Should the Super C's Have been made larger?

[Political Incorrectness]

Really, 350 cars only? I think that is just rediculous. If you are going to build vessels that carry only 60 more cars when you need some more vessels that are Spirit sized, then why not build them? Demand has gotten high on Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay that on Sunday night, there has to be one or two extra departures to handle the demand out of the bay. The route needs a fourth vessel, and a big fourth vessel to handle the demand.

[Dane]

I'd suggest reading any past Super-C thread.

[Curtis]

I said the exact same thing. By the way it's 370. It should be 400 something but not as big as the Spirits

[Ferryman]

You'd be suprised how much the current C's can be crammed. I thought for sure I missed the 8:30 sailing while coming home a few weeks ago. I was in Lane 15, as the lanes before me were full. Plus there was a few buses and trucks to go as well. I somehow managed to get on, and there was only half of a row left behind. With an extra 40 car capacity, I'm sure that would make a difference in the long run, if two Super C's were on the route, adding to another 80 car capacity. Think how many lanes of cars that is. My guess is about 4 ,maybe...

[Dane]

prqueenkid16 said:

I said the exact same thing. By the way it's 370. It should be 400 something but not as big as the Spirits

..... the issue isn't what the published number is. That totally irrelevent, really. It's how much usable deck space there is. Considering the numbers that are always posted came out before they even had a design, it's nieve of us to speculate further.

[Political Incorrectness]

Cascade, roads leading up to terminals is not a factor if you have the capacity to handle the loads already. You do realize that every summer there is at least a 1 sail wait from Departure Bay? Meaning there are more than 365 cars in the lineup, sometimes, BCF fills the second lot outside the toll plaza. So if you can fit 500 in their easily, then there is no need for road improvements. If BCF is all about money and tourism, they are stuck in Departure Bay and there is absolutely no room for new roads.

[Ferryman]

There are times when a larger lot at Departure Bay is badly needed. I remember on some days in the summer, after getting off of the Ferry, and driving down the road outside of the terminal, and seeing the long lineup starting about 2 kms away from the terminal. But BCF usually gets some pilons out, and takes up one of the four lanes on the highway, with about one or two BCF traffic directors stationed every 50 cars or so. Hopefully that will be a thing of the past once they do the major upgrade to the terminal, which includes adding on to the parking lots, and the changing of one of the berths to accomodate the Super C-Class Ferries.

[QSaanich]

Um i think the super C's should have been made larger i would say a good car capacity would i have been 420 what the **** is bcf think about 350 cars thats less then the c class and also i thought the car capacity was 370 not 350.

[Dane]

saanich said:

Um i think the super C's should have been made larger i would say a good car capacity would i have been 420 what the **** is bcf think about 350 cars thats less then the c class and also i thought the car capacity was 370 not 350.

Seriously.........

[Political Incorrectness]

Cascade, are you a maritime buisness man? or a freeway engineer? Take your pick, know your sources. Holding areas are set to be expanded at Departure Bay but not enough. The roads are at maximum and there is no room to expand. I suggest you look at ariel shots and ask some geoligists or people who know Nanaimo best to get a view. Departure Bay has been meant for one major route only due to it's location. There could be an impact if moved to Duke Point where there is all the room you need to expand. Departure Bay will be expanding soon and it will still be when the Super C's arrive. From what I have seen, there is only one good thing and the rest is bad. That is my salt on this, you got any pepper?

[Balfour]

To add on to this, Cascade, you need to keep in mind that route 2 is meant to serve those who need to get closer to city centers. Horseshoe Bay is closer to Downtown Vancouver than Tsawassen is, and Departure Bay is practically in Downtown Nanaimo. Duke Point is further out but serves a more industrial area, as does Tsawassen. Duke Point serves as an excellent port for the Truck route (route 30).

[Mike C]

ferrymaniac101 said:

Departure Bay has been meant for one major route only due to it's location. There could be an impact if moved to Duke Point where there is all the room you need to expand.

NOT NESSESARILY. There is not unlimited room at DKPT. On the Northwest side, we have the park. All the people will get extremely pi$$ed off at BC Ferries if they were to demolish their park. On the East side, we have the water. To the South, we have Industrial zoning.

Also note, we have our little 70 car Quinsam going from Downtown to Descanso Bay. See, if on of our Super C's or C's were to crush this little boat, there would be some unhappy campers on the ferry and on the forum. Those ferries would be running soon and often. Which means there being a lot of them, thus having greater chances. Get my drift?

[Political Incorrectness]

Who says you can't build on the water with piers? Besides, vessel traffic will not be an issue. It is not like you are attached to a cable on the bottom. The Quinsam would have already been crushed by now from what you are saying. Did I say there was unlimited room at Duke Point? Perhaps you should read a bit more before you post unless it was a misinterpitation.

[Dane]

Isn't Dep Bays capacity already set to increase by a very substantial sum, and the roads are all ebing redone anyways to ensure greater capacity...

annother crisis avoided. thank god.

[Political Incorrectness]

Here is Washington State, we stack cars onto the highways, some of the terminals have queue's off to the side which is essentially a full width shoulder. At Port Townsed, there is a remote holding lot which maybe possible at Departure Bay due to there is some empty space to the west if it is still vacated.

Remember, other problems do arise so when you build something larger you need to handle the extra capacity. 1,000 cars would not have made sense, maybe more capacity from Duke Point to Tsawwassen would have made sense cause it can handle single enders. However, it would have to be specially designed to load two car decks at once and maybe two commercial vehicles at a time to speed up loading.

Horseshoe Bay, only expansion option, outward. The inland portion is as far as it can go unles you want to do some major work to the roads there and expand it beyond the curve. Expanding it outward would come the environmental impacts. As I see it, effect the least amount of things if you have cases like this.

[Neil]

You don't need larger terminals just because you have larger ferries- it's the frequency of sailings which also determines the matter. Obviously, if route 2 had Spirit class vessels, the load on the terminals would be lighter than now, because there would be fewer overloads, and less back up. More frequent sailings would alleviate the need for expansion at either end of route 2, but I don't know if that's in management's plans, even after the new C's are delivered.

[Doug]

If you are going to be doing some land reclamation or (even harder) buiding platforms on the water, you might as well just do that at Departure Bay. It's shallower and calmer.

[Dane]

dougubell said:

If you are going to be doing some land reclamation or (even harder) buiding platforms on the water, you might as well just do that at Departure Bay. It's shallower and calmer.

If you're talking about parking... they want to buy all the land where the cement terminal is. I don't know if it's approved yet.

[markkarj]

hornbyguy said:

You don't need larger terminals just because you have larger ferries- it's the frequency of sailings which also determines the matter. Obviously, if route 2 had Spirit class vessels, the load on the terminals would be lighter than now, because there would be fewer overloads, and less back up. More frequent sailings would alleviate the need for expansion at either end of route 2, but I don't know if that's in management's plans, even after the new C's are delivered.

My understanding is that the logic of Pacificats was to move traffic across the strait in more even "pulses." This would cut down the need for expansions at both Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay. Obviously that plan didn't come to pass.

One question: what kind of modifications (if any) will have to take place to accommodate the Super-C class ships at the terminals?

[Low Light Mike]

re required terminal upgrades for the Super-C's, see the following:

Some info in an old thread, here: ferriesbc.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=generaltalk&action=display&thread=1141625628

There's also an official news release, that you can find here: www.bcferries.com/news/files/06-011deptbaypublicopenhouse.pdf

The above links are low on details, but that's all that I can remember.