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Post by ferryfanyvr on Jul 31, 2010 6:10:33 GMT -8
Interesting...today's route 1 schedule has sailings from both sides every hour starting at 0600 instead of 0700. Not all that unusual as they have been known to do this every once in a while in the past. The regular #2 vessels usually just start at 0600 instead of 0800 when this happens but today the Spirits have started at 0600 instead meaning the Celebration and the New West will be doing the odd-hour sailings today.
I wonder why they did this?
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Post by Scott on Jul 31, 2010 7:18:35 GMT -8
The #1 captain slept in I wouldn't doubt that some people planned their trip to sail on a particular vessel. Not many, but maybe a tour group or something. I don't suppose anyone knows if this was planned on the reservation system or not?
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jul 31, 2010 7:51:49 GMT -8
I was at Tsawwassen waiting for the 10pm ferry last night and I was suprised to see that listed on the departures board. I thought maybe it was a mistake but then I noticed the other sailings this morning were all changed. The New West was out and about just hanging around off Tsawwassen last night after her 6pm departure arrived at Tsawwassen which I thought that was odd she was doing that cause she usually just pulls into berth 1 after she offloads.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 31, 2010 7:56:16 GMT -8
I don't suppose anyone knows if this was planned on the reservation system or not? Of course I know. ;D I was checking RBI a few days ago, and I noticed this.
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Post by Scott on Jul 31, 2010 8:45:46 GMT -8
I didn't mean that BC Ferries would have changed schedule for a tour group, but some people may have been planning to sail on a particular vessel (for the buffet for instance) but would get a disappointing surprise. But it sounds as if it was planned, at least one day ahead of time.
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Post by Ferryman on Jul 31, 2010 13:54:27 GMT -8
This was planned well in advance. I believe the idea was to have the early morning rush of people they were expecting to be piled in on to the Spirits first thing.
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Post by Mac Write on Jul 31, 2010 19:06:31 GMT -8
and I assume using the galley deck to get as many cars on as possible.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Jul 31, 2010 19:12:21 GMT -8
and I assume using the galley deck to get as many cars on as possible. The galley deck will be used to feed all those extra occupants too... The gallery deck is actually a platform deck aboard the Spirits. I believe the SOBC's are still condemned, but I am not sure about the SOVI's...
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Jul 31, 2010 22:24:20 GMT -8
The gallery deck is actually a platform deck aboard the Spirits. I believe the SOBC's are still condemned, but I am not sure about the SOVI's... SOVI's are still usable, but are used extremely rarely. Usually the only time they are used is if there is traffic left over at the end of the day at Tsawwassen. When loading the platforms, in order to get any decent number of cars on them the aprons have to be loaded. Because the aprons are not braked, meaning that if a cable fails the apron will crash back down the main deck, Transport Canada requires all the people to be out of the cars and on the secure portion of the platform before the apron is raised. Loading the main deck can't resume until the platform apron is raised up and pinned into place. It used to be that they could raise the aprons while people remained in the cars, which made it a lot faster. TC changed this requirement a number of years back.
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Post by Kahloke on Jul 31, 2010 22:48:22 GMT -8
SOVI's are still usable, but are used extremely rarely. Usually the only time they are used is if there is traffic left over at the end of the day at Tsawwassen. When loading the platforms, in order to get any decent number of cars on them the aprons have to be loaded. Because the aprons are not braked, meaning that if a cable fails the apron will crash back down the main deck, Transport Canada requires all the people to be out of the cars and on the secure portion of the platform before the apron is raised. Loading the main deck can't resume until the platform apron is raised up and pinned into place. It used to be that they could raise the aprons while people remained in the cars, which made it a lot faster. TC changed this requirement a number of years back. Interesting. I have one photo of the platforms deployed, and this is one I took back in the 90's when they were still using them. This was taken aboard SOVI in 1996
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 1, 2010 10:51:31 GMT -8
...I believe the SOBC's [gallery decks] are still condemned... Why were they condemned?
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Aug 1, 2010 11:07:44 GMT -8
...I believe the SOBC's [ platform[/u][/size] decks] are still condemned...[/quote] Why were they condemned?[/quote] Their certification has expired.
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 1, 2010 12:43:54 GMT -8
Their certification has expired. And it was not renewed because.....?
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Aug 1, 2010 13:00:17 GMT -8
And it was not renewed because.....? Because they were rarely used, as they add to the time the vessel has to remain in the berth, it was not worth spending money to get them recertified.....
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Post by Mac Write on Aug 1, 2010 13:06:55 GMT -8
When does the SoVI's expire and anyway to speed up loading of the Gallery decks? Why not load the lower level first, the sides, and then load the gallery decks last with the Deck 2 end traffic last as usual. Would that speed things up?
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 1, 2010 13:56:30 GMT -8
When does the SoVI's expire and anyway to speed up loading of the Gallery decks? Why not load the lower level first, the sides, and then load the gallery decks last with the Deck 2 end traffic last as usual. Would that speed things up? No, because then you'd have to leave big gaps in the lower deck, and since all cars are different heights, we wouldn't know exactly where to place them when the ramps are lowered for the gallery decks so they wouldn't hit the cars. So unless you mean to load the cars in around the gallery deck ramps, which would take way longer since each car has to intrude into the outside lanes to get into the lane under the gallery deck. Just too much hassle.
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Post by Mac Write on Aug 1, 2010 19:28:03 GMT -8
Ah load the gallery decks and the space under last. Due to weight I guess that can't load one side at a time. Of course Route 1 deckhands are experts in car loading.
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Post by Ferryman on Aug 2, 2010 10:32:26 GMT -8
The use of platform decks severely cuts down space for overheights. Once you lower those platforms, your space for overheights has pretty much just been cut in half. I doubt we'll really ever see them be used ever again, especially now that BC Ferries is promoting its own drop trailer service on that route. Another issue that comes up, is the fact that in the summer time, there's alot more RV's, and Uhauls coming aboard with inexperienced drivers. They tend to be a little less aware of their overhead clearance, and may sometimes come into contact with the platform deck itself. Incidents like this take up time in loading, and the Deckhands and Loading officers tend to do whatever it takes to avoid these sorts of situations to ensure a safe yet fast and efficient loading process. Also, with consideration into the fact that another vessel is about to begin loading for that same route in appoximately 45 minutes once that one particular vessel departs, is another reason why it's not worth going through the extra effort to use the platform decks. Perhaps, if the New West or Celebration were to suddenly break down, then we might see some platform deck usage.
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 2, 2010 12:00:52 GMT -8
So does that mean the Coastals or NorEx would ever get gallery/platform decks? I can still see the NorEx getting them, since She has so much less vehicle space in the first place.
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Post by Ferryman on Aug 2, 2010 12:10:38 GMT -8
IF they were ever to add platforms to the Norex, I could see them only adding two, one laned decks on either side of the center casing. She's narrower than the Coastals with having only 6 lanes of traffic, as opposed to 8 lanes of traffic on the Coastals. I have no idea what the car counts are like on Route 10 and 11, and I doubt that for the amount of overloads they have up there, that it's unecessary to ever need to consider having platforms.
With the Coastals, I'd have to say the same thing as the Spirits. If they're not using them on existing vessels, then why would they add them to other vessels. The only Coastal I could possibly see platforms be added on is on the Renaissance. But still, I have my doubts.
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Post by Mac Write on Aug 3, 2010 19:42:44 GMT -8
(tototall out there) could we see a Deck 5 car deck ever added to BC Ferries either as Gallery or permanent (3 level of loading ramps).
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 3, 2010 21:39:25 GMT -8
(tototall out there) could we see a Deck 5 car deck ever added to BC Ferries either as Gallery or permanent (3 level of loading ramps). I wouldn't be surprised if this occurs with the replacements of our new Super-C's. I was pondering that myself. It would require major infrastructure upgrades in our terminals, and the ramps to the third car-deck level would take up much more room, but yes, I can still see it happening. If they were to basically copy the design of a super-C with a new car-deck squashed between the current deck 4 and deck 5, then they'd also need to lengthen and widen the ship to make it both aesthetically pleasing and safe (stable) to be on. I'm currently photoshopping one of them, and I'll mod this post or post another with my result...
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 3, 2010 22:23:20 GMT -8
Okay, here's what I have. I put the Super-Duper-C up against a to-scale Super-C and a Spaulding-C for size comparison. That Spaulding-C looks tiny! So basically I lengthened the Super-C by about 10% and copy/pasted the upper car deck in place. Ta-da. A Super-Duper-C. Attachments:
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Mill Bay
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Long Suffering Bosun
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Post by Mill Bay on Aug 3, 2010 22:26:08 GMT -8
This is a highly unlikely scenario. There are few, if any, commercial vehicle ferries in the world that use more than two multiple vehicle decks. If they do, the additional decks are tweendecks reached by platforms and ramps built into the ship itself. However, if you ever want to pay higher fares to help BCFerries pay for new ships and larger infrastructure, i`m sure they might be willing to build anything for you. Aside from that, ferries like that simply wouldn`t be necessary. There would never be high enough traffic volume, and they would also be handicapped by being restricted to whichever routes had modified berths, and no others.
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 3, 2010 22:35:23 GMT -8
This is a highly unlikely scenario. There are few, if any, commercial vehicle ferries in the world that use more than two multiple vehicle decks. Aside from that, ferries like that simply wouldn`t be necessary. There would never be high enough traffic volume Think about when vehicle ferries first started being built, there were few if any in existence at the time. Think of when ferries with two car decks first came into existence. There were few if any in existence at the time. Our province is getting better, Ernie, and in a few years (okay, maybe more like 50), we're going to need bigger ferries to travel our ferry routes if people don't stop buying cars. they would also be handicapped by being restricted to whichever routes had modified berths, and no others. So are the Super-Cs, as far as I know. So were the Spirits when they first entered service, as far as I know.
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