MV Chetzemoka

[Barnacle]

It might be; it might not be. I think the bigger problem will be the inability to spin the inter-island traffic around the outer lane(s) to get it pointed in the proper direction. A lot of backing on and off will ensue; no doubt so will incident reports.

[Low Light Mike]

Story from Seattle PI news blog:

Washington State Ferries: The truth about Chetzemoka

By Sue Frause


Washington State Ferries issued a press release this week to the media about the inaccuracies in the reporting of the new 64-car ferry Chetzemoka.

"While we have appreciated the generally accurate coverage of Washington State Ferries' new, 64-vehicle Chetzemoka ferry, there are a few inaccuracies in various media reports that we would like to address. With today's 24-hour news cycle, information is reported quickly and often repeated again and again and/or picked up and used by others. We at Washington State Ferries would greatly appreciate your attention to the facts below and, if needed, correcting the record. Please let me know if you have any questions."

I read through the list of inaccuracies, and plead not guilty. Oh, I did capture the boat's list, which is apparent in a photo I took of the Chetzy arriving on Whidbey Island. But I didn't conclude that it made the boat inefficent or a safety hazard.

Nor did my story in Crosscut (A bright day for ferry riders, even in the rain) contain any of the seven inaccuracies listed by WSF:
---------------------

Inaccuracy: The Chetzemoka has an unanticipated or unintended incline to one side (list) that is noticeable while the boat is sailing, making it inefficient and creating safety concerns.

Correct information: The 1% list is part of the design to maximize the number of trucks/oversize vehicles the vessel can carry, and is due to the location of three stair towers and two elevators on one side. Based on the design, the ferry has no list when loaded with vehicles. As part of the vessel's certification process, the U.S. Coast Guard performed a vessel-wide stability test and deemed the Chetzemoka safe. The Island Home, a Massachusetts ferry whose design was used for the Chetzemoka, also has a designed-in 1% list that is eliminated when the vessel is loaded with vehicles. There is no plan to add ballast (weight) to counter this list when the vessel is not loaded.
-----------------

Inaccuracy: The Chetzemoka is the most expensive ferry ever built in the United States.

Correct information: WSF's Jumbo Mark II ferries cost $86 million each. The Kennicott (Alaska) cost more than $80 million. The Hawaiian Superferries, the Alakai and Huakai, came in at $85 million and $91 million, respectively.
--------------

Inaccuracy: The Chetzemoka was supposed to cost $65.5 million but, instead, cost $80.1 million.

Correct information: Final cost of the Chetzemoka was $79.4 million. The original budget was $76.93 million (including construction, risk and contingency, and construction management). The $65.5 million figure was the construction bid from Todd Shipyards. It is a standard practice in capital budgeting to include contingency and risk costs and construction management. There has been an additional $663,000 of work on the Chetzemoka that will be charged to the three-vessel procurement program. When the Legislature funded the second and third vessels with a $136.3 million budget, WSF combined that with the $76.93 million Chetzemoka budget, giving us one budget for all three boats totaling $213.2 million.
--------------

Inaccuracy: The original engineer's estimate to build the Chetzemoka was $49.5 million.

Correct information: The original $49.5 million engineer's estimate was calculated assuming there would be competition. At the start of the process, four shipyards were interested. Three removed themselves for various reasons, including bonding and apprenticeship goals. A $58.2 million engineer's estimate was used at bid opening, using the labor rate of the single source bid. The final construction bid was $65.5 million, or 11 percent different from the estimate.
-------------

Inaccuracy: WSF crews say the Chetzemoka is plagued with problems.

Correct information: The captains and crews who have trained on and are operating the Chetzemoka are pleased with the vessel's performance. A number of media outlets have interviewed the captains and crews of the vessel, who are very forthright in their approval of the vessel.
---------

Inaccuracy: The Chetzemoka's propellers are inefficient.

Correct information: The Island Home (a Massachusetts ferry whose design was used for the Chetzemoka) has fixed-pitch propellers like the Chetzemoka, which operate well in challenging waterways with currents and restricted harbors in Massachusetts. WSF developed procedures and engine-control protocols during several weeks of sea trials to ensure efficient operation. The vessel is operating on WSF;s most challenging route, with strong cross currents at the narrow, shallow Keystone Harbor.
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Inaccuracy: WSF needs to get out of the business of designing and building vessels.

Correct information: WSF does not design or build vessels. Elliott Bay Design Group designed the Chetzemoka and Todd Pacific Shipyards built it.
-----------

Update on Chetzemoka - This week's windstorms did impact the Chetzemoka, as I posted in a previous blog. Here's the latest from WSDOT Ferries Division Assistant Secretary David Moseley's Weekly Update (Nov. 19, 2010): "The Chetzemoka began service on Monday, Nov. 15. Due to severe weather and high winds this week, there were delays and canceled sailing throughout the system, including four round trips on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route. The stormy conditions also led to leakage from some of the Chetzemoka's windows. This is a warranty item that we fully expect the builder to remedy."

from here:
blog.seattlepi.com/whidbey-pi/archives/229241.asp

[FNS]

And, this is the aftermath of the storm on November 15:



The lights went out in Port Townsend just before the CHETZEMOKA was to load traffic on her 2030PST sailing to Keystone Harbor. The dock was out besides the city. The outage lasted for six hours on a night that featured a very bright moon and lightning around the area. Almost like a Halloween kind of night.

[FNS]

The Whidbey Examiner reports that the Captain of the former CHETZEMOKA paid a visit to the new one:

whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=4779




From the Evergreen Fleet book with Hofstad in the old CHETZEMOKA's wheelhouse.

[Rhody]

Photo of the original Chetzy onboard the current Chetzamoka accompanied with a brief history written by EGFleet

[FNS]

Monday greetings, ladies and gentlemen!

Last week on this very day of the week, our new ferry CHETZEMOKA made her maiden public runs. This week, her eastern sister ISLAND HOME has given her a "New England" - style present: SNOW!


Is this New England, or is this Puget Sound? This is really Port Townsend with the ISLAND HOME's western sister CHETZEMOKA in the dock getting ready to load for her 1545PST sailing to Keystone.


Here she is at Keystone. She's getting ready for her 1630PST sailing.

Snow is abundance in many places here in the Puget Sound area.

Webcam sources: WSF.

[rusty]

The Chetzy's been in service a week and a day, and has experienced a Southerly, Westerly, and now a Northerly gale. Yeah, they do tie her up; but today you weren't going to get anywhere, anyway.

[lifc]

Every so often I look at the AIS , and it seemed the SEII traveled at 10-12 knots +-. The Chetzemoka seems to go betweem 11-14.5 knots, mostly toward the faster end of the scale. I wonder if they are keeping schedule by sitting longer at either end. Seems to me that the thing might actually burn less fuel per mile by going faster where the engines are up into their efficiency range. By using the speed and skewing the schedule they might get another run in a day. The extra run might not be needed now, but sure would help in season, perhaps make the best of the situation?

[rusty]

The dwell time at the dock is probably more. They've been single lane off loading due to the list (& not due to cardeck design [as I had previously predicted]).

On fuller loads it probably takes longer to load because of the cardeck design. Drivers have to be careful, because of the limited space between lanes, and the obstructions at the bulkheads. The lane outboard of the casing gives you the most room, but as that's the low side you won't get in there unless it's a full load, or you ask for handicap access to the elevator.

A word to the wise: choose the side you want to exit your vehicle from. You might only to be able to egress from one side.

[fargowolf]

New and shiny!!! Even has that "New Ferry Smell"

Do like the interior passenger decks, including the green floor. It's actually a nice shade of green.

Too bad about the list and the elevator going on the fritz. That took the icing off the cake. I'm hoping that's just "teething troubles".

[rusty]

From the handful of trips I've made on the CHETZEMOKA, I am now ready to make an informed critique of this design.

First let me state that I have enjoyed all my crossings on the Chetzy.

My critique is, that for the runs these vessels are intended for, there is too much passenger cabin atop to little car deck.

[Barnacle]

I haven't ridden the Chetzie yet, but I must say your informed critique doesn't surprise me.

[Quatchi]

Is there a ship where the elevator actually works properly the first time? They all break down, elevators simply don't like being rocked around.

[lifc]

One of the crew told me that the passengers were going to get lost in the cabin.

[Barnacle]

Exactly, Quatchi. Elevators move along the verical axis... any other direction and they tend to get upset. It's like they never got over their fear of earthquakes or something.

[Barnacle]

Quite possibly... mind you, the Winslow (!) passengers said the same thing in 1954 when the Evergreen State came on line.

But then, what can you expect? Whatever else you may think of these boats, NEVER forget that WSF was TOLD what it would get by Senator Haugen.

[lifc]

While you are right in the immediate sense, I see this as a by product of the "let's all get rid of our cars and ride the bus- bikes".

Personally I see nothing wrong if that is what one chooses to do, to have that viewpoint pressed upon the rest of us, I find appalling. Americans like their cars and will find a way to drive them.

[Barnacle]

You may have a point. I don't think that Americans will ever be legislated out of their cars, per se; however, the cost of operating them may well restrict it to the few. I agree that having the point--no, having any point pressed upon us is somewhat appalling.

...until you stop to realize that if it were up to the majority, non-whites would still be in the back of the bus. Where do you draw the line?

Anyway, I agree that the focus on bicycle accomodation was COMPLETELY misplaced. I don't think there's really anything wrong with the passenger cabin, other than it's kind of overkill from what the pictures show. I'll try to reserve passing judgment on the boat until I've actually been inside it.

[Kahloke]

Nov 29, 2010 11:53:19 GMT -8 Barnacle said:

I don't think there's really anything wrong with the passenger cabin, other than it's kind of overkill from what the pictures show. I'll try to reserve passing judgment on the boat until I've actually been inside it.

No, the pictures are a good indication. You're correct. The passenger cabin is overkill - much more seating than will probably ever get used. I guess I get to pass judgment since I've actually been on board, at least at the open house . I still have yet to take a ride on Chetzy. I was going to go last week, but that darned snow got in the way. Maybe I can make it up there on Saturday.

[lifc]

I had to get back here on the night of the unveiling and took the next to the last trip of the SEII, so I have not ridden the Chetzy yet. I hope to be on it in two weeks.

From my perspective, the passenger spaces are huge for the route. I was told by one of the usual crew on the SEII that there had only been two times in its tenure there that the passenger cabin on it had been full, and one of the times was the haul back from the Ceremony. If it was a 100 car boat, the speces would be about right. I too see no reason for the bike or mezzanine spaces, on these short runs.

[Quatchi]

HAHA, fear of earthquakes thats a good one. Even the fancy German elevators in the Coastals had issues at first. I don't think elevators in building have all to great of a first time success rate, even as buildings settle of the first year or so the elevators need tweaking.

It sounds like they have some bugs to work out with these ships, but from what I've read it doesn't seem like any of this can't be remedied, sounds like shes just a small ship with a big job to fill.

Cheers,

[Rhody]

I've ridden the Chetzy twice now, the passenger cabin wasn't to bad, really enjoyed the sundeck. I wish the Issaquahs had the option of going topside. I did think the bicycle mezzanine was overkill, I've never seen that many bikes on any ferry

[chokai]

It probably would have made sense to reduce the level of seating in the main cabin and perhaps close off the mezannine decks (if they could not be removed from the design) to save money on furnishings/finish work leaving them for a possible future time when due to whatever confluence of factors that capacity is needed.

However I found her quite spacious and enjoyed the ability to get some privacy to read when I rode her. I guess the extra capacity does give her and her sisters the ability to fill in on other routes in a pinch if a boat goes down, but that's a mighty stretch of an arguement.

Who knows, maybe it will get more use than we anticipate. I am curious to see how many more people leave thier cars with there being no windows on the vehicle deck which I fear will become cave like as the boats age and lighting gets older and tireder etc...... Ironically that's by far her worst passenger amenity related feature IMO, I only hope the rumblings of no more vehicle deck windows at all turn out to be false, but it's increasingly sounding like this will be the case going forward.

[chokai]

Nov 28, 2010 13:33:01 GMT -8 rusty said:

On fuller loads it probably takes longer to load because of the cardeck design. Drivers have to be careful, because of the limited space between lanes, and the obstructions at the bulkheads. The lane outboard of the casing gives you the most room, but as that's the low side you won't get in there unless it's a full load, or you ask for handicap access to the elevator.

The most entertaining/interesting thing I observed during my rides was people just plain getting confused on where to go. Whether in the car on the deck or on foot in the stairs/cabin. Even if you know it anecdotally you don't realize how really similar every boat in the fleet from the Evergreen's on is with regards to basic design until you ride the Chetzy.

[chokai]

Nov 29, 2010 16:01:18 GMT -8 Quatchi said:

HAHA, fear of earthquakes thats a good one. Even the fancy German elevators in the Coastals had issues at first. I don't think elevators in building have all to great of a first time success rate, even as buildings settle of the first year or so the elevators need tweaking.

The building I'm in is from the 1920's and is a tank of a thing, a former telecommunications switching building. Basically our elevators have been in the epitome of: leave well enough alone. Any work they have done whether it's replace the cars or the control system has seemlingly resulted in months (or years) of problems. One of the cars was removed to run cabling a decade ago and we have joked about putting in a fireman's pole or rapelling gear so at least we can get out quickly then. As it's work we don't really care about our ability to get back in just out. ;-)