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Post by Low Light Mike on May 13, 2018 18:37:01 GMT -8
The promenade deck along the length of the ship intrigues me, as a place that I would spend considerable time at during a trip on this ship. |
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Neil
Voyager 
Posts: 7,302
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Post by Neil on May 15, 2018 11:44:26 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on May 15, 2018 12:08:53 GMT -8
Ouch. I'm not planning on a mid-coast ferry vacation this year, so I'm not self-concerned. But this is a kick-in-the-gut to the tourism operators who were denied the tourism for a number of years and now had hopes of a renewed market. |
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Post by WettCoast on May 15, 2018 16:35:27 GMT -8
This really does seem to be kin to the NorAd. It has already been in BC for 5 months and its not ready - why? Now we are told that they need seven months to have it ready ... |
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Post by yvr on May 16, 2018 13:50:12 GMT -8
At the rate this boondoggle is going, it might have been cheaper to have purchased a new ferry, or perhaps one that wasn't built in Greece! No doubt this project is now into serious cost overruns. Because this vessel has almost no windows, I was under the impression there was supposed to be a green house enclosure on the top deck? The photo at the bottom of page 13 doesn't show it, is it coming or was it too expensive and the idea dropped?
From the photo it appears the ferry is tied up at a Seaspan dock. Our member "BCF Spotter" says his dad works at the drydock, although not part of Seaspan he may have an idea of what all this delay is about. If anyone else can shed light on this please post.
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Post by Starsteward on May 19, 2018 7:04:51 GMT -8
At the rate this boondoggle is going, it might have been cheaper to have purchased a new ferry, or perhaps one that wasn't built in Greece! No doubt this project is now into serious cost overruns. Because this vessel has almost no windows, I was under the impression there was supposed to be a green house enclosure on the top deck? The photo at the bottom of page 13 doesn't show it, is it coming or was it too expensive and the idea dropped? From the photo it appears the ferry is tied up at a Seaspan dock. Our member "BCF Spotter" says his dad works at the drydock, although not part of Seaspan he may have an idea of what all this delay is about. If anyone else can shed light on this please post. The current government coalition might well have some "back at ya" ammunition for the previous Liberal administration's constant harping on 'fast-cat' program.  |
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Post by Brandon S on May 19, 2018 13:09:35 GMT -8
Our member "BCF Spotter" says his dad works at the drydock, although not part of Seaspan he may have an idea of what all this delay is about. My dad doesn't have a clue. All he knows is that there is a ship going into the dry dock that wont be out until September. My Step-Dad however is an ERA on the SOVI/SOBC and he might know something. I will ask him later this week to see whats up |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jun 22, 2018 13:57:04 GMT -8
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 7, 2018 11:08:02 GMT -8
This really does seem to be kin to the NorAd. It has already been in BC for 5 months and its not ready - why? Now we are told that they need seven months to have it ready ... Is there someone out there in the big blue yonder that is able to shed some light on the progress or lack thereof, of getting the 'NSW' into service at some point this year? I'm no expert on vessel renovations et al but I'd vote for a Complete review of the entire procurement process for this used, seemingly inappropriate vessel for the route it is intended to service! Something smells fishy about this whole project and the smell isn't coming from my old tennis sneakers!  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 8, 2018 16:49:35 GMT -8
It is 12 days until the July 20th scheduled start for Northern Sea Wolf service on the "new" Bella Coola route.
I've heard nothing about sea trials or completion of the ship, in recent weeks. Presumably work is not yet completed, and trials have not yet taken place.
I'm ok with the ship being late (rather than being unsafely rushed in, Northern Adventure style), but I'm not ok that BC Ferries is still advertising the start for July 20th.
Presumably BC Ferries has received customers' money for booking for July 20th and onwards, and those customers are being set-up either for a disappointing & disruptive cancellation and move for some onto a ridiculously spartan Nimpkish, or are being set up for an unsafe and disorganized "rushed into service" trip on NSW.
Either way, this won't be good for BC Ferries customer-service reputation for what is supposed to be a premium mid-coast experience (it's priced as a premium service, and it looks to be turning into a joke).
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 9, 2018 13:14:22 GMT -8
It is 12 days until the July 20th scheduled start for Northern Sea Wolf service on the "new" Bella Coola route. I've heard nothing about sea trials or completion of the ship, in recent weeks. Presumably work is not yet completed, and trials have not yet taken place. I'm ok with the ship being late (rather than being unsafely rushed in, Northern Adventure style), but I'm not ok that BC Ferries is still advertising the start for July 20th. Presumably BC Ferries has received customers' money for booking for July 20th and onwards, and those customers are being set-up either for a disappointing & disruptive cancellation and move for some onto a ridiculously spartan Nimpkish, or are being set up for an unsafe and disorganized "rushed into service" trip on NSW. Either way, this won't be good for BC Ferries customer-service reputation for what is supposed to be a premium mid-coast experience (it's priced as a premium service, and it looks to be turning into a joke). Maybe BC Ferries should put out a call to the folks at Irish Ferries to get some ideas as to 'how not to' manage a pre-booking crisis that put the good reputation of Irish Ferries 'up the creek'  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 9, 2018 14:00:24 GMT -8
Maybe BC Ferries should put out a call to the folks at Irish Ferries to get some ideas as to 'how not to' manage a pre-booking crisis that put the good reputation of Irish Ferries 'up the creek' Good idea. Both the W.B. Yeats and the Northern Sea Wolf are proof that a passenger should never book passage on a ship that is coming out of the shipyard. It's far better to wait until later in the season or the next year. Of course when that ship is a lifeline, there is often no option to wait-out the growing pains. |
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 9, 2018 15:46:39 GMT -8
Maybe BC Ferries should put out a call to the folks at Irish Ferries to get some ideas as to 'how not to' manage a pre-booking crisis that put the good reputation of Irish Ferries 'up the creek' Good idea. Both the W.B. Yeats and the Northern Sea Wolf are proof that a passenger should never book passage on a ship that is coming out of the shipyard. It's far better to wait until later in the season or the next year. Of course when that ship is a lifeline, there is often no option to wait-out the growing pains. Whilst it is true that many folks over the course of time have jockeyed for passage on 'inaugural sailings' and the like, we all know of one inaugural sailing that has captured the fantasy of sea-goers and shiplovers the world over. The tragic date: April 14-15, 1912. |
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Post by futureferrydriver on Jul 10, 2018 14:06:55 GMT -8
The news is official; Northern Sea Wolf will NOT be entering service his summer. The start date of Port Hardy to Bella Coola direct service has been pushed back again, now to September 16th. The Northern Adventure will be used due to “uncertain date of completetion of refit work.” www.bcferries.com/bcferries/faces/attachments?id=1171735Not good news at all, I wonder what exactly is going on with the NSW. We are well past the expected completion date of refit work, and now it looks like they expect her to remain in refit until the end of September. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 10, 2018 14:41:30 GMT -8
The news is official; Northern Sea Wolf will NOT be entering service his summer. The start date of Port Hardy to Bella Coola direct service has been pushed back again, now to September 16th. The Northern Adventure will be used due to “uncertain date of completetion of refit work.” Bad news indeed. This is what happens when politicians dictate start-dates for a "new" service, and forces a too-tight deadline. |
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 10, 2018 16:01:05 GMT -8
The news is official; Northern Sea Wolf will NOT be entering service his summer. The start date of Port Hardy to Bella Coola direct service has been pushed back again, now to September 16th. The Northern Adventure will be used due to “uncertain date of completetion of refit work.” Bad news indeed. This is what happens when politicians dictate start-dates for a "new" service, and forces a too-tight deadline. All the company/political bafflegab aside, the IS something rotten in the 'state of Denmark' as the saying goes! Someone signed off on the purchase order for this piece of junk and God-willing the Redwise folks got this relic to B.C. in one piece, after that quickie paint job, and some further swaths of lipstick and mascara, which obviously couldn't cover up the problems that have been discovered since the 'NSW' arrived in B.C. Question 1. Were we mislead from the outset as to the general condition and needed upgrades to this vessel BEFORE it was purchased and left foreign waters. Question 2. After arriving in B.C., we were led to believe that the vessel required some refit work, not the scope of work that has now blossomed into what appears to be nothing short of a complete systems, perhaps structural re-build. Who knew what and when?  By the time the vessel is put into service the ACTUAL cost of this adventure will be_____? There's more than one culprit in this saga, and investigation(s) will, and should tell the true story of how this 'refit' (almost equalling the selling price of the Fast Cats) has come to pass. The Premier and the Minister of Transportation et al, should be preparing the 'carpet' for some decision makers at BCFS, so that they've got a nice clean, flat, carpet on which to stand for their 'splainin'' session they've rightly earned!  |
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Post by Brandon S on Jul 10, 2018 18:16:03 GMT -8
Went down do the dry dock the other day. From the looks of things, all the BCF paint has been removed and all that is left is the blue on the smoke stacks. Security guy told me it should have been gone in March but he doesn't know when it will be leaving. All I know is that there is a warship in the drycok until September and a Cruise Ship in after, so if BCF needs a dry dock then they would have to go somewhere else.
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 11, 2018 14:30:22 GMT -8
Went down do the dry dock the other day. From the looks of things, all the BCF paint has been removed and all that is left is the blue on the smoke stacks. Security guy told me it should have been gone in March but he doesn't know when it will be leaving. All I know is that there is a warship in the drycok until September and a Cruise Ship in after, so if BCF needs a dry dock then they would have to go somewhere else. "All the BCF paint has been removed". Thanks for the intriguing update 'BCFSpotter'! Since when does BCFS remove paint/logos etc. from a vessel apparently needing further mechanical/engineering upgrades? 'Paint-outs' and 'paint-overs' are the 'de rigour' when vessels are withdrawn from service. There IS something afoot that needs investigating and it would behoove the current Minister responsible for BCFS to send a non declinable invite to the 'suits' at BCFS to shed some light on what the entire story is behind this strange turn of events. I'm wondering if the engineers have discovered a hull structure problem with the 'NSW' that is going to require some Major surgery? Something dramatic has been discovered as much of the refurbishment of the vessel appeared to have been done. Here's a story for a veteran old-school journalist who relishes deep, time-consuming investigative work. Sadly news today is bereft of many of these journalists as they have retired or passed from the scene and been replaced for the most part by inexperienced newbies.  |
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Post by Brandon S on Jul 11, 2018 14:43:06 GMT -8
Went down do the dry dock the other day. From the looks of things, all the BCF paint has been removed and all that is left is the blue on the smoke stacks. Security guy told me it should have been gone in March but he doesn't know when it will be leaving. All I know is that there is a warship in the drycok until September and a Cruise Ship in after, so if BCF needs a dry dock then they would have to go somewhere else. "All the BCF paint has been removed". Thanks for the intriguing update 'BCFSpotter'! Since when does BCFS remove paint/logos etc. from a vessel apparently needing further mechanical/engineering upgrades? 'Paint-outs' and 'paint-overs' are the 'de rigour' when vessels are withdrawn from service. There IS something afoot that needs investigating and it would behoove the current Minister responsible for BCFS to send a non declinable invite to the 'suits' at BCFS to shed some light on what the entire story is behind this strange turn of events. I'm wondering if the engineers have discovered a hull structure problem with the 'NSW' that is going to require some Major surgery? Something dramatic has been discovered as much of the refurbishment of the vessel appeared to have been done. Here's a story for a veteran old-school journalist who relishes deep, time-consuming investigative work. Sadly news today is bereft of many of these journalists as they have retired or passed from the scene and been replaced for the most part by inexperienced newbies. I mean from where I was standing it did look like all the paint had been removed. Here is what it looked like to me (sorry for the terrible editing quality...)  |
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 11, 2018 15:54:48 GMT -8
Thanks for posting the forlorn looking picture 'BCFSpotter'.You didn't miss anything, the paint, ie. slugs and BC Ferries is definitely gone.
This does not look like a vessel waiting for a dry-docking appointment! Forlorn is more like it.
This looks like a vessel that is has been decommissioned and/or on the way out. I have NEVER seen a vessel de-painted while awaiting a dry-docking appointment.
WHY would a company 'de-logo' one of their vessels otherwise???
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Post by Brandon S on Jul 11, 2018 15:56:58 GMT -8
Thanks for posting the forlorn looking picture 'BCFSpotter'.You didn't miss anything, the paint, ie. slugs and BC Ferries is definitely gone. This does not look like a vessel waiting for a dry-docking appointment! Forlorn is more like it. This looks like a vessel that is has been decommissioned and/or on the way out. I have NEVER seen a vessel de-painted while awaiting a dry-docking appointment. WHY would a company 'de-logo' one of their vessels otherwise??? The only reason I can think of is to be re-painted but then ALL of the colors would have been taken off. Im going to ask someone who works there tomorrow if they could get us some photos. |
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Post by Mike on Jul 11, 2018 16:21:39 GMT -8
Thanks for posting the forlorn looking picture 'BCFSpotter'.You didn't miss anything, the paint, ie. slugs and BC Ferries is definitely gone. This does not look like a vessel waiting for a dry-docking appointment! Forlorn is more like it. This looks like a vessel that is has been decommissioned and/or on the way out. I have NEVER seen a vessel de-painted while awaiting a dry-docking appointment. WHY would a company 'de-logo' one of their vessels otherwise??? I mean from where I was standing it did look like all the paint had been removed. Here is what it looked like to me. Starsteward, the photo BCFSpotter posted is NOT a current photo of the NSW, just an approximation of what he saw. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 11, 2018 16:52:23 GMT -8
Thanks for posting the forlorn looking picture 'BCFSpotter'.You didn't miss anything, the paint, ie. slugs and BC Ferries is definitely gone. This does not look like a vessel waiting for a dry-docking appointment! Forlorn is more like it. This looks like a vessel that is has been decommissioned and/or on the way out. I have NEVER seen a vessel de-painted while awaiting a dry-docking appointment. WHY would a company 'de-logo' one of their vessels otherwise??? I mean from where I was standing it did look like all the paint had been removed. Here is what it looked like to me. Starsteward, the photo BCFSpotter posted is NOT a current photo of the NSW, just an approximation of what he saw. haha, some scandal on our own forum with a misleading post. We'll be over-scrutinizing BCFSpotter's every word, from now on. Hmmm, what might he have really meant? Why didn't he just say "this is a photo taken in March and shows the approximate same condition that I saw her in yesterday." |
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Post by Brandon S on Jul 11, 2018 17:07:34 GMT -8
Starsteward, the photo BCFSpotter posted is NOT a current photo of the NSW, just an approximation of what he saw. haha, some scandal on our own forum with a misleading post. We'll be over-scrutinizing BCFSpotter's every word, from now on. Hmmm, what might he have really meant? Why didn't he just say "this is a photo taken in March and shows the approximate same condition that I saw her in yesterday." Sorry folks, and thanks Mike for correcting me. The old brain wasent thinking of the right words. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 11, 2018 19:40:23 GMT -8
One thing that we know for sure: The "Sea Wolf" is a mythical creature.
They picked an apt name for a mythical ferry on a mythical route.
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Northern Sea Wolf ~ Victoria Shipyards by Chris City, on Flickr
