MV Kennewick

[Low Light Mike]

Jul 21, 2011 17:55:38 GMT -8 rusty said:

One stop, and that would be Sidney.

What would it take for Kennewick to become SOLAS compliant?

[FNS]

Jul 21, 2011 20:34:18 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Jul 21, 2011 17:55:38 GMT -8 rusty said:

One stop, and that would be Sidney.

What would it take for Kennewick to become SOLAS compliant?

Unless there are other items that need to be done, I think the KDTs are SOLAS'd enough to do the trip to Sidney. They have a ladderway tower at each end. In a story in the link below this paragraph, they have four life rafts that can carry about 192 evacuees each (192 X 4 = 768). That's 18 more than the 750-passenger certificate. One of the crew staterooms can be used as a US Customs office.

wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/crews-slide-to-safety-during-chetzemoka.html

A duty-free shop can be added if desired (I don't usually shop in these, however).

The KDT ferries are really fun to ride. I've taken more than a dozen rides on this class already.

[Barnacle]

Jul 22, 2011 0:10:46 GMT -8 FNS said:

Jul 21, 2011 20:34:18 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

What would it take for Kennewick to become SOLAS compliant?

Unless there are other items that need to be done, I think the KDTs are SOLAS'd enough to do the trip to Sidney. They have a ladderway tower at each end. In a story in the link below this paragraph, they have four life rafts that can carry about 192 evacuees each (192 X 4 = 768). That's 18 more than the 750-passenger certificate. One of the crew staterooms can be used as a US Customs office.

A duty-free shop can be added if desired (I don't usually shop in these, however).

Customs neither has nor needs an office on any of our boats.

I'm not sure if SOLAS would require two evacuation routes at each end of the boat or not; it so, you're out of luck right from start with only one stairwell at each end of the boat. (Unless the slides in each corner would count.)

[zargoman]

There are two stairways on each end...one on each side of the boat. The side with the passenger mezzanine has stairs that go from the car deck to the sun deck in the same stack and the side with the bicycle mezz. goes from the car deck to the main passenger cabin and stairs to the sun deck are nearby. There is also a crew stairway that goes from the engine room to the sun deck. There's also cabin to wheelhouse stairs.

[Barnacle]

Jul 22, 2011 8:38:18 GMT -8 zargoman said:

There are two stairways on each end...one on each side of the boat. The side with the passenger mezzanine has stairs that go from the car deck to the sun deck in the same stack and the side with the bicycle mezz. goes from the car deck to the main passenger cabin and stairs to the sun deck are nearby. There is also a crew stairway that goes from the engine room to the sun deck. There's also cabin to wheelhouse stairs.

See, this is where that 'actually having been on the boat' would be useful. I haven't yet.

Crew stairwells do not count as an evacuation route because they have to be publicly accessible to meet the evac criteria. Behind locked doors = no good. Results in a Beverly Hills Supper Club Scenario.

[zargoman]

I was figuring the crew only areas wouldn't count but not 100% sure. It sure seems like a lot of stairways for such a small boat.

[SS San Mateo]

Lack of a sprinkler system (which I assume is required since the Evergreen State, Chelan, and Elwha got sprinkler systems as part of SOLAS upgrades) will be a problem.

As for the stairwells, are the ones on the bike mezzanine side of the boat even SOLAS compliant? I'm under the impression that the stairwells have to be enclosed in a tower from top to bottom with fire doors at all access points. On that side of the boat, there are no fire doors for that stairwell at the passenger deck level and the stairs are not enclosed from the car deck to the bike deck.

[lmtengs]

Jul 22, 2011 20:09:32 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

As for the stairwells, are the ones on the bike mezzanine side of the boat even SOLAS compliant? I'm under the impression that the stairwells have to be enclosed in a tower from top to bottom with fire doors at all access points. On that side of the boat, there are no fire doors for that stairwell at the passenger deck level and the stairs are not enclosed from the car deck to the bike deck.

Even so, adding a stairwell casing and fire-doors wouldn't be too huge a job on one of the Kwaditaba-whats for it's first refit, because then, from the way it sounds, the ship would comply with SOLAS requirements.

It wouldn't be really necessary for more than one of them to comply with SOLAS, because the Sidney route never does have more than one vessel operating on it at once, and even without the Kwaditabamajiggies, WSF already operates numerous ships that comply, with Chelan and Elwha(?) being the first two that pop into mind.

Is it even necessary at all for one of them to be SOLAS- compliant? It's not like the Chelan's going to be retired anytime soon...

[suburbanite]

Barnacle

The current USCG thinking on fires on the auto deck has me scratching my head. Why do they see such a risk of a fire on the auto deck extending vertically up the EXTERIOR of the boat and into the passenger space? I'd sure rather be on an 1 1/2" fighting a car fire on any other vessel in the system than Kenewick or one of her sisters. Visibility will be worse and temperatures will be higher due to the lack of ventilation on the KdTs.

The sprinkler system on the auto deck should contain any car fire and keep temperatures below the point where extension up the exterior of the vessel is likely. Even if the sprinkler system totally fails a car fire should be contained by a single hose team and readily extinguished by two. Confining that heat and smoke in the KdTs would make the job of the hose team much more difficult and dangerous.

Are there any Coasties left who have actually stood on a deck above a fire? You don't need flames licking up the outside of the boat to get vertical extension.

Given the lack of auto deck ventilation and increased sail area caused by eliminating the openings on the auto deck it seems like this is a net loss for safely.

[Barnacle]

Jul 22, 2011 22:08:00 GMT -8 suburbanite said:

Barnacle

The current USCG thinking on fires on the auto deck has me scratching my head. Why do they see such a risk of a fire on the auto deck extending vertically up the EXTERIOR of the boat and into the passenger space? I'd sure rather be on an 1 1/2" fighting a car fire on any other vessel in the system than Kenewick or one of her sisters. Visibility will be worse and temperatures will be higher due to the lack of ventilation on the KdTs.

I think the "thinking" is the potential for damage/destruction of the inflatable evacuation systems, and to attempt to contain the worst of the heat and smoke during an evacuation. Never mind that the inflatable whatnots are still above the car deck and would still be susceptible to heat...

The sprinkler system on the auto deck should contain any car fire and keep temperatures below the point where extension up the exterior of the vessel is likely. Even if the sprinkler system totally fails a car fire should be contained by a single hose team and readily extinguished by two. Confining that heat and smoke in the KdTs would make the job of the hose team much more difficult and dangerous.

Concur.

Are there any Coasties left who have actually stood on a deck above a fire? You don't need flames licking up the outside of the boat to get vertical extension.

Given the lack of auto deck ventilation and increased sail area caused by eliminating the openings on the auto deck it seems like this is a net loss for safely.

And don't forget 'likelihood' of a fire on the car deck vs. the non-ventilated spaces and all the carbon monoxide exposure to the deck force who have to load the buggers day in and day out.

[rusty]

Don't know if this was a factor in USGC decision, but the cabin on the KdT's is made of alumimum, and fails at a lower temp. than steel.

[zargoman]

WSDOT has some new photos

Kennewick at Everett Shipyard by WSDOT, on Flickr

Kennewick at Everett Shipyard by WSDOT, on Flickr

Kennewick at Everett Shipyard by WSDOT, on Flickr

[FNS]

Those are nice photos released by WSF.

Here's another from their collection:


WSF PHOTO TAKEN ON AUGUST 23, 2011

www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/6093328902/sizes/o/in/set-72157625122138479/

This is a fine side view of the new KENNY. It looks like she's getting the same tall main engine exhaust pipes the CHETZY has. The SALISH has shorter ones like what the prototype ISLAND HOME has.

The KENNY's finishing work is coming along pretty well.

[chokai]

Kennewick has been added to the vessel maintenance schedule, it would appear we can anticipate acceptance and sea trials in late October followed by yard time, I would assume for the same modifications made to Salish. Looks like she'll be ship-shape by mid-November and training for the month of December.

www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/service

[FNS]

BE ON THE LOOKOUT TO SEE THE NEW KENNY DOING TRIALS TOMORROW AND THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS WSF EXPLAINS:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2011/10/05_KennewickBuildersTrials.htm

Catch a glimpse of the newest state ferry in Puget Sound
Date: Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Contact: Marta Coursey, WSF Director of Communications

Crews will test the Kennewick in coming weeks

SEATTLE – If you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you may catch a glimpse of the newest state ferry sailing around Puget Sound in the next couple weeks. Builder Vigor Shipyards plans to start testing the ferry Kennewick this week before delivering it to Washington State Ferries.

“We’re looking forward to Vigor really putting the Kennewick to the test in sea trials before we add it to our fleet,” said Captain George Capacci, deputy chief of construction and operations. “Both Washington State Ferries and Vigor have learned great lessons in this construction project as demonstrated by the delivery of a class of vessels ahead of schedule and under budget.”

The first two days of sea trials are scheduled for Oct. 6-7. The vessel will leave from and return to Everett Shipyard each day. Vigor will test the new ferry's operational systems in preparation for demonstrating the vessel to WSF and the U.S. Coast Guard the following week (Oct. 12-14). WSF is tentatively scheduled to accept delivery of the vessel from Vigor by the end of the month.

WSF plans to put the Kennewick into service in January 2012; the exact date depends on the progress of several weeks of post-delivery sea trials and crew familiarization. The Kennewick will serve the Port Townsend/Coupeville route while the Salish goes into standby status, so that WSF can operate the Kennewick during its warranty period.

[Low Light Mike]

Here's some artwork to be painted onto the good ship Kenny:

[Kahloke]

Oct 5, 2011 18:00:07 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Here's some artwork to be spray-painted on the good ship Kenny:

That's awesome! I think "Kenny" should replace the Flying "T" logo on the funnel.

[Steve Rosenow]

ROFLMFAO! ---^^

[chokai]

LOL. That would make a most excellent April fool's joke or at least interior halloween decor.

Sadly this means that Rhody's days are numbered. Time to get a last ride in on her and plan a first ride on Kenny. :-P

[Steve Rosenow]

Indeed. I am planning a ride on the Rhody sometime in November.

[EGfleet]

Courtesy of Emory--Kennewick on trials yesterday.

[FNS]

Here's a photo of the KENNEWICK taken from my northbound Amtrak train on Friday, October 7, 2011. It was a misty morning and my first sighting of her running on her own power.

For the history books, this marks a milestone as all four KDT ferries (if you count the prototype ISLAND HOME in with this class) would be running on their own power. The ISLAND HOME was seen operating on her Vineyard Haven run on the MV Times cam, the CHETZEMOKA and SALISH on the Port Townsend run, and the KENNEWICK on sea trials.

A couple of folks seated behind me on the train said: "There's another ferry. Where's that going?" I told them that's a new ferry named KENNEWICK on sea trials and that she's destined for the Port Townsend run next year.

[FNS]

The KENNEWICK was delivered to WSF today. She's gone from the Everett Cam. A tug was found on the ship trackers this morning leaving Possession Sound for the south...


...And, this does show the KENNEWICK at the end of a tow line off Edmonds.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle2/vessel5a.jpg


The KENNEWICK arrived in Eagle Harbor this afternoon. Photo from ferrycam.com.

Good news comes in threes for state ferries
Date: Monday, October 31, 2011
Contact: Marta Coursey, WSF Director of Communications
Third64-car ferry joins state fleet three months ahead of schedule

www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2011/10/31_KennewickDelivery.htm

SEATTLE – There must be something magic about the number three. Today, Vigor Industrial and its U.S. Fab shipbuilding division delivered the third of three new Washington state ferries, the 64-car Kennewick, three months ahead of schedule.

“This is a major milestone in our vessel replacement program,” said Assistant Secretary David Moseley. “The Kwa-di Tabil class is now complete. We’re elated that our partners at Vigor delivered the Kennewick three months ahead of schedule – that means our customers will get to enjoy a new vessel sooner.”

The Kwa-di Tabil construction supported more than 360 family-wage jobs during the past two years at Seattle’s Harbor Island shipyard, which Vigor acquired with its purchase of Todd Pacific Shipyards. The Kennewick project also supported hundreds of other jobs at up to 30 subcontractors in the region.

“We’re pleased to help renew and expand Washington’s ferry fleet,” said Kevin Quigley, president of Vigor’s U.S. Fab division. “And we’re proud to continue the 100-year history of fine shipbuilding around Puget Sound.”

The Kennewick is being delivered from Vigor’s Everett shipyard to WSF’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility today. WSF crews will work on final outfitting until mid-November, when the Kennewick will move to a commercial shipyard for installation of additional rub rails on the sides of the vessel. The rub rails protect the ferry when it lands and were also installed on the Kennewick’s sister ships Chetzemoka and Salish. The Kennewick will return to Eagle Harbor in December, where WSF maintenance crews will complete final outfitting, crew training and sea trials.

WSF plans to place the Kennewick into service in mid-January on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route.

Visit Washington State Ferries’ Kwa-di Tabil Class Flickr collection to view photos of the 64-car ferries. For more information, visit the Kwa-di Tabil Class Ferries project page.

[Kahloke]

I went for a ride this morning on "Wally World" again, from Bremerton to Seattle, and much to my delight, I captured our newest ferry, Kennewick, at Colman Dock's Slip 2:

[Low Light Mike]

Nov 10, 2011 12:59:39 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Wow, that's a great picture.

I like how the Kennewick's curves and the skyscrapers curves seem to complement each other.