MV Hyak

[Kahloke]

Some new Hyak pics from the San Juans (Aug 25-26, 2011):

Hyak's vintage 1967 interior (well, mostly - the ceiling and lights are new)


Hyak approaching Orcas Island

[EGfleet]

Ferry passengers missing their puzzle pastime

By WILLIAM YARDLEY
The New York Times


ABOARD THE M/V HYAK — Washington State Ferries is the largest such system in the U.S., but it is small, too. Amid all the comings and goings, the getting theres and leaving heres, there is the middle part — people making their way.

In summer, that means decks filled with light and tourists, hands shielding the sun in salute to the bright beauty of the Salish Sea. In winter, clouds and cold and quiet local customs prevail. Inside is where to be. These fine first days of September are a transition time, which may explain the current problem with the puzzles.

"The Yakima doesn't have any puzzles right now, and the Elwha didn't have any puzzles the other day," said Lilliana Villalobos-Wolford, a resident of the San Juan Islands and a regular passenger on those and other ferry boats. "Only the Hyak seems to have puzzles right now."

Villalobos-Wolford, 49, moved to the islands from New York a year ago and has already immersed herself in a small San Juan tradition. Instead of racing to the railing to soak up the view or settling in with a book, she is among the devoted who go immediately to the big, smooth tables in the center of the main cabin, the ones where the puzzles are.

Before her on a recent weekday was "Marseille," a thousand cardboard pieces that, the picture on the box promised, would collectively depict a cruise ship docked at the famous French port.

Never mind that her ferry ride was barely an hour from the mainland to her destination, Orcas Island — hardly enough time to make sense of a thousand pieces or even that exasperating edge section with barely detectable differences in shades of brown.

Villalobos-Wolford had worked on "Marseille" before and she would again, just like other people she may never meet — and she, like them, may never actually see it finished.

A week earlier, Travis Powell and Jennifer Haner, traveling with a church group from Oregon, rode the same boat, sat at the same table and worked on the same section of the same puzzle. They were tourists, and it had taken them a few ferry rides before they concluded the puzzles were fair game for anyone.

"I haven't even placed any pieces yet," said Haner, 29. "I'm just sorting colors."

Had "Marseille" been completed 10 times or not even once? People who do the puzzles on ferry boats make peace with not knowing. They do what they can, then move on.

No one seems certain how this got started. Several crew members and a retired member of the state ferry advisory committee said the hobby took hold among locals several years ago on an interisland route that never touches the mainland. (Several people said the boat currently on that route, the Evergreen State, also had plenty of puzzles at the moment.) Crew members pick up puzzles in thrift shops and put them out. Regular passengers donate them. People may not finish them, but they take care of them.

"I helped," said Villalobos-Wolford, explaining her fulfillment. "Now somebody else is going to contribute. If I get lucky, I'll come at the moment it's almost done and I can finish it. That's nice, too."

Some say the puzzles, like the sensory surge available at the railing, have curative powers.

"A mother and son got off the other day and said, 'Hey, thanks for the puzzle,' " said Stacy Eliot, working the deck of the Hyak last week. "I mean, how often do you see a mother and a son doing a puzzle together these days?"

[Barnacle]

Sept 11, 2011 4:42:45 GMT -8 EGfleet said:

Ferry passengers missing their puzzle pastime

By WILLIAM YARDLEY
The New York Times

"The Yakima doesn't have any puzzles right now, and the Elwha didn't have any puzzles the other day," said Lilliana Villalobos-Wolford, a resident of the San Juan Islands and a regular passenger on those and other ferry boats. "Only the Hyak seems to have puzzles right now."

Don't know when she was on the Elwha; we've had puzzles all summer. ;D

[FNS]

HYAK in Friday Harbor on Friday, October 14, 2011.

[Koastal Karl]

Were you at the public wharf? Friday Harbour is neat it riminds me of Horseshoe Bay where you can watch the ferries up close. Wouldent mind ferry watching in Friday Harbour!

[Steve Rosenow]

You can also do ferry watching up close @ the Bremerton landing. They've got a park right next to the main slip.

[FNS]

Oct 18, 2011 17:48:44 GMT -8 Koastal Karl said:

Were you at the public wharf? Friday Harbour is neat it riminds me of Horseshoe Bay where you can watch the ferries up close. Wouldent mind ferry watching in Friday Harbour!

YES!

There is a public pier with benches next to the dock with its own public house with a fish tank to look at. Also with public excretion facilities, too. Remember to flush when you're done! ;D

[Low Light Mike]

Oct 18, 2011 18:15:37 GMT -8 Steve Rosenow said:

You can also do ferry watching up close @ the Bremerton landing. They've got a park right next to the main slip.

Yes, and I've enjoyed many photos that were taken from that Bremerton park, such as your fine Kaleetan photos. It looks to be a great vantage point.
- Is morning sun a problem for taking photos at that Bremerton Park (ie. ferry silhouetted or washed out) ?

[Steve Rosenow]

Oct 21, 2011 17:31:14 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Oct 18, 2011 18:15:37 GMT -8 Steve Rosenow said:

You can also do ferry watching up close @ the Bremerton landing. They've got a park right next to the main slip.

Yes, and I've enjoyed many photos that were taken from that Bremerton park, such as your fine Kaleetan photos. It looks to be a great vantage point.
- Is morning sun a problem for taking photos at that Bremerton Park (ie. ferry silhouetted or washed out) ?

In the winter? Yeah, it's a HUGE problem. Not nearly as bad in the summer, but in the winter the sun is behind the ferry and silhoutettes it pretty badly. I have a couple shots of the Kaleetan I took that are real bad examples. As soon as I locate them (I have them buried deep in my photo archive of the ferry), I'll post them as examples.

Best time to be at Harborside Fountain Park is anytime after 1PM in the summer, and anytime after 2:30 in the winter. The 3:50 PM arrival/4:15 PM outbound crossing is the best, in terms of lighting overall.

*EDIT*

I have found the photos. These were taken during a fierce windstorm that Washington experienced on February 19, 2011. I posted pix of the Kaleetan from this day in the Kaleetan thread as well as a video. This day was extremely cold and my hands were close to numb.

These were taken just before 11AM, and I was a foot traveler that day.


M.V. Kaleetan on arrival in Bremerton, 2.19.2011 by srosenow_98, on Flickr


M.V. Kaleetan on arrival in Bremerton, 2.19.2011 by srosenow_98, on Flickr


M.V. Kaleetan on arrival in Bremerton, 2.19.2011 by srosenow_98, on Flickr

[Low Light Mike]

Oct 22, 2011 0:09:25 GMT -8 Steve Rosenow said:

In the winter? Yeah, it's a HUGE problem. Not nearly as bad in the summer, but in the winter the sun is behind the ferry and silhoutettes it pretty badly. I have a couple shots of the Kaleetan I took that are real bad examples. As soon as I locate them (I have them buried deep in my photo archive of the ferry), I'll post them as examples.

Thanks Steve for the elaboration. Planning for the sun direction & timing is one of the things about photography that I find fun and challenging.

[Steve Rosenow]

Oct 22, 2011 6:46:57 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Oct 22, 2011 0:09:25 GMT -8 Steve Rosenow said:

In the winter? Yeah, it's a HUGE problem. Not nearly as bad in the summer, but in the winter the sun is behind the ferry and silhoutettes it pretty badly. I have a couple shots of the Kaleetan I took that are real bad examples. As soon as I locate them (I have them buried deep in my photo archive of the ferry), I'll post them as examples.

Thanks Steve for the elaboration. Planning for the sun direction & timing is one of the things about photography that I find fun and challenging.

Hey, not a problem! It helps actually being a photographer for a living. Er, well, when I'm not working for Lowe's. LOL

[zargoman]

Despite my not knowing why the heck the Hyak isn't at Bremerton and the Walla Walla at Kingston, I took the opportunity to go up there today.

Hyak at Kingston by zargoman, on Flickr

Hyak and Puyallup by zargoman, on Flickr

Hyak by zargoman, on Flickr

Arriving Edmonds on the Hyak by zargoman, on Flickr

Hyak by zargoman, on Flickr

Hyak at Edmonds by zargoman, on Flickr
Has she even been on this route since her and the Yakima were kicked out?

[Barnacle]

Oct 25, 2011 21:08:09 GMT -8 zargoman said:

Despite my not knowing why the heck the Hyak isn't at Bremerton and the Walla Walla at Kingston...

Nobody I've discussed it with can figure that out either. I am trying not to think about it.

Has she even been on this route since her and the Yakima were kicked out?

Yes, a couple of years ago. I happened to ride it while I was on a trip elsewhere.

[Kahloke]

Oct 26, 2011 6:24:32 GMT -8 Barnacle said:

Oct 25, 2011 21:08:09 GMT -8 zargoman said:

Has she even been on this route since her and the Yakima were kicked out?

Yes, a couple of years ago. I happened to ride it while I was on a trip elsewhere.

Not only that, but I was on Hyak a couple of years ago (I think?) when an emergency situation made her the only available boat for Seattle-Bainbridge. She was on that run for a couple of days if I remember it correctly.

[northwesterner]

Oct 26, 2011 6:56:46 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Oct 26, 2011 6:24:32 GMT -8 Barnacle said:

Yes, a couple of years ago. I happened to ride it while I was on a trip elsewhere.

Not only that, but I was on Hyak a couple of years ago (I think?) when an emergency situation made her the only available boat for Seattle-Bainbridge. She was on that run for a couple of days if I remember it correctly.

I think the Hyak was on Seattle-Bainbridge during the steel electric meltdown.

The discussion on this list at the time was - on a high seniority route like Seattle-Bainbridge, does anyone on the crew remember how to use a telegraph?

[Barnacle]

Oct 26, 2011 6:56:46 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Not only that, but I was on Hyak a couple of years ago (I think?) when an emergency situation made her the only available boat for Seattle-Bainbridge. She was on that run for a couple of days if I remember it correctly.

At the time, I think the logic I was offered was in support of using the Hyak over the Walla Walla because the Hyak could still carry 2500 passengers to the W2's 2000. The Supers have since been downgraded to 2000 passengers, so it's unlikely you'll ever see a Super sitting in at Winslow again unless the fan is really busy.

[chokai]

WSDOT has applied for a TIGER grant to convert Hyak to a hybrid system as part of her mid life update.

www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/nov/04/state-seeking-grant-to-create-hybrid-ferry/

WSDOT TIGER Homepage:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Funding/Tiger3/

[Kam]

44 years is a mid life upgrade??

[lmtengs]

Nov 4, 2011 22:47:37 GMT -8 Kam said:

44 years is a mid life upgrade??

Well look at our Queen of New West. She was somewhere between 42 and 44. BCF said the same kind of thing, they want to keep her going for another 20 years or so.

[chokai]

Nov 4, 2011 23:03:15 GMT -8 @lmtengs said:

Nov 4, 2011 22:47:37 GMT -8 Kam said:

44 years is a mid life upgrade??

Well look at our Queen of New West. She was somewhere between 42 and 44. BCF said the same kind of thing, they want to keep her going for another 20 years or so.

Hyak should've been refit about a decade ago but it was delayed/cancelled. Hence she's having her midlife crisis a little late. ;-)

[rusty]

A hybrid Hyak? Just think of how much fuel they'd save with modern 4-stroke diesels. Of course, at WSDOT, the motto is: why do something smart and simple, when convoluted, complicated, and expensive is possible. Kdt's, deep-bored tunnel, LNG fruit boats, and now this. Gotta love those government dollars.

Hybrid makes sense in new construction, but in the case of the Hyak, a 44 year-old boat--a big waste of money.

[Steve Rosenow]

Nov 5, 2011 15:14:21 GMT -8 rusty said:

A hybrid Hyak? Just think of how much fuel they'd save with modern 4-stroke diesels. Of course, at WSDOT, the motto is: why do something smart and simple, when convoluted, complicated, and expensive is possible. Kdt's, deep-bored tunnel, LNG fruit boats, and now this. Gotta love those government dollars.

Hybrid makes sense in new construction, but in the case of the Hyak, a 44 year-old boat--a big waste of money.

Allow me to disagree.

For one, the Hyak was never upgraded and is still running to a large degree the original equipment she was equipped with in 1967. To run that equipment any further than absolute necessary would almost mean a certain early retirement of the Hyak.

At the current rate of Washington State Ferries' situation being drastically short of vessels, doing so would be a grave mistake NOT to upgrade.

Sure, construction of a new 144-car class vessel isn't supposed to start until sometime early next year, but the best way to test this sort of method is to retrofit an existing vessel.

My only complaint is that they better not touch the interior! LOL

[rusty]

My complaint is not with a sensible retrofit, it is with the plan for a hybrid propulsion system on the Hyak. If WSDOT wants to experiment, do it on new construction, or a KtD.

It will be extremely expensive and complex, and most likely won't work in real world service. Yes to new engines, generators/alternators, and control system., no to a hybrid retrofit on a 44 year-old boat.

The hybrid idea is the product of WSDOT engineers who have limited to no marine experience, wanting to do something cool with taxpayer dollars. If the Feds are stupid enough to fund them, screw them too. I'm in no way a tea party guy, but this is too much.

Stupid is stupid. I, for one, am not going to pay for stupid. I guess it's time for some letters to Olympia.

Check this out: www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/76F11DD2-317E-4464-BCFA-86737BA59B0B/0/MVHyakproject_Letters.pdf

Zero technical expertise, just 100% pork barrel politics. You could probably get the projected fuel savings by just replacing the engines with modern 4-cycle units.

[chokai]

As to choosing the Hyak. she's frankly a much better choice than a new boat. This is really a "concept test". As far as I know nothing on this scale has ever been attempted. If it works that's fantastic, the fundamentals and concepts are proven out and can be applied to new construction. If it works it could save both money and cut pollution. If it doesn't it's done and over in 20 years, versus being stuck with the baggage of failure for the 60 year lifespan of a new boat.

[rusty]

OK, you guys are right. Gut the Hyak, put in this hybrid system, which will be an order of magnitude more complex than the MkII's propulsion system, and by then the boat is 50 years old. It all makes perfect sense to those without technical expertise.

If one just wanted fuel savings and less pollution--put in modern 4-cycle engines.

If the feds want to fund this boondoggle, I have just one word for them--Solyndra.

I really shouldn't get hot under the collar, because the Hybrid Hyak is DOA.