the overshoe factory would get out. These difficult economic times mean lots of swimming lessons for accountants.  |
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Jan 2, 2009 6:32:12 GMT -8
That makes a lot more sense. Thanks for doing the legwork on this one. I probably would've done the search myself, but it was very late here, so I didn't feel up to it at the time. There certainly seems to be a lot of old Martha's Vineyard ferries around. |
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 2, 2009 7:20:08 GMT -8
Interesting read, thanks for posting. Next time, don't be so shy to give the reporter your last name. ;D Its the wife who won't let him say it . Yes, she was concerned the location of the overshoe factory would get out. These difficult economic times mean lots of swimming lessons for accountants. Think of all the shoes that could be stored on a decommissioned ferry car deck. |
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The other stuff is just the bad traffic and what you have to drive through to get to the view. 
