gongoozler Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Give it a season or two, see how it's mechanics perform and whether or not it can cope with average weather conditions in the Irish Sea. It's perfectly capable of coping with all bar the more severe winter conditions, i.e., seas at the upper end of 'very rough' into the 'high' categories. Unfortunately, it's more than likely to have a similar, stringent wave height threshold imposed on it by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, thereby restricting it's operability. I say 'unfortunately' but quite what passenger comfort would be like on the craft in seas classified, technically, as very rough may be another issue! She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. If she is, I went from Caen when the wind was bending the roadsigns, it took twenty mins to get off the berth as the wind kept blowing her back, but when we got off it was great, no probs at all....so be optimistic if I am right. Anything but my recent re-route to Heysham from Liverpool due to bad weather, 'free places for you in 1st class' she said on the phone....overcrowding in steerage the reality ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooks Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Give it a season or two, see how it's mechanics perform and whether or not it can cope with average weather conditions in the Irish Sea. It's perfectly capable of coping with all bar the more severe winter conditions, i.e., seas at the upper end of 'very rough' into the 'high' categories. Unfortunately, it's more than likely to have a similar, stringent wave height threshold imposed on it by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, thereby restricting it's operability. I say 'unfortunately' but quite what passenger comfort would be like on the craft in seas classified, technically, as very rough may be another issue! She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. If she is, I went from Caen when the wind was bending the roadsigns, it took twenty mins to get off the berth as the wind kept blowing her back, but when we got off it was great, no probs at all....so be optimistic if I am right. Anything but my recent re-route to Heysham from Liverpool due to bad weather, 'free places for you in 1st class' she said on the phone....overcrowding in steerage the reality ! Precisely the bold new fast craft won't be able to sail when the average wave height exceeds 3.5m. Incidentally a 3.5m wave height is not that unusual in our waters. Relying on the wonderful 'new biggest on the Irish Sea' hull 050 sailing all the time is folly. Prepare for just as many cancelled sailings as we have now. Is it right that we (Manx tax payers) should subsidise a company who's prime interest is Australian Pension funds? Not to mention a company with a PR exercise which can't take objective comment and denies right of reply to it's spin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaefell050 Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. I don't mean to be pedantic, but the NORMANDIE EXPRESS is actually a generation newer than the INCAT 050. They do share the both wave height capability (3.5m) and are both built by Incat. There are some slight similarities though! INCAT 050 NORMANDIE EXPRESS Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Give it a season or two, see how it's mechanics perform and whether or not it can cope with average weather conditions in the Irish Sea. It's perfectly capable of coping with all bar the more severe winter conditions, i.e., seas at the upper end of 'very rough' into the 'high' categories. Unfortunately, it's more than likely to have a similar, stringent wave height threshold imposed on it by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, thereby restricting it's operability. I say 'unfortunately' but quite what passenger comfort would be like on the craft in seas classified, technically, as very rough may be another issue! She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. If she is, I went from Caen when the wind was bending the roadsigns, it took twenty mins to get off the berth as the wind kept blowing her back, but when we got off it was great, no probs at all....so be optimistic if I am right. Anything but my recent re-route to Heysham from Liverpool due to bad weather, 'free places for you in 1st class' she said on the phone....overcrowding in steerage the reality ! Precisely the bold new fast craft won't be able to sail when the average wave height exceeds 3.5m. Incidentally a 3.5m wave height is not that unusual in our waters. Relying on the wonderful 'new biggest on the Irish Sea' hull 050 sailing all the time is folly. Prepare for just as many cancelled sailings as we have now. Is it right that we (Manx tax payers) should subsidise a company who's prime interest is Australian Pension funds? Not to mention a company with a PR exercise which can't take objective comment and denies right of reply to it's spin? By how much are Manx tax-payers subsidising the ferry? S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Give it a season or two, see how it's mechanics perform and whether or not it can cope with average weather conditions in the Irish Sea. It's perfectly capable of coping with all bar the more severe winter conditions, i.e., seas at the upper end of 'very rough' into the 'high' categories. Unfortunately, it's more than likely to have a similar, stringent wave height threshold imposed on it by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, thereby restricting it's operability. I say 'unfortunately' but quite what passenger comfort would be like on the craft in seas classified, technically, as very rough may be another issue! She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. If she is, I went from Caen when the wind was bending the roadsigns, it took twenty mins to get off the berth as the wind kept blowing her back, but when we got off it was great, no probs at all....so be optimistic if I am right. Anything but my recent re-route to Heysham from Liverpool due to bad weather, 'free places for you in 1st class' she said on the phone....overcrowding in steerage the reality ! Precisely the bold new fast craft won't be able to sail when the average wave height exceeds 3.5m. Incidentally a 3.5m wave height is not that unusual in our waters. Relying on the wonderful 'new biggest on the Irish Sea' hull 050 sailing all the time is folly. Prepare for just as many cancelled sailings as we have now. Is it right that we (Manx tax payers) should subsidise a company who's prime interest is Australian Pension funds? Not to mention a company with a PR exercise which can't take objective comment and denies right of reply to it's spin? By how much are Manx tax-payers subsidising the ferry? S It's almost impossible to measure, but it is the exclusivity granted by the government that makes the Racket worth hundreds of millions of pounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Give it a season or two, see how it's mechanics perform and whether or not it can cope with average weather conditions in the Irish Sea. It's perfectly capable of coping with all bar the more severe winter conditions, i.e., seas at the upper end of 'very rough' into the 'high' categories. Unfortunately, it's more than likely to have a similar, stringent wave height threshold imposed on it by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, thereby restricting it's operability. I say 'unfortunately' but quite what passenger comfort would be like on the craft in seas classified, technically, as very rough may be another issue! She looks exactly the same as the Brittany fastcraft Portsmouth Caen route. If she is, I went from Caen when the wind was bending the roadsigns, it took twenty mins to get off the berth as the wind kept blowing her back, but when we got off it was great, no probs at all....so be optimistic if I am right. Anything but my recent re-route to Heysham from Liverpool due to bad weather, 'free places for you in 1st class' she said on the phone....overcrowding in steerage the reality ! Precisely the bold new fast craft won't be able to sail when the average wave height exceeds 3.5m. Incidentally a 3.5m wave height is not that unusual in our waters. Relying on the wonderful 'new biggest on the Irish Sea' hull 050 sailing all the time is folly. Prepare for just as many cancelled sailings as we have now. Is it right that we (Manx tax payers) should subsidise a company who's prime interest is Australian Pension funds? Not to mention a company with a PR exercise which can't take objective comment and denies right of reply to it's spin? By how much are Manx tax-payers subsidising the ferry? S It's almost impossible to measure, but it is the exclusivity granted by the government that makes the Racket worth hundreds of millions of pounds Translation: There is no subsidy by Manx tax-payers. There is, however, a monopoly, but that is a different thing. And since the Racket was allegedly sold for £200m more than the net value of its tangible assets, the monopoly is barely worth "hundreds of millions" even if you discount the goodwill that an established company would have without a monopoly. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 No, the translation is that there is a DISGUISED subsidy by the Isle of Man taxpayer. The value of monopoly access to the linkspan is worth hundreds of millions of pounds (you can tell that, because it's what the last private equity crew flipped the Racket to Macquarie for). NOT allowing there to be a single monopoly provider would place that value back in the hands of the CONSUMER, i.e. Manx people. How else so you think this company is worth so much? Our government had MADE IT worth that much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 No, the translation is that there is a DISGUISED subsidy by the Isle of Man taxpayer. The value of monopoly access to the linkspan is worth hundreds of millions of pounds (you can tell that, because it's what the last private equity crew flipped the Racket to Macquarie for). NOT allowing there to be a single monopoly provider would place that value back in the hands of the CONSUMER, i.e. Manx people. How else so you think this company is worth so much? Our government had MADE IT worth that much Are you really not aware that consumers and tax-payers are not the same thing? And are you aware of a queue of ferry operators lining up and begging for the monopoly to be broken? Frankly, I think that economies of scale dictate that there will always be one operator, even if the Manx government lifted all restrictions. But if another company did come in and offer a freight-only service, what do you think would happen to the cost of taking a private car across? Probably go up by three or four times. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I think it is agreed that the route is a 'natural' monopoly - in the past the Steam Racket would run any opposition into the ground by price cutting, not till the Gov backed Manx Line did that change but the result was a merger. The Gov has some control via the user agreement but didn't have the foresight to control prices (via agreed return on capital invested) thus allowing the Racket to be sold for many times its capital worth - this largesse to its old owners is recouped from all residents in terms of increased freight charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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