Another - Classic Fast Ferries

NUMBER 1
JANUARY 2001
CLASSICFAST FERRIES
This time last
winter
With this issue CLASSIC FAST FERRI ES is
celebrating its first year in existence. The
premiere issue was launced in the first days
of the new century, and since then we’ve put
out 7 more issues. A full index appeared in
the December CFF.
Six to eight issues a year appears to be
what the market can absorb, even with the
relatively few pages we offer in each edition.
We may be the only magazine of its kind, but
we obviously attract an audience that reads
also other maritime publications and you can
only indulge in so many journals and
newsletters per month. Today’s life has so
much else to offer – and there are quite a few
must do’s as well.
During thes past twelve months we have
received a number of appreciative
comments, which is always nice! Thanks. But
we wish more would take us up on our
standing invitation to write a small piece on
their favorite vessel or operation for inclusion
in CFF. We’re pretty sure it’s someone else’s
favorite too. Or perhaps you just happen to
have some photos or postcards, etc. of fast
ferries in an old shoe box in the attic or
basement that would be put to better use in
these pages? Please consider it. We look
forward to hearing from you.
A little late perhaps but, Happy 2001!
FASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEW
How super are the
SuperCats?
There is a change of times on Sydney harbor
– and that is literally speaking.
The three NQEA JetCat catamarans which
were introduced by Sydney Ferries in 199091 as replacement for the operator’s
hydrofoils are now being superseded by the
new SuperCat class catamarans.
Despite what you may assume, the
SuperCats are not super fast. In fact, with a
service speed of only 23–24 knots they are
considerably slower than the JetCats, and so
the design does not even make it to the fast
ferry league, where a service speed of at
least 25 knots is required. The JetCats are
normally run at 30 knots, whereas the
hydrofoils of course could easily top this by at
least two knots. Even so, the trip time for the
seven nautical mile journey between
Sydney’s Circular Quay and Manly has
remained virtually the same, some 15
minutes, with the introduction of the JetCats
as the hydrofoils would lose some of their
advantage over the catamarans in having a
higher cruising speed due to time-consuming
off-foil manouevering at low speed at the
__
terminals. The new SuperCat catamarans
are reported to use 20–22 minues on the trip.
Of course, this is a decision made by the
StateTransit Authority/Sydney Ferries and
does not reflect the SuperCat design as
such.
The first SuperCat, Mary MacKillop, was
launched on September 6th 2000 and saw
limited use during the Sydney Olympics that
same month. A second catamaran, Susie
O’Neill, was launched just prior to Christmas,
on December 21st , and is expected to enter
revenue service sometime this month. A third
will follow shortly thereafter.
A total of twelve SuperCats have been
ordered for delivery 2000–2010.
The hulls of the catamarans are built by
Transfield at Seven Hills, NSW, up the
Paramatta River, and the superstructures by
Australian Defence Industries. Each vessel
cost in the region of AUS $ 4.6 million.
Above : The first of 12 new mediumspeed SuperCat catamarans for
Sydney Ferries, Mary MacKillop,
during trials last September
(Peter Marsden photo)
_______________________________________
CLASSICFAST
CLASSIC
FERRIES
1 / 2 0 0 1 – V O L. 2
ON THE COVER
Feodosia Shipbuilding Tsiklon 1 operating on
the Black Sea.
Only the prototype was ever built of several
interesting hydrofoil designs in the former
Soviet Union. The twin-deck Cyclone was
one of them. See story on page 4
(Morye Feodosia photo)
The cyberzine devoted to the history of
hydrofoils, hovercraft, catamarans & other early fast
ferry designs.
Issued 6-8 times per year.
Details on publishing date for the upcoming issue
can be found on our website:
http://classicfastferries.go.to
Editor tim timoleon
All artwork and lay-out designs, except where noted,
copyright the editor.
Comments, ideas, questions, contributions are
encouraged and welcome!
EMAIL TO:
[email protected]
_____________________________________
(c) 2001, CLASSIC FAST FERRIES
_____________________________
2
CFF 1 – 2001
While in CLASSIC FAST FERRIES we’re
obviously mainly taking a nostalgic yet
refreshing (and perhaps even
educational) stroll down memory lane,
we also bring you selected news from
the fast ferry scene.
If you would like to share news
photos / items on any of the topics
hydrofoils, catamarans and hovercraft
/ SESs, please send an email to the
editor at:
[email protected]
FASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWS
Business not as
usual
As reported in recent issues of CFF, fast ferry
services across the Øresund, between Denmark
and Sweden, have been facing fierce competition
from the new fixed link connecting the two
countries since its introduction last July. So much
so that one of the two operators, Pilen, decided to
withdraw from the Copenhagen–Malmö route in
October. And the operator still in business,
Scandlines, realizes that it has seen better times
and brighter prospects for the future.
The competition is mainly the new rail service
between the two cities which has had a
tremendous success since its introduction. With a
scheduled downtown-to-downtown trip time of 35
minutes, this is some ten minutes faster than by
catamaran.
The number of cars using the new bridge and
tunnel continues to be below estimations.
Scandlines is operating a fleet of six Norwegian
built catamarans of two designs on three
destinations in Sweden from Copenhagen; Malmö,
Helsingborg and Landskrona. The Landskrona
route which was to be abandoned at the end of the
summer continued to be operated throughout the
year, prompted by the residents and local authority
of the Swedish city. After a winter break it is
expected to be resumed next May.
The pair of Kværner Fjellstrand Flying Cat 40 m
catamarans Kraka Viking and Sifka Viking
previously operated by Scandlines on behalf of
SAS between Copenhagen Airport and Malmö
have been sold in Mexico.
Unusually, but as a consequence of the ongoing
trend, no catamaran services were operated during
the Christmas and New Year holidays this time, i.e.
on December 24th and 25th and on the 31st as well
as January 1st .
Above : Former Spanish 34 m catamaran Saud to the Øresund?
On a note of optimism, however, another
company expressed its intention to introduce a
Marinteknik Verkstads 34 m catamaran on the
Malmö– Copenhagen route in November.
Based in the Swedish town of Sölvesborg, the
company, Rederi Sandra, previously operated a
used Westamaran 86 catamaran acquired from
Norway in 1989 on seasonal services in the
Blekinge archipelago, off the country’s south-east
coast, and between Simrishamn, Sweden and the
island of Bornholm in the Baltic.
__________________________________
Below : All quiet on the Scandlines harbor front on the last day
of the year, December 31st 2000,
as Flying Cat 40 m catamaran
Sælen is bathed in the golden
afternoon sun alongside in
Copenhagen. The vessel is one of
a pair of Flying Cats employed on
the Flyvebådene Copenhagen–
Malmö route
(tim timoleon photo)
In 1999 Sandra acquired the 34 m catamaran Saud,
originally delivered by the now-defunct Swedish yard
to Yasmine Line of Malaga, Spain in 1990.
Sandra had hoped to introduce Saud in the Øresund
in early December, well in time for Christmas, to
capture a piece of the non-neglectable market of
(mainly) Swedes going to the Danish capital to shop.
However, while the necessary certification was
granted by the Swedish authorities right away, the
Danish Ministry of Environment would need at least
four weeks to process the application, which meant
that the service would not be up and running until
around December 20 th – obviously too late to take
part in the important Christmas traffic.
The Swedish operator felt that the Danes were
deliberately dragging their feet in an attempt to protect
state-owned Scandlines. This was dismissed by the
Ministry, which said that rather it was speeding up the
case as normally the handling of this kind of
application takes more like 6–8 weeks. At the time of
going to press it was announced the service was
expected to start on January 17th or 18th .
FASTNEWSFASTNEWS
MORE
ON
PAGE
14 – 15
3
CFF 1 – 2001
is
the
loneliest
number
M aybe what makes them particularly
intriguing is that none of them was built in
quantities.
We’re talking four of the world’s largest
passenger hydrofoil designs: The Sputnik/
Vikhr, developed by the USSR Central
Hydrofoil Design Bureau, founded in 1955 by
hydrofoil pioneer Rotislav Alexeyev; the
Supramar PT.150, built by Westermoen
Hydrofoil, Norway; the stylish Italian RHS 200
from Rodriquez – and the design we will be
focusing on here, the Cyclone, built by
Feodosiya Shipbuilding in Ukraine.
First of this quartet to appear was the Sputnik
late in 1961; Vikhr, which was an improved
seagoing version of Sputnik, came the following
year. The PT.150 prototype was launched in
1968 and entered service across the Kattegat
between Sweden and Denmark. Two more units
were delivered in 1970 and put into service in
Spain. The first RHS 200 entered service in Italy
in 1981, with the second and final craft following
three years later. Thus, the youngest and loneliest
of the big boys is the Cyclone, the sole unit of
which was completed in 1986.
First twin-deck design
Derived from the popular Kometa hydrofoil, of
which some seventy-five are believed to have
been built between 1961 and the early 80s, the
143-ton Cyclone differed from this (and most
Soviet/Russian hydrofoil designs) on two major
points. It was the first Soviet hydrofoil to have
two full passenger decks and gas turbine
propulsion.
There had been a couple of other such
powered experimental hydrofoil designs before
the Cyclone though, the most famous of which
being the 150-seat Burevestnik completed in the
spring of 1964.
Top : The actual Tsiklon, seen here on trials
on the Black Sea, differs from early
impressions of the craft, left
(Morye photo)
4
CFF 1 – 2001
With a pair of Ivchenko marinised aircraft gas
turbines, each developing 2,700 hp, the stated
max. speed of in excess of 50 knots makes the
Burevestnik the fastest passenger hydrofoil to
date. Another early gas turbine hydrofoil was
the Typhoon, which is described elsewhere in
this issue.
Following an extensive test program upon
completion in 1986 which included successful
operation in heavy seas with 7-8 m waves, the
Cyclone – Tsiklon – entered revenue service in
November 1987 with the Black Sea Shipping
Co. between Yalta and Odessa. The 217
nautical mile route was covered in 4 hours 25
minutes by Tsiklon.
One of the reasons for introducing the large
Cyclone on the Black Sea was to offer yearround hydrofoil service as sea conditions
encountered here during the winter are such
that they prevent craft of smaller designs, such
as the Kometa, from operating.
Another reason obviously was to evaluate the
craft in regular, albeit experimental, service
under demanding circumstances.
Early announcement
The first whisper of the new twin-deck
Cyclone, at least in the West, was heard as early
as in in 1969. At the time the hydrofoil was
expected to be equipped with two gas turbines,
rather than one, giving the vessel a service
speed of around 38 knots – i.e. considerably
less than the actual craft. Also, the dimensions,
styling and general arrangement plan differed
from the final vessel. Thus, when the Tsiklon
appeared it had a single 8,000 hp gas turbine,
basically a unit developed for the Soviet Navy,
able to give the craft a normal service speed of
42-43 knots and a maximum speed in the
region of 47-48 knots. These speed resources
plus the high on board comfort, it was
believed, would make the Cyclone an attractive
alternative to Aeroflot on certain routes.
Contemporary Soviet shipping journals
compared the Cyclone to the Supramar PT.150
and Boeing Jetfoil hydrofoils and pointed out
that whereas the Jetfoil required to be docked or
lifted every fortnight for foil inspection, on the
Tsiklon this was only necessary every three
months. In addition, the price tag on the Jetfoil
was three times that of the Cyclone.
Series production
An improved version of the vessel was planned
to go into series production in the early 90s for
which the designers and builders saw a potential
export market as at the time the only other
hydrofoil types being built outside of the USSR
were the Kawasaki Jetfoil 929-117 and
Top: A superb view
of the majestic
Cyclone showing
off its bow foil
configuration
(Morye photo)
Left : For seven
seasons, starting in
1991, the sole
Cyclone built
operated in the
Gulf of Finland
between Tallinn,
Estonia and
Helsinki. Renamed
Liisa and sporting
the Tallink Express
colors it is seen
here in the Finnish
capital in July 1994
(Dirk Jankowsky photo)
5
CFF 1 – 2001
Above : The
Cyclone being
prepared for
service in Greek
waters in 1999
(Morye photo)
Right : While red
and yellow are
the traditional
corporate colors
of Ilio Lines, it is
uncertain
whether this is a
manipulated
image or if
Delfini XXX has
actually had the
blue color
replaced by red
(compare with
picture above)
6
CFF 1 – 2001
Rodriquez RHS 150F and RHS 160F. Both
Rodriquez designs of course offered lower
cruising speed and passenger capacity in their
standard configurations.
Designated Cyclone-M, the improved design
would have a displacement of 150 t and be
powered by two 2,940 kW gas turbines instead
of just one main engine, giving it a cruising
speed of 42 knots. Other modifications would
deck. Entrance is through a foyer at lower deck,
which also holds rest rooms, plus storerooms
forward and engine rooms aft.
In 1991Tsiklon was transferred to the Gulf of
Finland where it was first put into service
between Tallinn, Estonia and Kotka in eastern
Finland, close to the Russian border. The route
survived for only a few weeks and, renamed Liisa,
the hydrofoil subsequently entered service with
include more spacious accomodation, easier
access to the engines as well as improved
navigation equipment.
But due to, in great part, the significant
structural changes in the country as a result of
the collapse of the USSR, the number of new
orders and state fundings declined. It has been
reported, however, that the hull and foils of a
second Cyclone are sitting in the Crimean yard
and that the gas turbines for it were likewise
constructed years ago.
Estonian company Inreko on the more obvious
route linking the two countries’ capital cities of
Tallinn and Helsinki .
The positioning trip was made under its own
power from the Black Sea to the Baltic, by way of
the Bosporous, the Aegeian/Mediterranean, the
Straits of Gibraltar and the Biscay – a 6,000 NM
journey covered in 140 operating hours.
In 1993 Inreko merged with another operator
on the route, Tallink, by which Tallink Express
was adopted as operating name for the hydrofoil
service between the two cities.
The Tallinn–Helsinki route is only 45 nautical
miles, still the official journey time by Liisa was
90 minutes. This is explained by the fact that it
was operating alongside the company’s smaller
Gulf of Finland and Greece
Originally, Tsiklon was designed to carry 250
passengers. There are three saloons on the
upper deck and one midships on the lower
Right : The midship upper saloon on Liisa
with a bar/kiosk at the rear
(Grygory Klebanov photo)
Bottom : Hydrodynamics – there’s nothing
to it! The Cyclone being prepared for
service in Greek waters as Delfini XXX
(Morye photo)
and slower Kolkhida hydrofoils and Inreko/
Tallink did not wish a differentiated timetable.
In the event of Liisa becoming unserviceable
and replaced by one of the other hydrofoils
this probably would only cause irritation
amongst passengers. Nonetheless, with the
extra power at hand Liisa would normally
complete the crossing in 65-70 minutes.
To accomodate the somewhat unexpected
large amounts of baggage carried by shopping
day-trippers, Inreko decided to reduce the
number of seats on Liisa by thirty to 220 to
make room for more luggage stowage areas.
The vessel operated in the Gulf of Finland
each summer until 1998 when it was sold in
Greece. Acquired by Ilio Lines and renamed
Delfini XXX it is now operating between Crete
and the island of Syros during the tourist
season.
The company, established in 1991, is one of
several Greek operators who have imported
new and second hand Kometas and Kolkhidas
from eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in
the past. n
8
7
CFF 1 – 2001
C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S
Cyclone (Tsiklon)
Feodosia Shipbuilding, USSR
No. built: 1
Year built: 1986
Lenght overall: 44.2 m
Width, hull: 7.3 m
across foils: 12.6 m
Draft, hullborne: 4.3 m
foilborne: 2.4 m
Displacement,
lightship: 106 t
fully loaded: 143 t
Passengers: 220–250
Propulsion plant: 1 x M37 gas turbine
Service speed: 43 knots
Max. speed: 48 knots
Range: 300 nautical miles
Status: in service
The world’s largest commercial hydrofoils
at a glance
Sputnik
Sormovo, USSR
RHS 200
Rodriquez Cantiere Navale, Italy
PT.150
Westermoen Hydrofoil, Norway
No. built: 1
Year built: 1961
Lenght overall: 47.3 m
Width, hull: 9.0 m
across foils: 11.7 m
Draft, hullborne: 2.7 m
foilborne: 0.9 m
No. built: 2
Year built: 1981, 1984
Lenght overall: 35.8 m
Width, hull: 7.0 m
across foils: 14.5 m
Draft, hullborne: 4.5 m
foilborne: 2.0 m
No. built: 3
Year built: 1968 (1), 1970 (2)
Lenght overall: 37.9 m
Width, hull: 7.5 m
across foils: 16.0 m
Draft, hullborne: 5.4 m
foilborne: 2.6 m
Displacement,
lightship:
fully loaded: 130 t
Passengers: 200–262
Propulsion plant: 2 x MTU 16V 652 TB71 /
propellers
Service speed: 35 knots
Max. speed: 37 knots
Range: 200 nautical miles
Status: in service
Displacement,
lightship: 132 t
fully loaded: 165 t
Passengers: 250
Propulsion plant: 2 x MTU 20V 538
TB 80 / propellers
Service speed: 34 knots
Max. speed: 36 knots
Range: 250 nautical miles
Status: withdrawn
Displacement,
lightship:
fully loaded: 110 t
Passengers: 256
Propulsion plant: 4 x M50 V diesels /
propellers
Service speed: 35 knots
Max. speed: 41 knots
Range: 350 nautical miles
Status: prototype, probably scrapped
8
CFF 1 – 2001
T
yp
h
o
o
n
Another interesting one of a kind design from the former USSR was the
Typhoon. Launched towards the end of 1969, this 65-ton, 31 m
automatically controlled fully-submerged hydrofoil – the first such in the
Soviet Union – did not look like any other Soviet hydrofoil.
It was powered by a pair of 1,750 hp Ivchenko gas turbines, each driving
a three-bladed propeller, giving the craft a cruising speed of 38–42 knots and
max speed of 45 knots.
Passenger accomodation was for 98 in a single forward air-conditioned
saloon, with front-facing windows. Behind it, in a vestibule, was a
bar/pantry, baggage stowage area and two rest rooms. Further aft were two
private cabins and an open so-called promenade deck. Although the ways of
enjoying an open deck when foiling at 40 knots, or even less, has to be said
to be limited. Access to the passenger saloon was via the aft deck and
through the vestibule. A raised wheelhouse was situated midships, seating a
crew of four.
A detailed trials program was carried out following the launching,
including the testing of the sophisticated foil system, the propulsion plant
and the hull design, etc. It was not until 1972 that the Typhoon was put into
revenue service between Leningrad and Tallinn, Estonia. A journey taking a
respectable 4½ hours for a medium-size design such as the Typhoon on a
coastal route, but still considerably faster than by train between the same two
destinations – and much less than some hydrofoil services in the central parts
of the country, which could take up to eleven hours if you were going all the
way.
In 1975 it was announced that the Typhoon was to go into series
production, but this never eventuated. According to reports, the vessel, like
most experimental and prototype designs of the USSR, was eventually
scrapped.
Top : The one and
only Typhoon
during trials.
Seventy-seven
percent of the
weight was borne
by the bow foil
with the remainder
by the stern foil
Right : Feeling the
wind in your hair
on the open deck
during take-off
9
CFF 1 – 2001
THE DOLPHIN:
A
venture
In October 1966 well-known German
shipbuilders Blohm+Voss of Hamburg
completed the first Dolphin class hydrofoil
under license from likewise renowned
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation of
the United States.
An 83-ton, 23 m fully submerged hydrofoil
designed for commercial use, the Dolphin was
a development of the Grumman Denison class
hydrofoil which had been completed in the U.S.
in 1962 for the Maritime Administration. While
this had surface piercing main foils rather than
the fully submerged and electronically
controlled foils chosen for the Dolphin, on
both designs the foils were retractable clear of
the water – a feature closely associated with
Above : Corsario
Negro on predelivery trials in
the Baltic in 1966
Right : The craft
with its bow foils
retracted while
on a
demonstration
run in Hamburg
harbor
(Blohm+Voss photo,
both )
10
CFF 1 – 2001
American hydrofoil designs. The advantages are
obvious; with the foils in raised position it is
possible to navigate in waters where a vessel
with fixed foils would draw too deep, and also
it makes life easier for those who clean and
maintain the foils. The Dolphin (like the
Denison) was equipped with two propulsion
packages; one for foilborne and one for
hullborne operation. Foilborne propulsion was
provided by a single 3,600 hp Rolls Royce Tyne
gas turbine driving a KaMeWa controllable
pitch propeller, giving the Dolphin a cruising
speed of 48 knots, whereas the propulsion in
hullborne mode was delivered by a pair of 216
hp General Motors diesels and two waterjets,
able to give the vessel a speed of 8-10 knots.
Spain, Florida & The Caribbean
Following acceptance runs in the Baltic in the
winter of 1966/67, during which speeds in
excess of the contractual 50 knots were
achieved, the craft was transferred south to the
Canary Islands where it entered service with
Spanish company Maritima Antares as Corsario
Negro. Fitted out for 88 passengers in one
saloon, which also contained a kitchenette, the
hydrofoil would complete the Las Palmas,
Gran Canaria to Santa Cruz, Tenerife route in
70 minutes. Embarkation was through doors at
the rear of the passenger cabin, the foyer of
which held two rest rooms and racks for hand
luggage.
As is the case with any prototype, operating
the new hydrofoil was not trouble-free for the
Spanish owner. In 1968 Corsario Negro was sold
overseas to its designers, and in February 1969
was put into service in South Florida waters, as
Gulf Streak, between Miami Beach and Freeport
on Grand Bahama Island with Bahamas Hydro
Lines; a company specially set up for this
operation.
Timetabled to complete the 65 nautical mile
journey in two hours – although actual quayto-quay time usually was less, weather
permitting – and allowing for a 30 minute
turnaround, two round trips a day were
scheduled leaving Miami at 0900 and 1400 and
Freeport at 1130 and 1630. Fares were $27.50
round trip or $17.50 one way, which was
marginally less than the corresponding air fares.
A brake-even load factor of 30% was required
for the survival of the operation.
The service was mainly aimed at tourists
visiting the greater Miami area who wanted a
day, or maybe two, out in the Bahamas for
sightseeing, shopping and gambling.
With all these important ingredients in place
plus the novelty, speed and comfort of riding
the hydrofoil itself, one would think that the
success was given. And it was – when the
hydrofoil did run. Only, too many trips had to
be cancelled due to unsuitable sea conditions
for a relatively small design such as the
Dolphin, and the service got a reputation of
poor reliability. Which, in turn, resulted in
travel agencies becoming reluctant in
promoting the route. The south Florida waters
can be quite unpredictable in the winter, with
large waves building up rapidly. Whenever this
was forecast, the operator would hire a
helicopter to take the captain out to look at the
Gulf Stream to asses the comfort of a crossing.
The outcome would then be announced on the
local radio stations.
Only a few weeks after the inauguration the
decision was made to terminate the Florida–
Bahamas service and relocate Gulf Streak to
Puerto Rico in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the
Below : The
hydrofoil was transferred from Europe
to Florida in 1968
and subsequently
entered service as
Gulf Streak
(Grumman photo )
positioning trip of which the hydrofoil made
under its own power.
This would prove rather eventful as when
over two thirds of the voyage had been
covered, off the Dominican Republic, Gulf
Streak hit a coral reef on which one foil and one
strut were knocked loose. Both were recovered
however, and the hydrofoil was able to
continue hullborne to San Juan. 8
Dolphin
Blohm+Voss, Germany
No. built: 1
Year built: 1966
Lenght overall: 27.4 m
Width, hull: 5.6 m
across foils: 11.1 m
Draft, hullborne: 4.1 m
foilborne (cruising speed): 1.2 m
Displacement,
lightship: 50 t
fully loaded: 83 t
Passengers: 88 (-116)
Main propulsion plant: 1 x Rolls-Royce Tyne
3,600 hp gas turbine / propeller
Service speed: 48 knots
Max. speed: 50.8 knots
Range: 300 nautical miles
Status: prototype, withdrawn
11
CFF 1 – 2001
Dolphin (continued )
Following repairs the new
Caribbean operation was ready to
take off in July 1969.
Initially, the service, marketed as
Hydro Flite, was to operate out of
San Juan, Puerto Rico to the islands
of St. Thomas and St. Croix, but
faced with delays in establishing the
necessary facilities at San Juan it was
decided to base operation and
maintenance at Charlotte Amalie,
St.Thomas. From here the hydrofoil
would make a morning and
afternoon round trip to
Christiansted, St. Croix. The time in
between was spent operating an
excursion trip around one of the
other islands, St. John, for the many
cruise ship passengers that were in
St.Thomas for the day.
Not long into its renewed career
Gulf Streak encountered mechanical
problems and the original interests
behind Hydro Flite withdrew from
the venture with Grumman.
But ridership did not pick up as
estimated and the service did not
A Westamaran
___________________________________________________
prove profitable. Again, this was in
part due to the hydrofoil being
unserviceable for mechanical or
other reasons from time to time and
with no back-up craft the service
received bad publicity. Also, the
operator faced competition from a
seaplane service between St.
Thomas and St. Croix and while the
downtown-to-downtown hydrofoil
was popular with commuters and
tourists, the service folded in
January 1970.
The craft was eventually acquired
by the U.S. Navy. n
88
____________________________________________________
Take a look at the picture at the top
CLASSICFAST FERRIES
is the only magazine
devoted to the historic
aspect of passenger
HYDROFOILS
as well as CATAMARANS,
HOVERCRAFT, etc., and
provides accurate &
entertaining information to
the pro and enthusiast alike
12
CFF 1 – 2001
of this page – and then at the picture,
opposite bottom. It is the same vessel
in both photos. Well, sort of.
Delivered as Fjordglytt, the catamaran
was the first Westamaran 86 built by
Westermoen Hydrofoil of Norway in
1971. The 65 t , 26 m design had been
developed by the yard as it was to
withdraw from hydrofoil production,
the scene of which it had entered in
1961 when it was granted license to
build hydrofoils to Supramar designs.
An enlarged and modified Westamaran, W95, appeared three years later
and the company subsequently adopted
the name Westamarin. Later still more
Westamaran designs were developed,
including the gas turbine/waterjetpropelled W100 (see March 2000 CFF)
and the passenger/cargo mixed traffic
W88. Craft using surface effect
technology were also developed and
built in subsequent years.
Work on the first W86 had
commenced without an actual order for
the vessel. But in October 1970 a
contract was signed with Norwegian
operator Fylkesbaatane i Sogn og
Fjordane, based in Bergen, who
Left : The first Westamaran 86,
Fjordglytt , appeared in 1971
and entered service in Norway
(Westermoen Hydrofoil photo)
_______________________________
took delivery of Fjordglytt the
following June. It remained with
this company for the next twentyfour years.
The Westamaran was acquired in
October 1995 by a Swedish
company, Koster Marin, who
decided to have it extensively rebuilt
to better meet with contemporary
requirements. Also, the company
already operated another former
Norwegian catamaran, an early
Fjellstrand design, the 25.5 m
Alumaran, and thought it wise to
install the same propulsion plant in
the Westamaran as in its
Fjellstrand craft, thus harmonizing
the fleet.
This meant sheding with the pair
of MTU 1,100 hp diesels and with
them also the term ‘fast ferry’ as
the replacement Detroit Diesels,
each developing 720 hp, would
only give the vessel a service speed
of 18 knots, ten knots less than on
the original design.
But to the casual observer what has
changed the most since its days as
Fjordglytt is the looks of the catamaran.
Thus, the upper superstructure has
been cut off and a completely new
passenger saloon, laid out with group
seating around tables for 140
passengers and incorporating a
cafeteria, and wheelhouse have been
built, the work of which was carried
out by a small yard at Strömstad,
Sweden. Above the saloon/
cafeteria an open sun deck has been
established, increasing total
passenger capacity to 274 – at least
in the more warm months of the
year. As Fjordglytt the catamaran was
fitted out for 142 passengers.
The open deck area aft of the
passenger saloon has been enlarged
to allow for cargo and bicycles to be
carried.
On conclusion of the rebuilding
the catamaran emerged as Kosterfjord
and was put into service in the
spring of 1997. It operates a
scheduled passenger service as well
as charters in the archipelago on
Sweden’s north-west coast, between
Strömstad and the Koster islands for
most of the year. n
in disguise
________________________________________________________________________________________________
8
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Above + opposite, centre:
Sequence showing the transition
from the original W86 Fjordglytt
into the heavily rebuilt
Kosterfjord.
(Koster Marin photos)
Right : The catamaran now
features a sun deck above the
passenger saloon which attracts
good crowds on good summer
days (Daniel Eriksson photo)
13
CFF 1 – 2001
FASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTN E WS
Mind the hovercraft!
Following their withdrawal from service in
the English Channel on October 1st , the pair
of Hoverspeed SR.N4 Mk 3 hovercraft, The
Princess Anne and The Princess Margaret,
were moved from the hoverport at Dover to
Lee-on-Solent last month.
The site of the Hovercraft Museum (which
is not related to Hoverspeed) and the former
HMS Daedalus, the two hovercraft had to
climb a rather steep ramp from the sea and
cross a public road at Lee – both facts of
which should be evident in the above picture.
Also, having come this far they had to
squeeze themselves through a gate only
slightly wider than the craft to gain access to
the fenced-in Museum area.
14
CFF 1 – 2001
The two hovercraft have not been acquired
by or donated to the Museum but are being
laid up at Lee rather than at Dover pending
their possible sale.
While somewhat of a surprise to many
when the announcement was made last July,
the decision to pull out the last two SR.N4s of
service was partially based on the fact that
the car capacity of up to 55 on the hovercraft
was becoming insufficient as compared to 80
cars on the operator’s Australian built 74 m
SeaCat wavepiercing catamarans. However,
trip time by SeaCat between Dover and
Calais is some fifteen minutes longer than by
hovercraft, which would normally complete
the crossing in 35 minutes.
Above : So, you’ve heard of railroad
crossings but... SR.N4 Mk 3
hovercraft The Princess Anne is
nearing the completion of a 100
nautical mile positioning trip from
Dover to Lee-on-Solent last month
(Chris Potter photo)
Below : The Princess Margaret
enters the HMS Daedalus/Hovercraft Museum grounds
(Chris Potter photo)
FASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTNEWSFASTN E WS
Hawaiian Foilcat
service popular
The trial fast ferry service in Hawaii using a
foil-assisted catamaran, Foilcat, ended on
December 1st 2000. At least for now as it is
being considered whether to permanent the
operation.
Initially a one-year demonstration project
set up and funded by the Hawaii State
Department of Transportation, the service,
marketed as the WikiWiki Ferry, was
inaugurated on October 18th 1999 and was
expected to run through to mid-October 2000
but was extended by six weeks.
Routes operated included from Kalaeloa
Barbers Point to downtown Honolulu, a
distance of 23 nautical miles over open
water, and between Pearl Harbor and
Honolulu, only approximately 12 NM.
The test routes chosen served the growing
communities in west Oahu and were
established as a means of taking some of
the commute load off of the roads. The one
freeway into downtown Honolulu is extremely
congested during peak hours and the HDoT
is continually looking to improve mobility and
offer commuters attractive alternatives to
work related car traffic. High-quality
waterborne transportation thus seems an
obvious choice.
From its October-launch to December 1st
1999 use of the WikiWiki Foilcat was free of
charge; after this date the cost was $1.50
single, or $40 for a monthly pass. Normally,
four roundtrips were scheduled Mo–Fr; two in
the morning and two in the afternoon peak
traffic hours.
Passenger response to the fast ferry
alternative has been fantastic throughout the
trial period the operator reports. At the end of
the last service a group called Save Our
Below : WikiWiki Ferry 29 m foilassisted catamaran Foilcat
approaching Honolulu harbor
(WikiWiki Ferry / HDoT photo)
Ferry Transit was formed which sent a
petition signed by all regular riders to the
Governor’s office requesting that the service
continue.
The ridership numbers were fair; towards
the end of the last test route some 320
passengers a day were carried on four
services. A total of over 2,500 one-way trips
were run over the trial period. All trends in
ridership were up during each of the test
route phases, and the parties concerned are
convinced that the ferry can obtain high
ridership if given long term implementation
and sufficient marketing support.
The operational reliability of Foilcat was
excellent at 96% for the routes tested. The
occasional mechanical failure caused a
disruption in service, but never while
underway.
In on the project from the beginning has
been Pacific Marine & Supply, which
purchased the fast ferry, including the design
rights and drawings, in 1997. A refit program
was carried out and the vessel was reflagged
in the United States and certified by the U.S.
Coast Guard.
Above : The Foilcat dry-docked for
survey in Hawaii last summer. The
hardhat worker provides a
convincing reference to the size of
the vessel
(WikiWiki Ferry / HDoT photo)
The sole unit built, the 29 m Foilcat 2900 foilassisted catamaran was completed in 1992 by
Westamarin, the pioneer Norwegian fast ferry
yard, however, since defunct. It was originally
to have entered service in Norway but the
contract was annulled and the yard completed
the vessel as a private venture.
Instead a leasing agreement for the high-tech
vessel was reached with a Danish operator.
However, this service soon received bad
publicity as the craft suffered from a series of
teething problems, resulting in numereous
service cancellations, and the route was closed
after only four months and the vessel returned
to the builders in Norway.
Following almost three years in lay up the
craft was finally leased to another operator in
Indonesia before arriving in Hawaiian waters.
The Foilcat has a crusing speed of 45 knots
in calm condition, a maximum speed of 50
knots and is currently fitted out for 136
passengers
While as of yet no decision has been made
whether or not to turn the demo service into a
permanent thing, the WikiWiki Foilcat is up for
sale. So, a possible continued operation may
well be in the shape of another (or more) craft.
If you would like to share news
photos / items on any of the topics
hydrofoils, catamarans, hovercraft /
SESs, please send an email to the
editor at: [email protected]
15
CFF 1 – 2001
CFF01/2001/E09
16
CFF 1 – 2001