Mill Bay's future

[Mike C]

Skeena Queen--18 knts? We passed it on the Mayne Queen!

[Doug]

The "V" Class ferries don't even go that fast....

[Quinsam]

Actually the V's go 19.5 Knots

[kylefossett]

cascade said:

Have they ever got her up to 18knts ? I wonder - as they changed the engines?

Her crossing times against the distance don't add up to that sort of speed. That is fast for a vessel of that size & weight.

They already only have a 10 minute turnaround time at fulford and the reason they wait until the top of the hour at swartz bay is to give the thru fare passengers from route 1 a chance to get turned around. (remember a thrufare is not a guarantee for the very next sailing). the crew is already working 8 hour shifts and you are telling me that this is a money losing route so adding sailings would then add overtime.

i will get much more info on this route from both the union and company contacts of mine

[kylefossett]

remember half the trip is in fulford harbour and they have to slow down here.

[Quinsam]

Well yes, but why wait 2 hours for the next ferry? A new vessel is a better suggestion than the Mill bay, but she can still be used somewhere, everybody has a special place, and sometimes move to another. (Including Classic Ferries!)

[Mike C]

This suggetstion may sound a little silly, but what if we put in one of the other century class vessels? If they aren't built, well, build them.

[Doug]

According to BC Ferries the Swartz Bay-Saltspring Island route is five nautical miles.

[Quinsam]

Yes, that is almost 5.5 real miles is it not?

[Doug]

That would be 5.75 miles and just over nine kilometers.

[Ferryman]

Also, 1 knot is equal to 1.87 km/h. So 18 knots is about 35 km/h. The BCF site states that it takes 35 minutes to do the crossing. So travelling at 35km/h, it should take about 30 minutes to do just over 17 kms. So that means the speed is about half of that. In conclusion, the ferry is doing approximately 8.5 km/h, or 5 knots. Does that sound logical at all?

[Balfour]

I think Crossing time also includes Slowing down for docking at departure. 18knots is just the service speed once out of dock.

[Starbucks Queen]

What if you simply scrap the barge and order a new ferry which would please the travelling public at least ?

[Ferryman]

chivapcici said:

What if you simply scrap the barge and order a new ferry which would please the travelling public at least ?

I think that would just anger everyone, because that Ferry is the newest Ferry in the Fleet, I'm afraid. It was built in 1997, so it's not bottom of the line either. Another reason why they go slow on that route, is because there might not be enough dock space at Swartz Bay at all times for the Skeena to rip in and out of there every half an hour. So they would time it just right so it could get to Swartz Bay when there's still enough space. I don't know much about the Gulf Islands routes, but possibly the same goes on the Saltspring end.

[kylefossett]

remember fulford harbour is an anchorage area so they are not allowed to create a wake. and going past piers island they have to slow do to about the same speed as fulford harbour because of possible wake. so really the only place that the skeena can run at or near full speed from just outside fulford to that side of piers island which is not even half the distance.

[Mike C]

Well, that's kind of a waste of a good ferry. They should put her on a run where she would be able to gain full speed for the majority of the run. Such as Nanaimo-Gabriola, or HSB-Bowen Island. I think Bowen Island would be a good place, because there, they could just bring down the Cappie.

[Quinsam]

The Skeena did actually test herself on HSB-Bowen Island, and I would like to see the Quinsam down here as a replacement for the Skeena coming to think of it.

[Ferryman]

......
So then what would replace the Quinsam....

[Quinsam]

The Skeena

[Dane]

cascade said:

But the speeds put out by BC Ferries are not correct...

Most of them aren't even close to reality, deviations can run up to around 5 knots when "at speed" for the run. Route 2 pulls about 21 knots on a crossing and it's advertised as 19. The Spirits, in calm waters, are ussually around 15 knots or less.

[Ferryman]

I actually noticed on the last time I was on route 2, that they've added another 5 minutes to the crossing time. But ever since the Oak Bay grounding, they've been taking it real easy while coming into the dock. So they probably have that extra 5 minutes to allow them to come into the dock slowly, so that if another event similar the Oak Bay happens again, it gives more time for the captain to react, or even a better attempt to drop the anchor.

[Dane]

ferryman said:

I actually noticed on the last time I was on route 2, that they've added another 5 minutes to the crossing time. But ever since the Oak Bay grounding, they've been taking it real easy while coming into the dock. So they probably have that extra 5 minutes to allow them to come into the dock slowly, so that if another event similar the Oak Bay happens again, it gives more time for the captain to react, or even a better attempt to drop the anchor.

Do you mean on the announcement, or the crossing actually taking 100 minutes?

The routes never been able to reliable make it in 95, despite the fact they advertise it as such. This is why they try different scheduling arrangments every few years, just like last years 130 minute turn time. This year I've heard a rumour they may combine the route 2 and 3 vessel assignments so they have at least one quiet sailing in every 4 to make up time (among other reasons).

[Ferryman]

Do you mean on the announcement, or the crossing actually taking 100 minutes?

The routes never been able to reliable make it in 95, despite the fact they advertise it as such. This is why they try different scheduling arrangments every few years, just like last years 130 minute turn time. This year I've heard a rumour they may combine the route 2 and 3 vessel assignments so they have at least one quiet sailing in every 4 to make up time (among other reasons). [/quote]

It was on the Captains announcement. I went to the Island on the the Oak Bay, and came back on Cowichan, and both times we left right on time. But the Captain would come on the PA and say, "We left on time......." and then would say, "We'll be arriving at 4:40." (3pm sailing from Nanaimo. Same for Oak Bay.

[Curtis]

ferryman said:

I actually noticed on the last time I was on route 2, that they've added another 5 minutes to the crossing time. But ever since the Oak Bay grounding, they've been taking it real easy while coming into the dock. So they probably have that extra 5 minutes to allow them to come into the dock slowly, so that if another event similar the Oak Bay happens again, it gives more time for the captain to react, or even a better attempt to drop the anchor.

Yeah It makes sense for them to go slower so they can at least do something besides hit the marina or dock just think what would have happened if they hit the dock millions of more dollars would have been spent and there would be only 2 berths the whole summer it would have been a living hell in horseshoe bay.

Off topic a bit but here's a little humor I made up earlier I now present something random,
The Vancouver International Boat Show Everyone Welcome! Psst. Don't tell the Queen of Oak Bay It'll Crash the party...(and here's a part I made up right now)...Wait whats that?..( horn honks) Oh scrap it knows! Runnnnnnnnnnn!!!! (Horn blowing) ahhhhhh!! (Walls breaking, ground being pulled up and other suff untill suddenly it stops with a big thump against the other wall) and later investigators find there was nobody on board. dunn dunn dunnnnnnn!!
Okay Wierd thinking right I act wierdly funny sometimes?
Note: I didn't see the last 2 posts while I was typing this.

[Dane]

ferryman said:

It was on the Captains announcement. I went to the Island on the the Oak Bay, and came back on Cowichan, and both times we left right on time. But the Captain would come on the PA and say, "We left on time......." and then would say, "We'll be arriving at 4:40." (3pm sailing from Nanaimo. Same for Oak Bay.

Yeah they do that a lot I notice; 100 minutes like a said earlier is a closer to reality estimate.