doc.fixit Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Do they or will they have a state of the art super environmentally friendly propulsion system? As far as I'm concerned the island has once again tried to impress with an oversize, poorly thought out, relatively untried technology. ( Similar really to the absurd attack on home heating by Daffy and her disciples). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 2 hours ago, John Wright said: ...They're all slab sided, higher and longer. The sail/windage issue is well known as are the solutions, extra power to manoeuvre, tugs on hand. so what went wrong with Mx - tho there was Capt Carter's tug parked at Douglas until recently there hasn't been a tug at Heysham as far as I know - is it just the lack of power, the will to use it or unforeseen problems with both harbours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 3 minutes ago, doc.fixit said: Do they or will they have a state of the art super environmentally friendly propulsion system? As far as I'm concerned the island has once again tried to impress with an oversize, poorly thought out, relatively untried technology. ( Similar really to the absurd attack on home heating by Daffy and her disciples). There is no 'relatively' untried technology that I can see. The Pont Aven ferry has a bigger slab side and has been doing great service for Brittany Ferries since 2004 and dont tell me its not windy in the Bay of Biscay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 4 minutes ago, Happier diner said: There is no 'relatively' untried technology that I can see. The Pont Aven ferry has a bigger slab side and has been doing great service for Brittany Ferries since 2004 and dont tell me its not windy in the Bay of Biscay It’s the integration of the motor/generator/squirrel cage that’s unique. Ive travelled quite a bit on PA, from Plymouth. Also on Galicia, Santona and Salamanca from Portsmouth and Rosslare. I don’t think you’re using the right comparison. Mx and PA and the three e-flexers are all great sea boats in rough seas. Although PA doesn’t do Biscay crossings from Plymouth in winter anymore. It’s the harbour size and space you need to compare. And whether or not they have to turnaround or whether they can load/unload each end.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omobono Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 one thing about it its having a serious effect on the Island , Marks and Spencer devoid of food to sell again today it must be costing them hundreds of thousands in lost sales this holiday period , this and many other locally based businesses rely on the steam packet to deliver on an almost daily basis , we cant go on like this smaller businesses will be experiencing major supply difficulties , and I have almost forgot what a daily newspaper looks like , 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I'm nearly at the point of breaking into my pallet of Covid pasta in the garage. Only one tin of Quality Street left. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 17 minutes ago, John Wright said: It’s the integration of the motor/generator/squirrel cage that’s unique. That's not the bit that's causing the 'problems' though it it I thought they had been using similar systems in ships and trains for many years where they are known as induction motors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 The problem would appear to be that they've bought a fine, sea-faring vessel, unprecedented in its level of appointments for serving the island. Which is unfortunately unsuitable for the harbours at each end of its current duty, due to its size and windage? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 6 minutes ago, Non-Believer said: The problem would appear to be that they've bought a fine, sea-faring vessel, unprecedented in its level of appointments for serving the island. Which is unfortunately unsuitable for the harbours at each end of its current duty, due to its size and windage? Its been doing fine. You can't blame the design of the ship for silting and tides which seems to be an ongoing issue. This weeks Douglas issue was the first windage issue but it seems to be the case that the Ben would have struggled as well and would have had to hang around until the wind eased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Mainwaring Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 5 minutes ago, Happier diner said: Its been doing fine. You can't blame the design of the ship for silting and tides which seems to be an ongoing issue. This weeks Douglas issue was the first windage issue but it seems to be the case that the Ben would have struggled as well and would have had to hang around until the wind eased. Have a look at Dover today. Ferries queueing to enter, tugs required, some cancellations. Not as windy as here last night. Dover port bans movement of ferries when it gets over 40kn, which it was in Douglas last night... and Dover is a much larger port for manoeuvring! There are also cancellations for Brittany Ferries across the Channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 3 minutes ago, Happier diner said: Its been doing fine. You can't blame the design of the ship for silting and tides which seems to be an ongoing issue. This weeks Douglas issue was the first windage issue but it seems to be the case that the Ben would have struggled as well and would have had to hang around until the wind eased. I'm not suggesting that it hasn't been doing fine per se, I'm sure it's perfectly capable of dealing with Irish Sea conditions, that's not the issue. The question might be, Are sailings being lost/hampered because it can't deal with the harbour conditions that the Ben could cope with? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Mainwaring Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 minute ago, Non-Believer said: I'm not suggesting that it hasn't been doing fine per se, I'm sure it's perfectly capable of dealing with Irish Sea conditions, that's not the issue. The question might be, Are sailings being lost/hampered because it can't deal with the harbour conditions that the Ben could cope with? 360 posted yesterday with an example of the Ben not being able to dock here due to a SE severe gale, same as last night. I have had 2 x cancellations on Ben in the last 2 years for force 6-7 but from the WSW which is a bad direction for Heysham. So I'm not sure Ben would have made many of the sailings Mx missed. That's just my own view from past experience. What I did tend to notice was Ben would often sail to Birkenhead in much worse weather - presumably because the room for manoeuvre is there on the Mersey and tugs are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarley Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, John Wright said: It’s the integration of the motor/generator/squirrel cage that’s unique. Squirrel cage? Maybe they should have used a hamster wheel instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Onchan Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, John Wright said: It’s the integration of the motor/generator/squirrel cage that’s unique. Ive travelled quite a bit on PA, from Plymouth. Also on Galicia, Santona and Salamanca from Portsmouth and Rosslare. I don’t think you’re using the right comparison. Mx and PA and the three e-flexers are all great sea boats in rough seas. Although PA doesn’t do Biscay crossings from Plymouth in winter anymore. It’s the harbour size and space you need to compare. And whether or not they have to turnaround or whether they can load/unload each end.. Don't forget harbour/port maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, Zarley said: Squirrel cage? Maybe they should have used a hamster wheel instead. Squirrel cage is a generic term for a motor winding. They were invented in 1885. Nothing new with these. I believe they are so called because the shaft and housing resembles a cage for a small animal (a squirrel) https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/machinery-tools-supplies/what-is-a-squirrel-cage-motor-and-how-does-it-work/#:~:text=Squirrel cage motors are a,shaft – looks like a cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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