Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[Mercenary]

5 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

Meanwhile, as per FB MXN has made it into dry dock, a good opportunity to check out any damage from the bottoming out in Heysham too, presumably

I liked how they avoided a picture from the damaged corner

[Kopek]

Little wonder the boat is unstable. It's all above the waterline!!! 😁

[GreyWolf]

Plenty of windage on her that’s for sure but she has to have a shallow draft for Douglas and Heysham ports.

[x-in-man]

13 hours ago, Kopek said:

Little wonder the boat is unstable. It's all above the waterline!!! 😁

It's a submarine otherwise.

 

[woolley]

18 hours ago, Kopek said:

Little wonder the boat is unstable. It's all above the waterline!!! 😁

It's not unstable though. It's steady as a rock in bad weather.

[Passing Time]

18 minutes ago, woolley said:

It's not unstable though. It's steady as a rock in bad weather.

Correct, Mrs PT and I have traveled on her a dozen times now and can’t fault her 

[Non-Believer]

8 hours ago, GreyWolf said:

Plenty of windage on her that’s for sure but she has to have a shallow draft for Douglas and Heysham ports.

Therein lies the problem for entry and exit from space-restricted ports?

[John Wright]

8 hours ago, GreyWolf said:

Plenty of windage on her that’s for sure but she has to have a shallow draft for Douglas and Heysham ports.

Her draft is no different to the Ben or the Stena or Sea Truck ferries that go in and out of Heysham. She’s shorter than most the Stena & Sea Truck ferries and considerably shorter than the two new Stena ships that have just been ordered.

Most ferries, even the huge e-flexers, have a draft between 5.2 metres ( Manxman ) and 6.4 ( e-flexers ). The biggest European RoPax ( Cruise Roma and Cruise Europa ) at 254 metres ( after a 30 metre extension section was inserted ) are only 7 m.

For her size Mx is standard, and not shallow, draft.

[monasqueen]

Her size and draft are not the problems. 

Trouble is, she is built too high, with slab sides that catch the wind, and there's nothing much in the way of shelter at Heysham when the wind is in the "wrong" direction. And Heysham does not have a tug that could be called up to assist.

I believe they found that out a few weeks ago, having clearly not learned from their 1985 error.

A quote I have found from a good number of years ago - "Monas Isle only operated for the IOMSPCoLtd between April and October 1985 after which she was laid up having proved very difficult to manouvre with the extra top hamper that was added after she was acquired in 1984."

[Capt_Mainwaring]

1 hour ago, monasqueen said:

Her size and draft are not the problems. 

Trouble is, she is built too high, with slab sides that catch the wind, and there's nothing much in the way of shelter at Heysham when the wind is in the "wrong" direction. And Heysham does not have a tug that could be called up to assist.

I believe they found that out a few weeks ago, having clearly not learned from their 1985 error.

A quote I have found from a good number of years ago - "Monas Isle only operated for the IOMSPCoLtd between April and October 1985 after which she was laid up having proved very difficult to manouvre with the extra top hamper that was added after she was acquired in 1984."

Mona's Isle was woefully underpowered for her size, which caused her manoeuvrability issues. 

Since then, both the Ben and King Orry have been blown onto the dockside in Heysham. Ben possibly more than once. She was also blown onto the KEVIII in Douglas too.

Yes, no doubt the slab side will make things more difficult but with 3 bow thrusters she has much more power during port manoeuvres. Current lower wind limit in Heysham is due to the very narrow entry onto one of the alternate berths when she's got to fit between two other vessels. On her usual linkspan, she has much more space.

[Nom de plume]

So, in summary & for clarity.

The problem:

• The Manxman cannot manouveur in Heysham port during periods of high wind in a certain direction, which are likely to be frequent during UK winters.

The solution(s):

• Sell the vessel & start again.
• Retain the Ben My Chree and run her out & back to Heysham for freight.
• Manxman takes on LPL route (gazillions wasted on a freight boat that cannot discharge freight).
• Sue the design team for coming up with the biggest White elephant in Manx political history.

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:17 AM by Nom de plume

[Barlow]

26 minutes ago, Nom de plume said:

 

• Sack Sue the design team for coming up with the biggest White elephant in Manx political history.

 

Fixed your post

[Kopek]

The main problem is  'leaves on the sea' ! Skidding all over the place.

[The Phantom]

49 minutes ago, Nom de plume said:

the biggest White elephant in Manx political history.

There's a whole herd of giant albino pachyderms shuffling around Prospect Hill nowadays. 

[lfc84]

Ben-my-Chree sailings to depart earlier than planned

 

A number of Saturday's sailings have seen their departure times altered.

 

It's due to forecast adverse weather conditions.

 

The 2:45am sailing from Heysham to Douglas will now leave at 2:15am (passengers are asked to check in no later than 1.30am).

 

Its return leg will set off for Lancashire at 8am rather than 8.45am (passengers are asked to check in no later than 7.15am).

 

Meanwhile the afternoon sailing from Heysham will depart at 1.30pm rather than 2.15pm (passengers are asked to check in no later than 12.45pm).

 

The Ben-my-Chree is currently undertaking the Manxman's sailings as she is in dry dock.