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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 21, 2008 17:14:21 GMT -8
noticed the departure/arrivals yesterday that the renaissance is improving on how far behind schedule it is by the end of the day. last sailing was only 15 minutes behind. not bad for a busy day before a holiday weekend And Friday's 5:00pm sailing was on-time. Looks good. |
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Mar 21, 2008 18:20:40 GMT -8
Flugel, ya better knock on wood for good measure, otherwise, I get rights to blame you for jinxing!
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Post by kylefossett on Mar 21, 2008 18:30:12 GMT -8
noticed the departure/arrivals yesterday that the renaissance is improving on how far behind schedule it is by the end of the day. last sailing was only 15 minutes behind. not bad for a busy day before a holiday weekend And Friday's 5:00pm sailing was on-time. Looks good. 2 weeks of service. every watch has done a shift during regular revenue service. everybody knows what to do now |
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Post by Hardy on Mar 21, 2008 18:56:11 GMT -8
I'll chime in on this too -- been watching the CurCon yesterday and today, and with the long weekend holiday rush, CR seems to not be falling behind. Either they got the kinks out, or they got everyone wearing leather and chains and enjoying it, but schedule wise she's hanging in there real well so far (touch wood).
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Post by DENelson83 on Mar 21, 2008 20:44:36 GMT -8
In case you're wondering which end is which on the CR, just remember the Kimberley, BC postal code of V1A 2B0. That means the initial "V" in Vancouver 2010 and the final "A" in British Columbia face the #1 end, and the final "0" in Vancouver 2010 and the initial "B" in British Columbia face the #2 end.
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 21, 2008 21:09:51 GMT -8
Interesting......observation.... Anyways, I met up with a friend of mine for dinner tonight, who's from the Island. He came over on the 6:30am this morning, and left on the 9:00pm tonight. During dinner I asked him, "What do you think of the new Ferry?". Now remember, this response is coming from a regular person, who knows next to nothing about the ferries, other than the name of the ship. His response: "I don't think I really like it that much, the arcade was pretty boring". I gave him the  look. Although he did mention he was having a hard time trying to get up to the sundeck on Deck 7. An elevator was apparently out of service today, and some of the interior staircases were closed, while the exterior stairs were all closed. But tonight I watched the CR depart Horseshoe Bay at 9:00pm (on the dot, which didn't even touch the dock until almost 8:45pm.). So I stood down at the warf in the dark to observe the ship at night. People were accessing Deck 7 via exterior stairs. |
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Mar 21, 2008 21:10:51 GMT -8
The reason she is running on time is because she is taking on stores via a truck on the Main Car Deck.
For now they have stopped using the side-loading. It is causing too many delays, people are getting hurt and there is serious issues regarding communication while loading the stores onto the CR...
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Post by DENelson83 on Mar 21, 2008 22:20:41 GMT -8
Ah, so the side-loading was the big bottleneck. Better for BCF to use a method that's tried, tested and true.
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Nick
Voyager 
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,080 
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Post by Nick on Mar 21, 2008 23:04:02 GMT -8
It's not that the side loading isn't tried and true, because it's been used on the Spirits for the past 16 years. I guess they just have to work the kinks out before using it when time matters.
Actually, I am surprised they didn't run some testing with this system prior to revenue service.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 22, 2008 7:58:57 GMT -8
The reason she is running on time is because she is taking on stores via a truck on the Main Car Deck. For now they have stopped using the side-loading. It is causing too many delays, people are getting hurt and there is serious issues regarding communication while loading the stores onto the CR... Well, this brings up a few issues: 1) Union involvement, as worker safety is impacted by side loading. - I suspect that the shop-stewards have been busy with this issue. Hopefully the company wasn't too slow in admitting a safety issue..... 2) Long term plan of going back to doing side-loading at Dep Bay: - will this ever be done efficiently, or is side-loading going to be one of the design ideas that just never worked out (similar to the C-Class upper car deck visor doors, or other oddities). So, for those keeping track of items that haven't quite worked out according to plan (yet): - stair access to Deck 7 - side-loading at Dep Bay |
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ProudCanuck
Chief Steward
Champ Car - Gone, but not forgotten!
Posts: 242
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Post by ProudCanuck on Mar 22, 2008 8:16:04 GMT -8
In case you're wondering which end is which on the CR, just remember the Kimberley, BC postal code of V1A 2B0. That means the initial "V" in Vancouver 2010 and the final "A" in British Columbia face the #1 end, and the final "0" in Vancouver 2010 and the initial "B" in British Columbia face the #2 end. Wow... you have waaaaaaaaay too much free time on your hands. I have a hard enough time remembering my home and office postal codes, let alone the one for Kimberley, BC. |
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Post by Hardy on Mar 22, 2008 9:02:16 GMT -8
The reason she is running on time is because she is taking on stores via a truck on the Main Car Deck. For now they have stopped using the side-loading. It is causing too many delays, people are getting hurt and there is serious issues regarding communication while loading the stores onto the CR... This is an interesting little nugget to learn. I sort of thought that they might start provisioning her this way if that was the cause for the delays (which previous posts seemed to indicate). I was not aware that there was an underlying safety issue - is there any more information that you can provide on this? I'm also interested as to how this compares to how the S's are provisioned and what the difference is that is causing so much trouble with the CR... is it just lack of familiarity with the system and procedures, or is there an underlying fault in the design or execution of the dockside replenishing? |
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Post by Hardy on Mar 22, 2008 9:05:26 GMT -8
Re: the exterior stairs. If indeed it is a case of there not being adequate wind-breaks, is it possible that they are allowing the exterior stairs to be used while in port and then locking those doors while underway? Again, it would be wise for them to work out a long term solution to this.
The closing of the interior stairs though still remains a bit of a mystery to me...
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Post by kerryssi on Mar 22, 2008 10:14:38 GMT -8
An easy way to find out which is the bow is to look for the "mechanical sound making device" also known as the ships bell. It is always on the bow. Tradition has it that the bow is always in the dock at the home port.
The side loading on most ships has its' problems. The ship must be steered up the middle or the stern falls off to one side and the ramp can come off the deck or bind in the railing. They solved this problem on the Nanaimo by widening the opening for the ramp and having someone stand by. Also if the ship develops a list during loading the fish plate can lift up the ramp.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 22, 2008 10:20:30 GMT -8
I'm also interested as to how this compares to how the S's are provisioned and what the difference is that is causing so much trouble with the CR... is it just lack of familiarity with the system and procedures, or is there an underlying fault in the design or execution of the dockside replenishing? Scott has a photo somewhere of the SOVI being provisioned. The box of goods is raised/lowered using a lift arm, or something solid like that. (we saw it in a June 2007 day trip. I checked Scott's posted photos & linked page, but couldn't see it. But I remember him taking a picture of it). A recent photo of the CR (taken & posted by someone on this forum, I can't remember who) shows the Coastal system, which is pulleys & cables. So the Spirit system more like a solid lift machine, and the Coastal system is a rope&pulley thing that would sway in the wind...... I think the difference is like comparing a scissor-lift machine to a rope & pulley. One has considerably more sway-potential than the other..... |
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Post by Kahloke on Mar 22, 2008 10:35:43 GMT -8
A recent photo of the CR (taken & posted by someone on this forum, I can't remember who) shows the Coastal system, which is pulleys & cables. That would be my photo, posted earlier on this thread. See Page 2, Reply #30. |
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Post by terrybc on Mar 22, 2008 10:38:43 GMT -8
CR had an Emergency Medical Onboard just after it's 10:30am Dep. out of Departure Bay. I watched it from our Hotel Room at the Coast Hotel on the 13th Floor. It was out was 3/4 of the way out lined up w/ the small passage way w/ Protection island. Thne i heard them Radio Victoria Traffic that they would be turning around & heading back to Dep. Bay due to a Medical Emergency Onboard. Then a few mins later they turned around & headed back for Departure Bay. CR finally left for HB at 11:25am, 55 Mins late. So CR will be pretty much running late for most of the Day.
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 22, 2008 10:52:06 GMT -8
I have not had regular access to the internet while in Vancouver. I will add a little more to what I wrote yesterday, now that I have some free time and am on the net.
As far as I could tell on Wednesday (Mar 19), all interior stairwells leading to deck 7 were closed. This is for the reasons I gave yesterday. The outside stair wells were both open, and were the only means of access to deck 7.
By 'issues' with these outside stairs I mean the following:
1 - The coarse steel grid is a problem. I watched a nicotine starved woman with stiletto type high heels trying to negotiate these stairs so that she could get her 'fix'. Her heels poked right through the grid. I had a potential problem also in that the cane I am currently using (due to my recent broken leg) was also able to penetrate right through the grid. I see a potential for serious accidents on these steps because of this grid.
2 - The second issues is that these stairs are 'see through'. From deck seven as you descend, you are looking not just two decks down to deck 5, but also right down to water level (the equivalent of more than five decks). For me this is not a big deal, but for those with a fear of heights it is.
As I understand these stairs are actually not designed for regular use by passengers these are really not big issues. However, in an emergency situation where these stairs are in use, there will be passengers with 'heels', canes, ands height phobias. As such, I see an opportunity for improvement here.
I will write more later about my overall impressions of the CR.
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Post by Canucks on Mar 22, 2008 11:20:21 GMT -8
I was on the 3PM from departure bay on the 19th and I saw many of the same problems as you West Coast Kid. The biggest problem for me was having to look all the way down! Also, there are some other problems I noticed.
1. The holes have little grips on them that grab at people's shoes making it hard not to trip.
2. At the top there was about an inch gap in the deck and I can see people not realizing it and stepping in it and falling all the way down.
3. I could see "trouble makers" dropping things through the holes on the rescue boat or in the water.
That is just my opinion of potential problems.
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Post by DENelson83 on Mar 22, 2008 11:47:22 GMT -8
In case you're wondering which end is which on the CR, just remember the Kimberley, BC postal code of V1A 2B0. That means the initial "V" in Vancouver 2010 and the final "A" in British Columbia face the #1 end, and the final "0" in Vancouver 2010 and the initial "B" in British Columbia face the #2 end. Wow... you have waaaaaaaaay too much free time on your hands. I have a hard enough time remembering my home and office postal codes, let alone the one for Kimberley, BC. There are many postal codes in Kimberley, and they all start with V1A. Just see this little table I cooked up a few years ago. |
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 22, 2008 16:09:38 GMT -8
I do not know if others have been keeping an eye on this but, on the crossing that I did on Wednesday, the CR required about 1 hour & forty minutes, berth to berth. I know that this vessel has the speed to make up time if required due to taking longer to unload/load than the usual 35 minutes. So my question is, if they are getting behind schedule are they not using the vessel's speed to make up the time, and if so, why not? Also, due to the absence of ramps of any sort, the unloading & loading process should be fairly simple and quick. On Wed., the 19th, the CR arrived from HSB at about 14:30 with the 12:30 sailing from that terminal. We departed from DPB at a few minutes after 15:00, and started unloading at HSB at ~16:40. I expect departure from HSB was probably about 17:05.  CR @ Departure Bay - 19 March 2008 - photo © JST |
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Post by Canucks on Mar 22, 2008 17:11:31 GMT -8
The BC Ferries page said it left at 3:01 and we seemed to go slower just before the turn into Horseshoe Bay as opposed to the Oak Bay. I think it might have had something to do with the Capilano coming out because it was a few minutes late.
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Post by Coastal Canuck on Mar 22, 2008 17:49:33 GMT -8
Re: the exterior stairs. If indeed it is a case of there not being adequate wind-breaks, is it possible that they are allowing the exterior stairs to be used while in port and then locking those doors while underway? Again, it would be wise for them to work out a long term solution to this. The closing of the interior stairs though still remains a bit of a mystery to me... When I was on the Coastal Renaissance today on the 12:30 from horseshoe bay and 3:00 from Departure Bay (that ended up being 1:30 and 3:30) when going to Departure Bay, the stairs inside were not open at the Departure Bay end and the out side stairs were open and the stairs inside were open at the Horseshoe bay end and the stairs on the outside weren't open. then vise versa when going to horseshoe bay. |
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Post by Scott on Mar 22, 2008 18:00:21 GMT -8
Here's a pic of that cargo door with a container being lowered  Here's a picture of the SOBC's side loading door and crane. They look pretty similar to me.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 22, 2008 18:26:01 GMT -8
re stores loading:
oops, I was wrong about the Spirit stores loading. I guess the door on the ship that hydraulically protrudes is what confused me....I didn't remember the cables.
anyways, thanks for the comparison, John.
Personally, I think that a bunch of Oompa-Loompas would work much better. Build a separate staircase for them...
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look.
