Fred the shred Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 If you read their official notice 90% of the problem is a build up of silt at Heysham but hey don’t let fact spoil your fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banker Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 7 minutes ago, Happier diner said: I reckon you are right. The Ben would have sailed Thought they would have waited until morning in case weather was better than expected as has happened before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoTail Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 It is. We were booked for tomorrow. Now getting the boat at 3am tomorrow. GRRR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 3 minutes ago, Fred the shred said: If you read their official notice 90% of the problem is a build up of silt at Heysham but hey don’t let fact spoil your fiction. That's only the overnighter isnt it. I think you should read more than the first line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 (edited) I suggested some time ago that the boat had been designed for a different service (? overnight Liverpool to Ireland - maybe IOM-Liverpool-Ireland-IOM) - except for the newspapers the Arrow could probably handle the freight with 1 crossing a day - maybe SPCO (Sailmaybe?) is envisaging 2 chosen days a week for passengers in winter to Liverpool if that currently summer-only white elephant of a dock proves capable of taking the new boat. Edited November 22, 2023 by Frances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 If I was cynical I would be thinking that they cancelled tomorrow's daytime sailings so that the evening one can depart at 1830 so as to avoid an even bigger distortion of the timetable going forward. Probably lightly loaded, save thousands on fuel for a return crossing - what's not to like? Good thing I'm not cynical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 30 minutes ago, Frances said: I suggested some time ago that the boat had been designed for a different service (? overnight Liverpool to Ireland - maybe IOM-Liverpool-Ireland-IOM) - except for the newspapers the Arrow could probably handle the freight with 1 crossing a day - maybe SPCO (Sailmaybe?) is envisaging 2 chosen days a week for passengers in winter to Liverpool if that currently summer-only white elephant of a dock proves capable of taking the new boat. Would be interesting to know who decided on the much increased passenger capacity. Clearly this new boat has not been designed for the Irish sea, especially taking climate change into account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 8 minutes ago, GD4ELI said: Would be interesting to know who decided on the much increased passenger capacity. Clearly this new boat has not been designed for the Irish sea, especially taking climate change into account. They claim she was designed specifically for the service. I'm not sure that the working up period regarding wind speed restrictions has ended yet. I know it has been relaxed, but I think the current limits are still below the expected operational norm. The passenger capacity is wonderful. The Ben was always inadequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 (edited) but the Ben sailed! the forecast on Gov web site has "W-SW 5 or 6, occasionally 7 during the morning, soon veering NW 6 or 7, decreasing 5 or 6 overnight into Friday." - no mention of force 8 - force 7 is I suggest quite common during winter - currently the sea state would appear to be very reasonable - most of these weather cancellations are forecast in advance with decision at 7.30am this one looks very rushed Edited to add that the boat was timetabled to leave at 19:45 - but this was obviously impossible as only left Heysham at 14:35 thus unlikely to be in Douglas before 18:45 (the SPCo never bother to update web page in evening) - just starting loading of cars thus at least 30min late prob 40min late thus the much later departure from Heysham and thus if the 8:45 was running it too would be late and so on - hence the excuse of the weather to cancel the boat - it seems from looking at the times it cannot do the rotation that the Ben managed of 2 return crossings in 24 hrs thus something will have to give in future timetables. Edited November 22, 2023 by Frances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred the shred Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 No Happy Diner you read the notice issued by the Steam Packet properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringy Rose Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 (edited) It’ll be a combination of the wind and the silt. If the silt means you have a narrower window to get into Heysham, and the increased wind means you might not get into Heysham within that window, then something will have to give. Arrow is sat in Larne having just got back from Stornaway, and doubtless can’t be used. So they’ve obviously prioritised the overnight crossing with the freight. Edited November 22, 2023 by Ringy Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 they have just finished loading cars abt 20:52 - ramp is still down (at 21.02) but my own estimate is that as the sea crossing time has been 4hr on the crossings I've made in good weather (slower than the Ben) but harbour turnaround is significantly over the 2 hrs thus 4 x 6.5 is greater than 24 and the 2 return crossings per day are not possible with current timetable unless they can speed up the boat's rotation + unloading/loading and shave a bit off the sea time otherwise the timetable must slip by at least 30min /day using Sunday to get back to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 2 hours ago, Fred the shred said: No Happy Diner you read the notice issued by the Steam Packet properly. I read this. Looks official to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Mainwaring Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 Currently only doing 9kts, not due in until 03.30am. So the return now unlikely to be leaving Heysham until around 5am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoTail Posted November 23, 2023 Share Posted November 23, 2023 4.55 still not loaded but looks like it will be soon. Maybe the boat will sail around 5.30 to 6. It's been a long cold night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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