FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Nov 25, 2009 17:30:43 GMT -8
11-24-2009 1945UTC
TEAL UPDATE
Position Recorded on: 11/24/2009 7:45:56 PM (UTC) Lon/Lat: 64.013832 / 19.85297 Speed/Course: 13.1 kn / 312°
The TEAL, with the PACIFICAT DISCOVERY on her deck, was seen nearing the Persian Gulf.
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Nov 26, 2009 20:57:43 GMT -8
11-26-2009 2030PST Today, us folks on the US side of the border are celebrating a day of Thanksgiving. We are thankful for life, the things we have, family and friends to be with, et al. The folks aboard the TEAL are celebrating a thanksgiving as well. They are thanking the ship and themselves as they have safely made it to the Persian Gulf and are standing outside of Abu Dhabi. The PACIFICAT DISCOVERY is now reuniting with her younger sister PACIFICAT VOYAGER. So, Chapter Two of the moves of the cats to the Persian Gulf from Burrard Inlet is about to get its final period. Chapter Three is a long way from being finished as the SWIFT has only started out on her encore voyage, this time with the PACIFICAT EXPLORER on her deck. HAPPY THANKSGIVING USA FOLKS. AND, WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME PACIFICAT DISCOVERY! We are thankful you have made it there safely.
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Nov 27, 2009 0:13:34 GMT -8
11-26-2009 2348PST TEAL FINAL REPORT The TEAL, with the PACIFICAT DISCOVERY on her deck, made fast to a dock in Abu Dhabi at 2348PST. Here are the coordinates from Siitech: Latitude 24°31.593'N (24.526547) Longitude 54°22.786'E (54.379763) Here are the coordinates from Marinetraffic: Latitude 24.52658 Longitude 54.37975 On this happy note, I'll go ahead and type in the final period on this, the Second Chapter of three, of the moves of the Pacificats from British Columbia to the United Arab Emirates. MV PACIFICAT DISCOVERY, WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME! *** *** *** Now, the weather report from Abu Dhabi:Weather Underground Abu Dhabi, ER (Airport) Updated: 10 min 18 sec ago 86 °F Clear Humidity: 23% Dew Point: 45 °F Wind: 2 mph from the NNW Pressure: 29.98 in (Falling) Visibility: - Elevation: 89 ft Friday Scattered Clouds. High: 87 °F . Wind SE 11 mph . Heat Index: 86 °F . Friday Night Clear. Low: 68 °F . Wind SE 13 mph . Saturday Clear. High: 87 °F . Wind SE 15 mph . Heat Index: 86 °F . Saturday Night Clear. Low: 68 °F . Wind SSE 11 mph . Sunday Scattered Clouds. High: 84 °F . Wind South 13 mph . Heat Index: 84 °F . Sunday Night Chance of Rain. Overcast. Low: 68 °F . Wind NW 8 mph . Chance of precipitation 20% (water equivalent of 0.06 in). Monday Chance of Rain. Partly Cloudy. High: 75 °F . Wind NW 13 mph . Chance of precipitation 20% (water equivalent of 0.06 in). Monday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 64 °F . Wind WNW 6 mph . Tuesday Clear. High: 77 °F . Wind NW 15 mph . Tuesday Night Clear. Low: 64 °F . Wind WNW 11 mph . Wednesday Scattered Clouds. High: 78 °F . Wind NW 15 mph . Wednesday Night Clear. Low: 62 °F . Wind WNW 11 mph . Thursday Clear. High: 82 °F . Wind NW 13 mph . Thursday Night Clear. Low: 60 °F . Wind NW 11 mph .
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Post by Northern Exploration on Nov 27, 2009 7:32:34 GMT -8
Well with the news full of the massive debts and potential default of Dubai World and related companies, the Pacific (Dessert) Cats may just have traded tempurature zones for their places of sleep. There are four arms of the company and two of which include transport and marine. Since it is an investment company I am not sure how much of its funds were used for the establishment of Abu Dhabi Mar. The real impact might be a real tightening of financing in the whole region. Abu Dhabi is a separate Emirate under the UAE from Dubai, and is much more conservative and shows much more fiscal restraint. Hence it might be sheltered from this latest blip on the financial markets. Whether this becomes a much broader crisis won't be known for days to come. business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/the_gulf/article6934261.eceRepresentations of what the two frigate conversions look like follow. www.abudhabimar.com/pdfs/clip02.pdf
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Post by Northern Exploration on Nov 27, 2009 20:38:19 GMT -8
Shipping Monthly, November issue, has a pic and a dozen lines of text in a small item on the "Pacificats". The text never mentioned BC Ferries. Shown was the first piggy back of the Swift and what appeared to be a Deep Cove Photo. The text basically just outlined the first ferry was being transported with the remaining two following this year. It also mentioned that the ferries were reported to be going to be reconditioned for fast ferry use in the gulf. While small it was fairly far forward in the publication.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 27, 2009 21:15:27 GMT -8
So, what's Seaspan gonna do with all that extra mooring space, now?
In a few months we'll probably see on the news (or NOT!):
Vancouver Rain, January 8th, 2010:
Seaspan announced this morning that it has purchased two aging vessels from BC Ferries, the Queen of Vancouver and Queen of Saanich. They plan to anchor the two old ferries, built in the 1960's in the middle of Burrard Inlet, and use them as floating hotels for the 2010 Olympics. One smaller ship, the Kulleet, on loan from Translink, will serve as a means of transportation to the decks of the ships. Seaspan has rented a ferry dock on the south side of Burrard Inlet, where the Kulleet will use as a land-based terminus. The vehicle decks on the 'Vancouver and 'Saanich will be used as a parking lot for the cars of the guests. Seaspan will renovate the ferries to place temporary staterooms where the lounges are now in the ferries. Rooms are to be rented out on a first-come-first-serve basis, and rates will range from 150-400$ per person per night. After the Olympics, the hotels will operate for one week, then Seaspan will tow the ships to their dock in North Vancouver, where the Pacificats were moored before their sale to Abudhabi. They plan to put the ships up for sale soon after. Article: John Doe, White Press
Heheh, I WISH! That would be cool, though. I'd probably book myself a room, just for one night, so I could experience the ships one last time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2009 0:59:22 GMT -8
Yeah that would be cool.
But yeah does anybody know if anything will be docked where the fast cats were docked at all? Olympic related or not.
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 28, 2009 9:12:17 GMT -8
What you see is probably what you'll get...
The pier they were tied up at was the pier they were outfitted at when they were being built. So you'll probably see various types of vessels use that dock when they're in refit.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 28, 2009 9:32:17 GMT -8
Yeah that would be cool. But yeah does anybody know if anything will be docked where the fast cats were docked at all? Olympic related or not. Well, last night, after I made that last "news story" post, I was thinking hard about what might be docked there, and after awhile, I remembered the RCMP is renting a cruise ship for their extra security staff coming in from out of town. I guess they could be keeping the ship there... but that would only be for the duration of the Ollies.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Nov 28, 2009 9:34:34 GMT -8
They are gonna use the car decks as parking lots for vehicles?? And use the Kulleet to get to the ships that dosent make sense. They cant use the Kulleet to transport vehicles to the car decks of the Saanich and Van cause the Kulleet is too small and not high enough. Why dont they have some sort of parking lot and then just transport the people without their cars.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 28, 2009 9:54:29 GMT -8
They are gonna use the car decks as parking lots for vehicles?? And use the Kulleet to get to the ships that dosent make sense. They cant use the Kulleet to transport vehicles to the car decks of the Saanich and Van cause the Kulleet is too small and not high enough. Why dont they have some sort of parking lot and then just transport the people without their cars? As the Vancouver Rain said, they will be outfitting and refurbishing the boat to make it all possible. I assume they'll make ramps from the lower vehicle decks to the level of the Kulleet. ;D
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 28, 2009 10:09:47 GMT -8
They are gonna use the car decks as parking lots for vehicles?? And use the Kulleet to get to the ships that dosent make sense. They cant use the Kulleet to transport vehicles to the car decks of the Saanich and Van cause the Kulleet is too small and not high enough. Why dont they have some sort of parking lot and then just transport the people without their cars? As the Vancouver Rain said, they will be outfitting and refurbishing the boat to make it all possible. I assume they'll make ramps from the lower vehicle decks to the level of the Kulleet. ;D Ahh, I've always enjoyed the fine journalism of the Vancouver Rain publication. Stories that you just can't find anywhere else. I recall the ' Rain doing a series on long-lost lineages of Norwegian royalty.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 28, 2009 18:35:07 GMT -8
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Dec 14, 2009 0:49:37 GMT -8
Here is one more note for the move of the PACIFICAT DISCOVERY to Abu Dhabi:
The TEAL, the vessel that carried her there, has left the Persian Gulf.
2009-12-10 06:23 UTC TEAL Port Departure ABU DHABI Persian Gulf 54.34769 24.56059 4.5 knots 22 degree course
On December 2, she did a berth change at Abu Dhabi.
So, the TEAL's work is done for the ferry repositioning. She's on her way to her next assignment.
FERRY WELL, MV TEAL!
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Post by lmtengs on Dec 19, 2009 10:06:00 GMT -8
How far would the last Cat be now on it's journey aboard the Swift?
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Dec 22, 2009 17:47:12 GMT -8
How far would the last Cat be now on it's journey aboard the Swift? "radio static" Attention, chart meisters, this is West Coast Ferries Forum Seattle Coast Station. The mighty ship MV SWIFT, with the PACIFICAT EXPLORER on her deck, has been seen passing by Singapore. This leaves her crossing the Indian Ocean and India to pass by and then her entrance to the Persian Gulf. Position Recorded on: 12/22/2009 3:07:58 PM (UTC) Lon/Lat: 103.8346 / 1.189623 Speed/Course: 14.2 kn / 248° The next report from this Station will be when the stack arrives at their destination, whenever they get there. From WCFFSCS, wishing you all the joys and happiness in this Christmas season. This is West Coast Ferries Forum Seattle Coast Station out! "radio static"
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Jan 2, 2010 22:09:07 GMT -8
The SWIFT, with the PACIFICAT EXPLORER on her deck, has arrived at Abu Dhabi! At 0356 UTC, 03 JAN 2010, the SWIFT arrived at the docks in Abu Dhabi's harbour. This ends her long voyage from Indian Arm. This also ends the ferry trips for Dockwise. Their work is safely done. We are very thankful that all three of these big cats arrived safely to their new destination across the other side of this planet of ours. Well done, Dockwise! Now, I hope the crew of the SWIFT can take leave and head home to their families and have some late Christmastime. My coverage of the moves of the cats ends after the SWIFT leaves the Persian Gulf. WELCOME TO ABU DHABI, PACIFICAT EXPLORER!Now, the weather report of Abu Dhabi from Weather Underground: 68 °F Partly Cloudy Humidity: 64% Dew Point: 55 °F Wind: 7 mph from the East Pressure: 30.18 in (Steady) Visibility: 5.0 miles UV: 3 out of 16 Clouds: Few 4000 ft (Above Ground Level) Elevation: 89 ft Extended Forecast Updated: 10:00 PM GST on January 02, 2010 Sunday Clear. High: 73 °F . Wind WNW 8 mph . Sunday Night Clear. Low: 57 °F . Wind NW 8 mph . Monday Clear. High: 73 °F . Wind NW 8 mph . Monday Night Clear. Low: 57 °F . Wind NW 4 mph . Tuesday Clear. High: 75 °F . Wind NW 13 mph . Tuesday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 57 °F . Wind NW 8 mph . Wednesday Clear. High: 75 °F . Wind WNW 11 mph . Wednesday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 59 °F . Wind WNW 8 mph . Thursday Clear. High: 77 °F . Wind North 6 mph . Thursday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 59 °F . Wind East 6 mph . Friday Clear. High: 77 °F . Wind North 13 mph . Friday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 59 °F . Wind NNE 8 mph
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Jan 12, 2010 18:12:49 GMT -8
The Pacificat webpage series which featured charting, photography webcam captures and video of the heavy lift vessel arrival and three ferries' departure has now been archived. The online pages are now rescinded from BC Highways. The Northern Expedition webpage series remains: www.bchwys.ca/BCF/New_Fy_NE/NE_1B.htm[/url] Many thanks to contributors and followers, esp. my associate across The Line always on duty at WCF Seattle Coast Station Mr. Ferrynut.[/quote] ...radio static... WCF Seattle Coast Station acknowledges! My pleasure, Mr. Keenleyside. This has been a fun adventure for us ferry fans to track these cats as they were taken across to the other side of this planet. One note of interest. As the SWIFT, with the PACIFICAT EXPLORER still on her deck, passed by Singapore, she met her sister TEAL there. The TEAL dropped her hook just outside of this city, possibly for a bit of holiday liberty for her crew. The TEAL is underway again and I'll just leave her destination sign off and let her be on her own. The TEAL had finished her duty in taking the PACIFICAT DISCOVERY to Abu Dhabi from Indian Arm.
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
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Post by FNS on Jan 20, 2010 21:38:57 GMT -8
...radio static...
This is West Coast Ferries Seattle Coast Station.
...radio static...
Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with this final posting of the moves of the fast cats from British Columbia to the United Arab Emirates.
The MV SWIFT has left the Persian Gulf. She leaves behind the PACIFICAT EXPLORER.
All three cats have made it to their new home and into the hands of whomever will use these.
On that note, here is a summary of the moves (Dates in Pacific Time):
Ferry: MV PACIFICAT VOYAGER Carrier: MV SWIFT Depart Vancouver: 26 AUG 2009 Abeam Singapore: No Report Arrive Abu Dhabi: 04 OCT 2009
Ferry: MV PACIFICAT DISCOVERY Carrier: MV TEAL Depart Vancouver: 21 OCT 2009 Abeam Singapore: 15 NOV 2009 Arrive Abu Dhabi: 26 NOV 2009
Ferry: MV PACIFICAT EXPLORER Carrier: MV SWIFT Depart Vancouver: 23 NOV 2009 Abeam Singapore: 22 DEC 2009 Arrive Abu Dhabi: 02 JAN 2010
We are grateful that these have made it to their new home safely. May the three cats have better careers on the Persian Gulf.
...radio static...
With the last of the three cats arriving safely at Abu Dhabi, there will be no further tracking reports of the MV SWIFT and MV TEAL. They're on their own and on their next assignments.
...radio static...
This concludes my coverage of the moves of the PACIFICAT VOYAGER, PACIFICAT DISCOVERY, and the PACIFICAT EXPLORER on this great forum. It's been a fun ride.
Lots of credits are due for all who contributed their postings and their photo captures on this thread.
It was fun to collaborate with Mr. Keenleyside on this as well. The initial posting on this thread was posted by this fellow on July 28, 2009.
WELL DONE, ALL!
...radio static...
This is West Coast Ferries Seattle Coast Station out.
...radio static fades to silence...
END
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Post by danh on Mar 2, 2010 1:39:01 GMT -8
Hello, im new here and have stumbled across this website upon looking for more information regarding the 'fast cats' I always feel that this fast cat programme was brought to this route upon seeing the success of the 'High Speed Sea Service' (HSS) concept that was introduced in Europe from 1996 onwards. For those who are not familiar these high speed aluminium catermaran were specially designed and built by Stena Line. The main goals in creating these ferrys were, To provide a fast and comfortable service at 40knts in seas of upto 8 meters in height (although UK rules wont let them sail in seas above 3.5 meters) To be able to arrive in port, unload and load and depart within 30 mins. To be able to carry full sized lorries, coaches and cars, and a large number of passangers. To achieve this the crafts were made (and still are) the largest high speed ferries in the world, coming in at 127 meters long and 40 meters wide. This allows lorries and coaches to do a full u turn onboard, as loading and unloading is only achieved via the stern combined with specially designed linkspans for the HSS only. Also with four gas turbines for power the ships could exceed a speed of 50knts. The first one 'Stena HSS Explorer' started service between the UK and Ireland in 1996, later that year her sister 'Stena HSS Voyager' was completed also sailing between the UK and Ireland. Then in 1997 the final of the large HSS craft were completed the 'Stena HSS Discovery' which sailed between the UK and Holland untill 2006. Due to the long sea passage of the Stena HSS Discovery her service speed was 43 knots, with the other 1500's being 40 knots. Although if needed the other 1500 craft could also exceed 40 knots, with the unconfirmed record being 55knots, achieved on Stena Explorer HSS when she was unlaiden and performing sea trials. These 3 craft were known as the 1500 series, they also completed a smaller 900 series, which sails in east europe. These craft also suffer from wake problems, with a couple of deaths being reported over the years from people on small vessles over shallow banks close to where the HSS have been passing, these deaths have been directly linked to the HSS, this has lead to passage plan revisions over the years. They also suffer from very high fuel consumption, something thats catching up with the craft these days, With the HSS Discovery been taken out of service in 2006 and sold at the end of last year, the HSS Explorer doing one round trip per day in July and August at 30/35 knots. Rather than her original 5 full speed round trips per day, 364 days a year, with an 81 meter Incat filling in March to september (Incat hull number 040) Then finally the HSS Voyager is currently doing 3 round trips per day at a speed of 30/35 knots. Stena Explorer, outbound from Holyhead, UK. One of the 3 identical 1500 series at full speed, bound for Dublin Bay, Ireland Stena Explorer swinging round to berth stern first. Stena Discovery outbound from Hoek Van Holland bound for Harwich, UK The smaller sister, Stena HSS 900 Carisma www.sealink-holyhead.com/stena/ships/explorer/home.htmlen.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_Sea_Serviceen.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSS_Stena_Voyageren.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stena_ExplorerFinally, a link showing the inside configuration of the passenger deck hhvferry.com/stenaexplorerprepub_master.jpgOne more link showing how the HSS Links up to load and unload. static.panoramio.com/photos/original/17824783.jpg
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