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Post by paddlehardercafe on Apr 23, 2020 9:53:24 GMT -8
Well the Aurora is out on maneuvers right now in open waters abeam Parksville / QB. More sea time for her bridge crews and run ups.
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Post by Curtis on Apr 23, 2020 12:17:57 GMT -8
As long as the elderly N.I.P. stays functional, there's little need to rush things. Well yes, but also no. While the NIP might be perfectly fine to operate for another few months, the deciding factor comes down to how long her licenses and certifications are valid. For example, I know one of the Howe Sound Queen’s certifications expired within days of her retirement, I imagine it’s a similar case for the NIP. Also, considering the amount of money BCFS is hemorrhaging right now due to the pandemic, keeping the NIP in service while 2 new vessels wait in the wings is probably the last thing they want. On the other hand, they could keep the Quadra Queen II running Route 25 for the time being if they so wished, but again I doubt they would.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on May 29, 2020 17:02:13 GMT -8
When will the Island Class enter service? I am asking Island Discovery was suppose to enter service in mid-May according to the project page.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on May 29, 2020 20:11:26 GMT -8
When will the Island Class enter service? I am asking Island Discovery was suppose to enter service in mid-May according to the project page. You asked pretty much the same question a few weeks back, and I suggested you send BC Ferries a note, since they do often respond to things like this. Just curious as to whether you did so.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Aug 30, 2020 20:19:02 GMT -8
I took a trip over Taxada Island, being COVID 19 safe, on the MV Island Discovery. My overall thoughts where: 1. I am amazed on how quite these vessels are. 2. The lounge seemed nice but the door to washroom is odd because it’s not self explanatory and door not closing fully for me. 3. The car deck seem like prison due passengers not being able too see that much of the ocean and weather protection on car deck being high.
My overall impression of Island class was good. I cannot wait to ride this class when things get back to the ‘new’ normal because I think the upper deck while be great overall addition to these vessels.
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Post by ferryfangeorge on Aug 31, 2020 6:43:48 GMT -8
I took a trip over Taxada Island, being COVID 19 safe, on the MV Island Discovery. My overall thoughts where: 1. I am amazed on how quite these vessels are. 2. The lounge seemed nice but the door to washroom is odd because it’s not self explanatory and door not closing fully for me. 3. The car deck seem like prison due passengers not being able too see that much of the ocean and weather protection on car deck being high. My overall impression of Island class was good. I cannot wait to ride this class when things get back to the ‘new’ normal because I think the upper deck while be great overall addition to these vessels. It is disappointing that the top deck is not open. Because I think that it is a nice seating area up there.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 25, 2020 21:58:55 GMT -8
No, Mike! Not a curmudgeon! One must evolve through life... not devolve... But given that even in the early days of this forum, you were outed as to your 'sarcasm', I guess it's not surprising. Texada must be getting a bit jaded about their shiny new ferry. And this is a very expensive fix for BC Ferries, with all the switches and improvisations. One can only hope this is teething pains, and not a harbinger of her character over the long term. The memory of the North Island Princess must be a source of very pleasant nostalgia right now for Texadians... can't say I would blame them. BC Ferries isn't the only one who has experienced problems with Damen built vessels. Newfoundland's MV Veteran and MV Legionnaire have both experienced numerous mechanical failings and issues since receiving them from Damen. It makes me wonder a little about the quality of Damen's work. Some teething problems for new vessels is expected, but this seems deeper than that. Here's an article from 2019 about some of the issues Newfoundland has had: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ferries-repairs-veteran-legionnaire-taxpayers-1.5203568MV Island Aurora doesn’t seem like she has that many problems when in service. I don’t think that next four Island Class will have that many problems because BC Ferries now has experience operating, maintaining the Island Class and Deman has knowledge on building them.
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Post by Kahloke on Sept 26, 2020 8:07:57 GMT -8
MV Island Aurora doesn’t seem like she has that many problems when in service. I don’t think that next four Island Class will have that many problems because BC Ferries now has experience operating, maintaining the Island Class and Deman has knowledge on building them. I hope you're right. Now that they've built a couple of these, maybe some of the bugs can be ironed out, and the fixes built into the next series. We've certainly seen this sort of thing before, and sometimes there's one vessel that's just problematic for whatever reason. Looking at WSF's Olympic Class, for example, it seems like Samish has had more issues than her sister ships. Maybe Island Discovery simply has more issues than Island Aurora. I'm sure they will get things worked out. The Issaquah's were lemons, for sure, when they first came into service, but they were fixed, and have turned out to be reliable work horses over the years.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Oct 29, 2020 13:42:25 GMT -8
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Dec 17, 2020 10:38:02 GMT -8
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Post by cbachmeier on Dec 19, 2020 15:25:32 GMT -8
Here is a video of the fourth Island Class Vessel being launched, in the video there is this loud sound it sounds like a long beep as the vessel launches into the water, or it could be the horn but I am not sure?
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Feb 1, 2021 22:19:14 GMT -8
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Post by Dane on Feb 1, 2021 22:46:10 GMT -8
This all reads like posturing right now - obviously there isn't a plan in place for building eight (?) more Island class vessels than are already here or being built. Rather a plan to plan, which is needed in itself. The strategy by BC Ferries is bold: electrification of some routes that are pretty demanding, building a reasonably standardized fleet for the first time on the West Coast, and implementing potential local builders (who, I note, having a blazing track record of mediocracy). Notwithstanding the bold nature of the concept outlined by BC Ferries, they may have struck at the right time in history to do it: - green technology is going to be subsidized and pushed by both our current NDP provincial government and Liberal federal government; - local communities are almost guaranteed to be on with the reduction in environmental footprint of electrification or even meaningful steps towards it. Partnering with BC Hydro also brings a close-to-government Crown Corporation aboard; - capital costs for BC Ferries are likely going to go one of two ways in the near to medium term future. That is way up if expenditures stay local (the "post-Covid boost"), or way down if that money leaves BC (not directly injecting money into the economy is going to be a very difficult, perhaps impossible sales pitch. As I write this the major vessel replacement for the C Class had been cancelled on account of fiscal management). This plan for local construction gets BC Ferries and shipbuilders into the revitalize BC column; - the skill development for building ships has presumably been restored, at least in part, by Coast Guard and Navy contracts. However, the GC boats are reported to be garbage. The last in-BC built ferries, albeit over two decades ago now, were not great. I hope by building the same things eight times the risk is somewhat diminished [maybe the first one will be Island Lemon]. Point Hope has also presumably developed some in-class expertise for the "islands"; and - generally it seems like the prevailing political will has been pointing towards domestically built ferries even before Covid-19. From the economic disaster if the pandemic I only think that has strengthened.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Feb 1, 2021 23:14:32 GMT -8
That's not what Vaughn Palmer's story says. He refers to a total of thirteen electric powered ferries, and he's including conversions. It's sloppily worded, but I doubt that means thirteen Island class boats.
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Post by Dane on Feb 2, 2021 7:08:57 GMT -8
That's not what Vaughn Palmer's story says. He refers to a total of thirteen electric powered ferries, and he's including conversions. It's sloppily worded, but I doubt that means thirteen Island class boats. That would be consistent with previous BC Ferries planning though, which has alternated between there being one to three sizes of the Island class. I like to think they'd be Fun Size, Regular, and King, much alike a Coffee Crisp.
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Feb 2, 2021 22:52:40 GMT -8
This all reads like posturing right now - obviously there isn't a plan in place for building eight (?) more Island class vessels than are already here or being built. Rather a plan to plan, which is needed in itself. The strategy by BC Ferries is bold: electrification of some routes that are pretty demanding, building a reasonably standardized fleet for the first time on the West Coast, and implementing potential local builders (who, I note, having a blazing track record of mediocracy). Notwithstanding the bold nature of the concept outlined by BC Ferries, they may have struck at the right time in history to do it: - green technology is going to be subsidized and pushed by both our current NDP provincial government and Liberal federal government; - local communities are almost guaranteed to be on with the reduction in environmental footprint of electrification or even meaningful steps towards it. Partnering with BC Hydro also brings a close-to-government Crown Corporation aboard; - capital costs for BC Ferries are likely going to go one of two ways in the near to medium term future. That is way up if expenditures stay local (the "post-Covid boost"), or way down if that money leaves BC (not directly injecting money into the economy is going to be a very difficult, perhaps impossible sales pitch. As I write this the major vessel replacement for the C Class had been cancelled on account of fiscal management). This plan for local construction gets BC Ferries and shipbuilders into the revitalize BC column; - the skill development for building ships has presumably been restored, at least in part, by Coast Guard and Navy contracts. However, the GC boats are reported to be garbage. The last in-BC built ferries, albeit over two decades ago now, were not great. I hope by building the same things eight times the risk is somewhat diminished [maybe the first one will be Island Lemon]. Point Hope has also presumably developed some in-class expertise for the "islands"; and - generally it seems like the prevailing political will has been pointing towards domestically built ferries even before Covid-19. From the economic disaster if the pandemic I only think that has strengthened. A few thoughts come up on this story. First off... I had sort of promised myself, as well as forum members who might understandably be tired of such arguments, not to revisit building locally. But now, that might have changed. And as Dane notes, the will to do things differently might have been developing for a while. We're not on the eve of a provincial election, and shipyard workers aren't a big block of voters, so I don't think this is just posturing. Second thought: I was curious about the reference by the shipbuilding industry to being blocked out of applying for ferry contracts. Haven't they said that they've been busy enough that they don't need to bid for BC Ferries newbuilds? The last time I read about WMG being p'ed about the awarding of contracts was back when the Coastal project was shortlisted. Thirdly... When the province talks about directing more ferry work here, aren't they essentially talking about directing newbuilds to WMG yards? Is there any other company left that could conceivably build something even on the scale of a single Salish class boat? I would love to see what appeared to be a dead idea get new life, because I still think it could have huge net benefit for our economy, despite the cost of building here, at a premium. I'm not at all convinced, though, that in our Covid environment there is any real appetite for a massive and somewhat speculative investment in what many feel is a sunset industry.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Feb 3, 2021 22:42:55 GMT -8
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Post by timmyc on Feb 4, 2021 13:06:26 GMT -8
Second thought: I was curious about the reference by the shipbuilding industry to being blocked out of applying for ferry contracts. Haven't they said that they've been busy enough that they don't need to bid for BC Ferries newbuilds? The last time I read about WMG being p'ed about the awarding of contracts was back when the Coastal project was shortlisted. "They" being busy may have been referring only to Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards, which is certainly busy enough with federal contracts but the only "one stop shop" for large construction. Asides form them, there are a number of smaller yards in BC that might be modernized/expanded to accommodate Island class construction (whether on their own or in conjunction with each other), like Point Hope in Victoria or Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver (which had built sections for the Spirits, as well as the Skeena Queen and Kuper).
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Feb 5, 2021 22:47:08 GMT -8
I'm not buying the Daily Hive's interpretation of these plans until I see something directly from BC Ferries. I don't see a role for thirteen Island class vessels. We know where six are going. But when you look beyond that, you see the distinct possibility or probability of Cortes and Hornby, owing to capacity and age issues of their present vessels. The long term plan for Moresby is another Kwuna sized landing craft. At Thetis, surely the Kuper is good for a fair bit longer, given its relative youth after rebuilding. On Saanich Inlet, an Island class would represent more than a doubling of capacity, and BC Ferries has never shown more than a grudging commitment to that route. So, given the present route map... two almost certainties, and three iffy maybes. Seven? I doubt it.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Feb 5, 2021 23:07:18 GMT -8
I'm not buying the Daily Hive's interpretation of these plans until I see something directly from BC Ferries. I don't see a role for thirteen Island class vessels. We know where six are going. But when you look beyond that, you see the distinct possibility or probability of Cortes and Hornby, owing to capacity and age issues of their present vessels. The long term plan for Moresby is another Kwuna sized landing craft. At Thetis, surely the Kuper is good for a fair bit longer, given its relative youth after rebuilding. On Saanich Inlet, an Island class would represent more than a doubling of capacity, and BC Ferries has never shown more than a grudging commitment to that route. So, given the present route map... two almost certainties, and three iffy maybes. Seven? I doubt it. 1. I agree with Hornby and Cortes getting Island Class. 2. I could see Island Class going to Thetis and moving Kuper to the Saanich Island. 3. Replacements for Quinitsa and Quadra Queen II. 4. Putting two Island Class on route 6 Crofton - Vesuvius to retire the Quinsam. 5. Maybe another spare or establishing two boat service on another minor route. 6. I think Kwuna would need to customize vessel replacement or normal berth could be built for an Island Class vessel.
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 8, 2021 16:55:36 GMT -8
I'm not buying the Daily Hive's interpretation of these plans until I see something directly from BC Ferries. I don't see a role for thirteen Island class vessels. We know where six are going. But when you look beyond that, you see the distinct possibility or probability of Cortes and Hornby, owing to capacity and age issues of their present vessels. The long term plan for Moresby is another Kwuna sized landing craft. At Thetis, surely the Kuper is good for a fair bit longer, given its relative youth after rebuilding. On Saanich Inlet, an Island class would represent more than a doubling of capacity, and BC Ferries has never shown more than a grudging commitment to that route. So, given the present route map... two almost certainties, and three iffy maybes. Seven? I doubt it. Chek News also confirms that the long term goal will not only be to convert 6 pre-existing Island Class, but also for an additional 7 Island Class further down the road. Exciting times ahead www.cheknews.ca/bc-ferries-seeks-funding-to-convert-one-third-of-its-fleet-to-electric-742133/
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Feb 8, 2021 20:13:58 GMT -8
I'm not buying the Daily Hive's interpretation of these plans until I see something directly from BC Ferries. I don't see a role for thirteen Island class vessels. We know where six are going. But when you look beyond that, you see the distinct possibility or probability of Cortes and Hornby, owing to capacity and age issues of their present vessels. The long term plan for Moresby is another Kwuna sized landing craft. At Thetis, surely the Kuper is good for a fair bit longer, given its relative youth after rebuilding. On Saanich Inlet, an Island class would represent more than a doubling of capacity, and BC Ferries has never shown more than a grudging commitment to that route. So, given the present route map... two almost certainties, and three iffy maybes. Seven? I doubt it. Chek News also confirms that the long term goal will not only be to convert 6 pre-existing Island Class, but also for an additional 7 Island Class further down the road. Exciting times ahead www.cheknews.ca/bc-ferries-seeks-funding-to-convert-one-third-of-its-fleet-to-electric-742133/This still seems like pie in the sky- best case scenario- Covid never happened- type stuff... kind of like the plan for five new major vessels, which now apparently isn't happening until, oh, I don't know... some time after Betelgeuse goes supernova. But I guess if we're blue skying, I didn't take into account in my earlier post that BC Ferries might quite reasonably decide to go with two vessel service to Fulford, given the limitations to holding capacity there. That's pretty much why they are going to two boats at Gabriola and Quadra. Two Island class vessels would give the same capacity as the Skeena Queen, with faster loading, which could mean service every 45-50 minutes in peak periods. Then, if you assume Island class boats at Saanich Inlet, Thetis, Hornby, Cortes, and Alliford Bay (ramps necessary), you're at thirteen overall. Retirement of most of the previous vessels, and Skeena Queen becoming a refit vessel. I'll reserve my right to skepticism.
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Post by northwesterner on Feb 8, 2021 20:21:24 GMT -8
This still seems like pie in the sky- best case scenario- Covid never happened- type stuff... kind of like the plan for five new major vessels, which now apparently isn't happening until, oh, I don't know... some time after Betelgeuse goes supernova. But I guess if we're blue skying, I didn't take into account in my earlier post that BC ferries might quite reasonably decide to go with two vessel service to Fulford, given the limitations to holding capacity there. That's pretty much why they are going to two boats at Gabriola and Quadra. Two Island class vessels would give the same capacity as the Skeena Queen, with faster loading, which could mean service every 45-50 minutes in peak periods. Then, if you assume Island class boats at Saanich Inlet, Thetis, Hornby, Cortes, and Alliford Bay (ramps necessary), you're at thirteen overall. Retirement of most of the previous vessels, and Skeena Queen becoming a refit vessel. I'll reserve my right to skepticism. Perhaps this is a hedge against growth. One of the key arguments against the cable ferry was that it would be the limiting factor on access to the island ... essentially for the duration of the life time of all of the existing stakeholders. You were baking in a capacity, and it wouldn't be revisited again for 35 years. With a fleet of interchangeable Island Class ferries, BCF could be saying, we know we'll need more capacity down the road and we'll do it through more frequency on existing routes. Time will tell.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Feb 8, 2021 23:10:51 GMT -8
This still seems like pie in the sky- best case scenario- Covid never happened- type stuff... kind of like the plan for five new major vessels, which now apparently isn't happening until, oh, I don't know... some time after Betelgeuse goes supernova. But I guess if we're blue skying, I didn't take into account in my earlier post that BC Ferries might quite reasonably decide to go with two vessel service to Fulford, given the limitations to holding capacity there. That's pretty much why they are going to two boats at Gabriola and Quadra. Two Island class vessels would give the same capacity as the Skeena Queen, with faster loading, which could mean service every 45-50 minutes in peak periods. Then, if you assume Island class boats at Saanich Inlet, Thetis, Hornby, Cortes, and Alliford Bay (ramps necessary), you're at thirteen overall. Retirement of most of the previous vessels, and Skeena Queen becoming a refit vessel. I'll reserve my right to skepticism. Every article about the electrification plan either say 13 vessels being built or converted or six vessels being converted and seven new builds, which I haven’t seen BC Ferries saying this alternative facts. So, three vessel could expand capacity on certain routes because demand and length are hard to match with frequency or shuttle mode. I think Saanich Inlet will have the route MV Kuper because the terminal capacity.
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Post by Dane on Feb 22, 2021 10:13:49 GMT -8
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