Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2011 15:46:11 GMT -8
I noticed that when Spirit class ferries were launched in 1993-94, they were rated as 470-car, 2100 passenger ships.
Now, BC Ferries shows S-class capacity as 410-car (w/o ramps).
Have the BC built ships had capacity reduced in fact or is this change aimed at making the German built ships (370-car, 1600 passengers) look better in comparison?
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Post by Kahloke on Oct 12, 2011 15:52:09 GMT -8
I noticed that when Spirit class ferries were launched in 1993-94, they were rated as 470-car, 2100 passenger ships. Now, BC Ferries shows S-class capacity as 410-car (w/o ramps). Have the BC built ships had capacity reduced in fact or is this change aimed at making the German built ships (370-car, 1600 passengers) look better in comparison? Other folks on the BC side of the border probably know this better than I do, but it is my understanding that BC Ferries no longer uses the hoistable platform decks/ramps on the Spirits. The platforms account for 60 car spaces which gets you the net total of 470. Without the ramps, the car capacity for the Spirits is 410. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 12, 2011 15:55:17 GMT -8
just giving this a bump, to highlight a Spirits car-capacity question asked today:
- it was on a new-thread which I've now merged into this existing thread.
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Post by Ferryman on Oct 12, 2011 17:15:58 GMT -8
I noticed that when Spirit class ferries were launched in 1993-94, they were rated as 470-car, 2100 passenger ships. Now, BC Ferries shows S-class capacity as 410-car (w/o ramps). Have the BC built ships had capacity reduced in fact or is this change aimed at making the German built ships (370-car, 1600 passengers) look better in comparison? The idea is that the expense is not worth the trouble to use the ramps at peak times because it causes major delays (they take a while to deploy and stow), and that there's another ship that will collect left over cars in an hour. This in turn gives a bad reputation for the following sailings with said vessels that end up running chronically late. IE: people aren't so understanding that the 7:00pm sailing is 45 minutes late because they had to use the ramps for the 3:00pm sailing even though there was another sailing at 4:00pm. |
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Post by Scott on Oct 12, 2011 18:58:32 GMT -8
Why don't they do what they do on Route 2 in the summer, and add 10 minutes to each sailing so they can use their full capacity? I know this means the schedule will look funny and the work-day is a bit longer, but it seems to work for Route 2 so why not for Route 1?
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Post by Dane on Oct 12, 2011 19:13:59 GMT -8
Because it costs a fortune in wages, I bet.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 12, 2011 19:14:26 GMT -8
Why don't they do what they do on Route 2 in the summer, and add 10 minutes to each sailing so they can use their full capacity? I know this means the schedule will look funny and the work-day is a bit longer, but it seems to work for Route 2 so why not for Route 1? Keep in mind that one of the Spirit's platform-decks are condemmed, because of disrepair. (or something like that). |
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 12, 2011 20:05:04 GMT -8
Functional ramps also permit a significant benefit in terms of flexibility. For example, it is the eve of a holiday weekend and 4 ships are needed to meet demand, & then one ship breaks down and is gone for the whole weekend. Recall the auxiliary engine room fire on the SoVI on Thanksgiving weekend a couple of years ago.
If the remaining ships all have ramps and can accommodate ~180 vehicles between them, then the loss of the fouth ship is not as big a problem as it is otherwise. The ramps should all be functional on the Spirits, and they should be installed on the Coastals and maybe even the QoNWM. Sure the schedule goes out the window, but it does anyway due to the loss of one ship.
In the summer months and at other peak times a modified schedule as mentioned by 'John H' above would be a reasonable thing to do.
I see this as yet another example of where BCFS management has made a bad decision in terms of service to the travelling public in BC.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Oct 12, 2011 20:23:43 GMT -8
Interesting points being made here... I have to agree with WettCoast that the ships may need to be better utilized. If more auto capacity were added- or, in the case of the Spirits, reinstated- it might alleviate the need for 'extra' sailings. Dane's point about wages and overtime is probably a big factor, but route 2 doesn't operate on the hour in summer, so why not route 1?
Only thing is, a Spirit is dreadfully crowded on a busy day as it is... would anyone want to be on it on a rainy day with at least a hundred more people that sixty additional cars would bring?
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Post by lmtengs on Oct 12, 2011 20:46:41 GMT -8
Only thing is, a Spirit is dreadfully crowded on a busy day as it is... would anyone want to be on it on a rainy day with at least a hundred more people that sixty additional cars would bring? Thing is, if BCF continues making 'progress' at the speed they are now, by the time they reinstate the capacity on the Spirits, we'll probably already have some kind of Vancouver Harbour to Victoria Harbour pax-service that'll take away a hundred or so riders all on its own.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2011 21:29:05 GMT -8
Is capacity on a particular sailing limited by crew size rather than space on the car decks? Perhaps having the ramps available for use would require more crew to meet safety requirements.
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Post by Retrovision on Oct 13, 2011 8:23:34 GMT -8
This is the most appropriate thread that I could think of posting this. I wonder if it's happened before, or during how many periods of time, but probably due to the berth rebuilds our SoBC seems to be reversing her approach to Swartz Bay, using Satellite Channel to arrive at Berth 2 with our SoVI now undergoing refit (or possibly not yet left for dry dock or refit at Deas) sitting at Berth 1.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 13, 2011 8:27:04 GMT -8
The SOVI is listed doing a 12pm and 2pm sailing today as she is on Fridays and Sundays too for the next few weeks so I dont think she is going anywhere to drydock. Later in November both Coastals will be running route 1 with the two Spirits out of service. That will be a good time to go to Galiano for photos.
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Post by Ferryman on Oct 13, 2011 10:49:24 GMT -8
This is the most appropriate thread that I could think of posting this. I wonder if it's happened before, or during how many periods of time, but probably due to the berth rebuilds our SoBC seems to be reversing her approach to Swartz Bay, using Satellite Channel to arrive at Berth 2 with our SoVI now undergoing refit (or possibly not yet left for dry dock or refit at Deas) sitting at Berth 1. This is how it will be for much of the Winter with the Spirits being tied up. Today is the first day of this setting in. The SOVI will not be in refit until the beginning of January, which is when she goes to Esquimalt for a month. As you all know, Berth 5 is being rebuilt, and should actually be open again in another month or two. Berth 3 and 4 are the most desireable for Routes 4, 5, and 5a for vehicle traffic handling. If Route 1 is loading in Berth 2, and a Gulf Islands vessel is needing to load in Berth 1, the Gulf Islands vessel cannot recieve their traffic because Route 1 has their traffic waiting on the West end of the terminal, while Gulf Islands is waiting on the East. In order for the Gulf Islands to load their traffic in Berth 1, they must wait for Route 1 to unload/load before they can take on traffic because the traffic would cross paths in order to make it to the correct berth. As for when the SOBC ties up, I'm not sure. Maybe after Rememberance Day, since the Coastal Renaissance has just gone into refit. The Queen of Alberni also goes for refit starting this coming saturday as well, allowing the New West to replace her for the next month or two before the New West herself goes for refit. Having the SOBC arrive the opposite way into Swartz Bay (via Arbutus Island, instead of Fircone Pt), allows for an easier approach into Berth 2 as well. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 6, 2011 16:34:07 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 8, 2011 22:39:15 GMT -8
SOBC seen off the opening of Fulford Harbour, on October 20, 2011. - with Skeena Queen.   |
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Post by hwy19man on Nov 11, 2011 16:08:13 GMT -8
The SBC is taking the long route sailing along Boundary Pass as the winds are to strong to navigate through Active Pass.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Nov 11, 2011 17:14:04 GMT -8
Seaspan Raven is assisting the SOBC just off of Point Roberts.
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mrdot
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Post by mrdot on Nov 11, 2011 17:16:49 GMT -8
:)what, the german wonderships can't navigate active pass? and the bc built craft of the early years allmost never had to run for cover! but these are different times I have been reminded! ::)mrdot.
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Post by glasseye on Nov 11, 2011 19:40:47 GMT -8
Seaspan Raven is assisting the SOBC just off of Point Roberts. (!) Has a major vessel needed to be rescued by tug before? @ mrdot: You have that backwards. The worst Coastal delay today was 24 minutes. SOVI and the Spauldings were held up for 70 minutes or were halted. SOBC needed to be rescued by a tug. |
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mrdot
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Post by mrdot on Nov 11, 2011 20:02:09 GMT -8
:)well, I have to tell you that I was working Queen of Sidney one nite many years ago, when we went aground at Sturdies Bay and need tugs, and no, things wern't perfect on the boats then, or now! :)mrdot.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 13, 2011 2:14:12 GMT -8
Sobby C, sailing to Swartz Bay on Saturday:   |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 16, 2011 20:55:25 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 17, 2011 22:10:43 GMT -8
The SoBC in pre-slug times...  photo © DOTOff of Village Bay, Mayne Island - ~1993. Note the Victoria 1994 Comonwealth Games logo on the side.  In Active Pass from Galiano Island's Bluffs Park - early May 1995  Approaching Swartz Bay - early May 1995  Spirits Passing in Active Pass - early May 1995 - SoBC is the closer vessel.  Approaching Tsawwassen Terminal - 12 May 2003. The slug fest has begun  ! This is the only purely digital photo in this post. photos, except as noted, © JST & hosted on the JST Flickr photo site |
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Post by WettCoast on Dec 24, 2011 22:53:31 GMT -8
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!