Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[woolley]

1 hour ago, John Wright said:

Of course it can. If it was freight only.

But going early doesn’t work if you’ve passengers.

The only reason for live on board is to keep the odd single sailing. So an 8pm sailing won’t go if it is clear it won’t get into Heysham, or even if it did that it couldn’t get back into Douglas at 6am. 

Having a second crew could mean they could do a 4 or 5am departure from Heysham  getting in at 8 or 9am. 

or if it’s a prolonged disruption they might get an extra single rotation at irregular times. It’s not really optimal or practical on a short sea crossing.

It really only works if MX can catch up, both at sea and turn round. So far it’s not shown it has that ability.

It's not just that. Say the forecast is OK in the morning but bad in the afternoon and evening meaning she could get to Heysham but not back again or out to Heysham at 8pm. All four sailings would be lost because of the necessity to change crew in Douglas at 6pm. Now if that second crew is aboard, the morning sailing can go ahead without reference to whether the return will be cancelled. The decision to cancel the return can be delayed until lunchtime by which time conditions may have eased. In any case, she can return overnight at 2.15am, so only two rather then four sailings have been lost, and the other two run to time. Big difference operationally.

[woolley]

7 minutes ago, Passing Time said:

Please don’t feed the troll 👍

It's fun. And he is good value sometimes. His Tesco football quip was witty beyond his years. 😎

[John Wright]

7 hours ago, woolley said:

It's not just that. Say the forecast is OK in the morning but bad in the afternoon and evening meaning she could get to Heysham but not back again or out to Heysham at 8pm. All four sailings would be lost because of the necessity to change crew in Douglas at 6pm. Now if that second crew is aboard, the morning sailing can go ahead without reference to whether the return will be cancelled. The decision to cancel the return can be delayed until lunchtime by which time conditions may have eased. In any case, she can return overnight at 2.15am, so only two rather then four sailings have been lost, and the other two run to time. Big difference operationally.

But in the scheme of things, and on the sailing history of the Ben, it’s very few additional sailings.

As for MX, who knows. Not in service long enough or fully commissioned to have a meaningful data set. Unless the potential windage issues in harbour were known about from the get go and 2 crews being on board at all times was their answer to resilience.

2 crews is really unusual on short sea crossings between two fixed ports.

As I’ve said above, easily soluble by having the crew on rota but not working on call for two things.

1. An agreed number of long day trips per year.

2. to be called in when weather and sailing conditions demand. Let’s face it, all crew will have mobiles, and if they live on island no one is more than 40 mins from Douglas.

[Banker]

25 minutes ago, John Wright said:

But in the scheme of things, and on the sailing history of the Ben, it’s very few additional sailings.

As for MX, who knows. Not in service long enough or fully commissioned to have a meaningful data set. Unless the potential windage issues in harbour were known about from the get go and 2 crews being on board at all times was their answer to resilience.

2 crews is really unusual on short sea crossings between two fixed ports.

As I’ve said above, easily soluble by having the crew on rota but not working on call for two things.

1. An agreed number of long day trips per year.

2. to be called in when weather and sailing conditions demand. Let’s face it, all crew will have mobiles, and if they live on island no one is more than 40 mins from Douglas.

As you’re so knowledgeable perhaps you should offer your services as mediator to company and unions 😀

[John Wright]

13 minutes ago, Banker said:

As you’re so knowledgeable perhaps you should offer your services as mediator to company and unions 😀

The SPCo have turned down any suggestion of arbitration or mediation.

Anyway, as I’ve strong views on the matter and family working on board currently, and three generations of SPCo sailors before them, I’d say I was conflicted.

But thanks for the recomendación.

Of course, with you that’s a two edged sword. You’re so wrong, about almost everything you post about, consistently.

Have you worked out where Victoria Street and Victoria Road are yet?

[Banker]

Thomas who is now an expert on everything is on case as well 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/live-on-board-proposals-could-mean-more-off-island-spc-workers-warns-mhk/

[WTF]

13 hours ago, Omobono said:

is there something wrong with manxman they are not telling us about ?, hardly a breath of wind since after lunch time  today  and they are  just getting around to organising a sailing  tonight , 

 

but for a sailing we have to wait for golden 30 minutes when the wind AND the tide is high enough for the fucking thing to be able to float out the harbour and get into the harbour the other end.

[HiVibes]

10 hours ago, woolley said:

You're too young to remember those two.

 

2021 not quite old school, yer daft old coot.

 

[Non-Believer]

9 hours ago, woolley said:

Less fuel per minute, but you are using fuel for longer.

It doesn't work that way, not in any application, boats, cars, lorries, whatever. The faster you try to move bulk, the greater the rate of fuel consumption, particularly with the resistance of trying to force through water.

It may well be running for longer but there will still be an overall reduction in fuel consumption when travelling slower, compared to the consumption when trying to go faster.

[Omobono]

55 minutes ago, Banker said:

Thomas who is now an expert on everything is on case as well 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/live-on-board-proposals-could-mean-more-off-island-spc-workers-warns-mhk/

its a pity he didn't take notice when he was DOI minister ,and presided over a number of disasters , he allegedly met all parties via the sea services committee,  no good shouting about things now , you had your chance and guess what,   it was blown !

[asitis]

48 minutes ago, WTF said:

but for a sailing we have to wait for golden 30 minutes when the wind AND the tide is high enough for the fucking thing to be able to float out the harbour and get into the harbour the other end.

We may have bought a Sun Seeker and not a Nordhavn for the Irish Sea !

[Andy Onchan]

13 hours ago, John Wright said:

No, she wouldn’t. That misunderstands what they want live on board for. Keeping to timetable is important for freight and passengers.

Going early makes no sense. 

There is a solution, that’s to have the turn about crew, the second watch of the 24 hours, on call to be called in for day trips and when cancellation is threatened.

Yes she would. There are always the possibility of windows of opportunity to sail. This last one was probably such an occasion.

 

[WTF]

14 hours ago, John Wright said:

No, she wouldn’t. That misunderstands what they want live on board for. Keeping to timetable is important for freight and passengers.

 

brilliant , let me know when you're on the gaiety ,  has there ever been an issue for the racket because the crew have not been living onboard ??   at the moment the timetable has zero chance of being kept to with the boat we have  , with the wind we get and with the silt in the harbours even if you kept 2 crews living on the boat 24/7

[Banker]

Only 10% of staff live on Iom 

https://gef.im/news/politics/steam-packet-proud-of-diverse-work-force-43440/

[RoundTheCourse]

4 hours ago, Banker said:

Thomas who is now an expert on everything is on case as well 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/live-on-board-proposals-could-mean-more-off-island-spc-workers-warns-mhk/

When I was on the Manxman a few days ago (one of the rare days it actually sailed) the lounge/catering staff all seemed to be of mainland Europe origin, and they were simply lovely. Very polite and could not do enough for you.