Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

[na alii]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Actual hull shot of a Superferry



Actual shot of a Sperm whale almost split into two by a high speed ferry. Those twin hulls are like hot knives through butter.

"A humpback whale calf off Maui displays severe injuries to its back that whale experts believe were caused by a ship propeller."

Propeller ships and not twin hull ferry slicing and dicing the whale in the picture.

[kamuelakea]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Photos of a couple of accidents by boats OTHER than the Superferry are supposed to support the ANTI-Superferry cause???? Thats odd.

Here are pictures of REAL DEAD WHALES being chopped up for sushi. About 1000 INTENTIONALLY Murdered.

From the Land of the Rising Sun and the awesome whale sashimi.

[Samurai123]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Just some thoughts -

The core of the legal challenge is that the Department of Transportation (DOT) failed to conduct an environmental assessment (EA) for the expenditure of $40 million of public funds to make harbor improvements to support the Superferry. The trigger of the EA then is not the Superferry per se, but the use of public funds for harbor improvements. DOT relied on the reasoning that there have been boats coming in an out of the harbor for years thus the harbor imrprovements are more or less maintenance work which is exempt from the requirement to produce an EA. Well, that kind of thinking did not sit well with the Supreme Court becuase the Superferry is not a typical ship. The analogy is that would be like calling the supersonic Concorde just another airplane, notwhithstand the fact that the Concorde has a huge noise envelope and requires certain safety clearances when compared to other airliners.

The fact is the DOT made a decision that the harbor improvements were exempt, people and interest groups objected to the decision, and the supreme court unanimously opined that DOT was wrong not to prepare an EA. I don't fault the groups that brought the law suits, they were working within the system - if you disagree with the DOT's decisions and they refuse to change their decision, the recourse you have is to go to court.

The fault lies at the doorstep of the DOT, they made the wrong call and the justices of the supreme court unanimously ruled that an EA should have been done. DOT could have done an EA back in 2005 a decision they probably regret.

[na alii]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Photos of a couple of accidents by boats OTHER than the Superferry are supposed to support the ANTI-Superferry cause???? Thats odd.

Here are pictures of REAL DEAD WHALES being chopped up for sushi. About 1000 INTENTIONALLY Murdered.

From the Land of the Rising Sun and the awesome whale sashimi.

What I was trying to get at is other boats in Hawaii are harming the whales so why no EIS/EA for them? As you can see from the picture it's the propeller boats that are cutting them up. I believe the SF doesn't use propellers.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

What I was trying to get at is other boats in Hawaii are harming the whales so why no EIS/EA for them? As you can see from the picture it's the propeller boats that are cutting them up. I believe the SF doesn't use propellers.

SF uses impellers, basically propellers inside a tube so it creates a water jet with a maneuvering exhaust to guide the water jet which effectively steers the boat.

[Fritz]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

I don't know if this idea has been put forward, but I could understand many of the Kauai protesters being out there for "Sport". Going to the harbor to see this would be a lot more interesting than staying home watching TV. It would be a logical step to next join in to be part of something memorable.

I remember, as a youth in the midwest, on Halloween, being in a mob, plying mischief, then scattering through the neighborhood, running away from the police. If they caught you, game over. The rest of the mob played on. That was some exciting FUN! Good Stuff!

In this case it is easy enough to convince yourself that your actions are for a noble cause. AND, it's FUN, exciting and on Kauai, there isn't a whole lot else going on.

[na alii]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

SF uses impellers, basically propellers inside a tube so it creates a water jet with a maneuvering exhaust to guide the water jet which effectively steers the boat.

Sort of like a jet engine. BTW, where were you this morning and early afternoon. I was waiting for your rebuttals against Tattoed in Maui in the Advertiser forums.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Sort of like a jet engine. BTW, where were you this morning and early afternoon. I was waiting for your rebuttals against Tattoed in Maui in the Advertiser forums.

Haha, sorry to disappoint, I had some work to do. I am going to check out that Hot Seat discussion tomorrow, I'm sure that one will be loaded.

[na alii]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Haha, sorry to disappoint, I had some work to do. I am going to check out that Hot Seat discussion tomorrow, I'm sure that one will be loaded.

If the mods don't delete it. Two threads have been deleted in the last two days.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

More of my thoughts
on the Hawaii Superferry debacle.

"Firstly I have to say that the DOT did a bonehead mistake by exempting HSF from doing a EA from get go. That mistake could potentially could be costly to all taxpayers if HSF is permanently barred from service here.

That all being said, I know legally HSF cannot operate until a EA is completed. But the reality is this, HSF depended on government assurances that everything was legal. Is that fair that midstream that the rug is pulled out from underneath the HSF.I certainly don't think its fair to the 300 employees, the HSF stakeholders, the residents of this state. So I strongly believe a EA should be done concurrently with HSF operating.

There is parallels with the Hokulia debacle in Kona and the HSF. Hokulia was enjoined from further development AFTER 350 million was invested and 190 lots were sold. In this case, like HSF the developer relied on government assurances that it was legal.

All in all, these bonehead decisions are making a mockery of this state and furthering our reputation of a horrible place to do business."

[waioli kai]

pigs, coasties and confessions , Re: Hawaii $uperfascUSterry - Chapter 5

Having worked with the Coast Guard extensively, I can tell you that they refer to themselves as "Coasties."
The rest of your post is not only difficult to read stylistically but also pretty nonsensical.

Having been commissioned in and honorably discharged from the U.S. Coast Guard I will tell you that being called "a Coastie" generated a feeling not unlike a policeman being called "a cop" not so long ago when the word "cop" directed toward a policeman was disrespectful. Maybe the day is coming when "cops" will not take offense at being called "a pig" by those who cannot muster the respectful syllables required to say "a policeman" then Coast Guardsmen can be called "coast-huggers" except that that is too many syllables to accomodate the preferences of idiocy.

As for your sense of what is "nonsense",,, no big surprise in that confession.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

This whole thing is absolutely wacky.

Yes I do. Working retail here in Hilo and having come from Oahu (born and raised) I see first hand how some people from Oahu tend to be a bit arrogant to Hiloans. They tell me, "What do you mean you don't sell it? On Oahu we have it...on Oahu we expect it...on Oahu it done this certain way."

Oh man I just roll my eyes as if wanting to tell them, "You stupid person this is Hilo where it just isn't brought in from Honolulu...we don't have it here...so don't expect it done the way you do it on Oahu." But for store policy reasons I don't.

I have to endure this endless blabbering about how great Oahu is compared to Hilo every stinking day. Look if you don't like Hilo go back to Honolulu, this is why I left Honolulu because it has become so out of touch with a simpler way of life where getting things take a while. These customers complain that it takes two weeks for product to come in to our stores, well yeah YB has their schedule that we're held hostage to. But heck after a while you get used to the wait and eventually this waiting slows you down where you can stop and smell those roses.

Look I want the SF to come and even moreso to Hilo than Kona. But I can see how neighbor islanders feel about how accessable it will become with SF in service. Canadians feel the same way about the US and how the borders between the US and Canada are so blurred that it's hard to distinguish the differences between the two countries with Jack in the Box and McDonalds seemingly on both sides of the border.

Each island has their uniqueness and so far each island has been able to hold onto that. The car really is an extension of one's ego. Its hard enough to endure the, "well on my island..." mentality now that arrogance is intensified by that extended ego as well.

As a former resident of Honolulu I never realized how much arrogance I implied on my neighbor island cousins. Now as one who resides on the Big Island I can see a lot of my former self in those who impose their ways onto a more laid back lifestyle here in Hilo when visiting from Honolulu or the mainland.

The car is an extension of our egos and now we're bringing them over to another island to exercise that attitude. The difference with bringing a car thru YB is that most who do will reregister their automobiles with that island's county. Typically it's a one way trip for that car. Unlike the SF.

You may not see it that way, but I do. It may sound rediculous to you but to someone who came from Oahu and now resides on the neighbor islands I can see it clearly. It's all about Oahu.

Like I said before, if the inagural trip originated from another neighbor island to any island (including Oahu) I highly doubt that there would have been much (if not any) protests.

The neighbor islanders have been feeling the rub from Honolulu for many years taking the back seat to everything that happens in this state. Remember the earthquake fiasco?

If Honolulu wants to feel as if they have every right to drive on any island as they choose, then life in this state cannot stay Honolulu-centric. It cannot be, "Weather on Oahu continues to be crap while on the neighbor islands..." What the heck is that? Did you know to Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, the Big Island...oh and forgotten Niihau...to all of us "Neighbor Islanders", Oahu is also a neighbor island. But no we've become the back seat to Oahu...second rate, we get the left overs.

Oahu is the main island and every other island in this state is, "the neighbor islands" as if the State of Hawaii is only Oahu and all the other islands are just participating players.

It took me moving away from Oahu after spending 44-years of my life growing up and living in Honolulu to see the arrogance I portrayed, kinda like being a spoiled brat who got everything a certain way at a certain time. Yeah there are struggles even on Oahu, but it's nothing compared to how some of us "neighbor islanders" have to deal with social issues and jobs.

If you can feel the harsness in my words, (and that's coming from someone who only knew Honolulu in my blood) can you imagine the resentment from other "neighbor islanders" who never made Oahu their homes? They're pissed off big time.

Hilo is a bit different than most other towns or cities in Hawaii because we have a closer tie to Oahu for some reason. Many of us are descendants from second generation Nisei. Our parents were raised in Hilo but left to Honolulu during WWII where most of us Sansei grew up in the only town we knew, Honolulu. So when we come back to Hilo where our parents grew up in, we feel a bit connected. This is why for me I don't have any issues with the SF docking in Hilo (but they decided not to) because I do have an understanding to how Honolulu thinks and feels and can relate to the arrogance as well.

But to those who never made Honolulu their home, there is a lot of resentment. And when the issue of bringing their cars, well that was pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back. Too much Oahu on this island already, now you going bring one car? That's the attitude I get from customers I deal with who hate the SF.

You may not understand what I'm saying but it's like that arrogant in law that makes unannounced visits to your home and parks his RV on your front lawn, eats your food, sleeps in your bed and then leaves with a mess for you to clean up.

That's the general resentment being felt by some on the "neighbor islands" And there are enough of those people to make enough of a fuss to be heard by all interested.

I'm not one of those people but I do understand their passion behind their protests...almost a type of paranoia from those who fear the Honolululization of their island home. Unfounded? Probably so, but tell that to those of us here who have felt the negative rub from Honolulu for years. And I'm from Honolulu!!! I remember when the NBC was the HIC, when OTS was HRT. And now as a Big Islander, I get that rub from Honolulu as if I'm not good enough anymore. And you want to bring your cars here?

Anyway, that's the general fear going around the streets of the "neighbor islands". Take it anyway you want, but to us "neighbor islanders" it's a fear none the less. Until the State of Hawaii becomes more all encompassing instead of Honolulu-centric there will always be some resentment between all the other islands and Oahu. Hey we're part of the state too not just the "neighbor islands".

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

BTW, I smell a major lawsuit from the owners of the SF. The protests albeit legitimate also financially damaged the business unfairly. If I knew I was going to be damaged and let it happen anyway that would be a great way to settle out of court instead of suing those protesting organizations into poverty.

And as we all know, by settling out of court, one can presume a gag order be placed on both parties as to the the settlement.

In the end the SF would win the lawsuit and no protesting can occur by those who were sued or else face contempt of court by protesting again, defying the gag order.

Basically tying the hands of the protesters from protesting again thru a gag order from an out of court settlement stemming from a lawsuit naming the protesting organizations as defendants allowing the SF to run with no legal issues to stop them. Remember the root word in TRO is "Temporary" and if the courts view the TRO as injust when it comes time to take it to the court, who will be vindicated? The protesters or SF? If SF is vindicated those who protested resulting in financial damages had better hire a good attorney cuz they're gonna need it!

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Maybe it's time to move the capital of the state somewhere else? So less Honolulu-centric? I doubt many Oahuians would care if the capitol moved. A lot of other states have their capitals not in their most populous cities, Sacramento, Olympia, Albany, etc. And maybe it's time to abolish a distinction in car plates, M for Maui, K for Kauai, etc. Then less of this car thing.

[mel]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 5

Why should this car thing even matter. It is just travel from one county to another, but now with the Superferry we can take our own cars and then bring them back. In the rest of the U.S.A., everyone can travel from one county to another in their own vehicle and no one gives a damn.

And as far as cars being an "ego" thing, I think that only applies to people who are car enthusiasts that own high end or customized vehicles like BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Acura. For the average person like me, my car is just a Toyota Corolla like thousands of others in the state. I only own it because it was cheap and easy on the gas.

The only reason why the state is Oahu centric is that is where the bulk of the population resides. Oahu has the most money, infrastructure and representation in the government.

I know it is a sorry state for neighbor islanders when they have to pay Oahu's dedicated train tax for a train they will never use. That I can understand.

But as far as each and every one of us having the opportunity to bring our vehicles from one island to another, is no big thing. After all, neighbor islanders will bring their vehicles to Oahu and add to our traffic woes, but nobody will give a damn. You're just another car on the freeway. Big deal.

Lastly for those who have fancy high end cars on the neighbor islands... the Superferry allows you to personally take your vehicle to places on Oahu that specialize in repairing your high end vehicle.