Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

[LikaNui]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

Your best bet is to check with the NOAA weather forecasts beginning on Monday.

No, his best bet is to call the SuperFerry directly the day before his trip. Their phones are currently open from 6am to 7pm, and the hours will expand as voyages begin.

The unfortunate thing is, even if it's blue skies in Hawaii, the swells that might be coming in from some storm further out in the Pacific can still impact Kahului Harbor. And the even more bummer part is because the boat leaves Honolulu so early in the morning, you might not know until you're enroute that the swells in the harbor are too dangerous to try to dock the boat in Kahului Harbor, in which case, they will probably turn around and head back to Honolulu.

Some things never change.
And to even think that the ferry folks won't be in touch with the other harbors before they leave is nothing short of STUPID. They can contact their own people in each harbor, the harbormasters in each harbor, and the Coast Guard. For you to imply that they'd just take off without communicating is beyond ludicrous.
As usual.

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

Weather is always a concern upon the ocean. Especially the size vessels I'm usually aboard. But a "SuperFerry" that constantly has it's service at the mercy of Mother Ocean will have dependability problems. I would think?

Hmmm...

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

Weather is always a concern upon the ocean. Especially the size vessels I'm usually aboard. But a "SuperFerry" that constantly has it's service at the mercy of Mother Ocean will have dependability problems. I would think?

Hmmm...

I hope not! I mean, WestPac Express, which is a very similar design and configuration as HSF, has been used in Okinawa for awhile, and the seas around Okinawa get pretty rough in the winter time too, so hopefully, Austal has figured out how to solve dependability issues. The only one they probably haven't figured out (since the DoD doesn't really care about paint on Humvees) is ocean spray on customer cars, since the car deck is open at one end and exposed to spray from waves.

I hope too that passengers heed the advice of HSF about the ways to avoid seasickness. I've been in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca a couple of times in a smaller catamaran (the Victoria Clipper) in high seas and wind, and while I did OK, lots of people around me didn't. The number of green faces increased exponentially as the ship pitched and rolled around. It was more fun than being on a roller coaster, with the waves splashing up against the ship's forward windows.

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

.....The only one they probably haven't figured out (since the DoD doesn't really care about paint on Humvees) is ocean spray on customer cars, since the car deck is open at one end and exposed to spray from waves......

Um....I don't think Austal has any problems designing a ship that protects customer cars from ocean spray. I think HSF wanted the open front top design to provide ventilation because aren't pets supposed to stay in the car decks? If you take a look at this pic of MV Westpac Express, this ship has a closed top so none of the military equipment is exposed to ocean spray.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:W...s_HSV-4676.jpg

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

Um....I don't think Austal has any problems designing a ship that protects customer cars from ocean spray. I think HSF wanted the open front top design to provide ventilation because aren't pets supposed to stay in the car decks? If you take a look at this pic of MV Westpac Express, this ship has a closed top so none of the military equipment is exposed to ocean spray.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:W...s_HSV-4676.jpg

Possibly, but if there are high seas and winds and with the wake that the boat generates, the cars parked at the back end of the boat might be exposed to the spray. All the BC ferries have car decks that are completely enclosed at both ends to prevent exposure to water or spray.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

Possibly, but if there are high seas and winds and with the wake that the boat generates, the cars parked at the back end of the boat might be exposed to the spray. All the BC ferries have car decks that are completely enclosed at both ends to prevent exposure to water or spray.

What about these BC Ferries?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mayne_Queen.jpg

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

What about these BC Ferries?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mayne_Queen.jpg

The ones that travel on the outside of Vancouver Island (like between Mainland BC and the Queen Charlotte Islands) are completely covered because the Hecate Strait between Prince Rupert and Skidegate is very very rough because it's so shallow. These littler car ferries are only used for very short runs. There's one that runs from Skidegate across a very short channel to another one of the Queen Charlottes that's like that...open deck, no real passenger facilities. The bigger car ferries like the Queen of Prince Rupert are all covered. It's hard to tell from this picture, but the bow actually lifts up when the cars are being loaded onto and off the boat.

Miulang

[cynsaligia]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

All the BC ferries have car decks that are completely enclosed at both ends to prevent exposure to water or spray.

What about these BC Ferries?

mill bay:


powell river queen:


skeena queen:

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

mill bay:


powell river queen:


skeena queen:

The Skeena Queen runs in between Victoria and one of the Gulf Islands. That trip is about 35 minutes across sheltered water. The Powell River Queen runs between Quadra Is (one of the Gulf Islands) and Campbell River on the Mainland BC. The Mill Bay Ferry runs between Mill Bay and Brentwood on Vancouver Island. All these waters are fairly protected. The length of each trip would be more comparable to the Washington State ferries (the longest ride takes about an hour, between Bremerton and Seattle) than to HSF, which is travelling over open water.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

The Skeena Queen runs in between Victoria and one of the Gulf Islands. That trip is about 35 minutes across sheltered water. The Powell River Queen runs between Quadra Is (one of the Gulf Islands) and Campbell River on the Mainland BC. The Mill Bay Ferry runs between Mill Bay and Brentwood on Vancouver Island. All these waters are fairly protected. The length of each trip would be more comparable to the Washington State ferries (the longest ride takes about an hour, between Bremerton and Seattle) than to HSF, which is travelling over open water.

But isn't the issue at hand the same, that customer cars are exposed to salt water and spray? That's what I was trying to point out.

As for HSF in rough waters, this is a recent pic of some new Chinese naval catamaran missile boats doing live fire exercises in waters north of the Philippines with a typhoon nearby. These boats are less than half the size of the HSF. They appear to hold their own in those sea conditions.

[zztype]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

I've been out in 10-15 foot seas in a naval catamaran which was about 2/3 the size of the SuperFerry.

If the captain knows how to navigate open ocean swells, then the ride will be manageable. Those with ocean experience will comment on the smooth ride. Passengers not used to massive sea-state will get sick, no matter what.

Old salt like me: It's like a day at the office.

Suggestion to new ocean passengers: Start your seasickness treatment the night before you go. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE ON THE BOAT. It will be too late. You will be miserable. Longs has plenty to choose from on the motion sickness aisle.

Me? I'll eat a whole stack of fresh saltine crackers with a couple of strong cups of black coffee. Nothing else.

I've gone to sea many times using that remedy, including following all-weekend partying, barely able to walk aboard the ship. Saltines, coffee, off to sea I go. No problem at all.

Looks to be a fun day asea. Anchors aweigh!

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

The design of HSF's catameran will handle the ocean swells and conditions around Hawaii just fine.

It was the Kahului Harbor dockage space that was mentioned as problematic.
Hope that issue can be dealt with?!

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

But isn't the issue at hand the same, that customer cars are exposed to salt water and spray? That's what I was trying to point out.

As for HSF in rough waters, this is a recent pic of some new Chinese naval catamaran missile boats doing live fire exercises in waters north of the Philippines with a typhoon nearby. These boats are less than half the size of the HSF. They appear to hold their own in those sea conditions.

No, because the waters that those little Canadian car ferries and the Washington State ferries cross are very calm compared to the open waters of the channels around the islands of Hawaii.

I'm not saying that the boat will sink, but with the car deck being open at one end, the salt spray will kick up if the wind is whipping up froth on the ocean, and the wake from HSF going at 25 kts is going to be greater than a boat going 18 kts max speed.

Like I said, I've been in a passenger catamaran about half the size of HSF in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca several times during bad storms, and when that sucker was rolling and going up and down, it was also cutting through some pretty rough swells and gale force winds, so it was going even slower than usual. It normally takes about 4 hours to get to Victoria from Seattle, but those trips were over 5 hours long.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

The design of HSF's catameran will handle the ocean swells and conditions around Hawaii just fine.

It was the Kahului Harbor dockage space that was mentioned as problematic.
Hope that issue can be dealt with?!

I hope they find a temporary solution anyway to keep everybody safe. The only permanent solution is going to be to build a permanent terminal so cars and people can load and unload from the boat without needing that barge in the middle. Having the barge go one way and the boat going another way while the 2 are tied together with a north swell coming into the harbor is not going to be good for the boat or the barge, IMO.

Miulang

[sansei]

Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 7

hi this is sansei and i have one question,may anyone remember 10 year's ago in Kauai when the Sea fearing which was like a Type of Hsf only it was somewhat of like a hydrofoil that they pulled up into Kauai's water and caused a Big Commotion is that they didnt follow the judge's rule's and that they caused a Big ruckus in kauai 10 Year's ago and this is why Kauai people dont want the Hsf like the Sea fearing which was at the time a Hydrofoil which caused a Big Rucukus so This is the True reason Why Kauai people dont want Hsf in their water's like 10 Year's ago so I Thought to share this with everyone.this true story was once in Lee Cataluna's Updated news storie's so I Thought to share this with everyone.


well thank's for your time