Page 35: of Marine News Magazine (January 2013)

If possible, rethink the ß oor plan. For a unique arrangement, get out of the conventional box of long aisle ways with forward facing seats. Angled rows provide a more pleasant viewing opportunity. The view is the primary product offering sold by tour companies and window seats are always the choicest. Owners can get double vision potential by simply elevating the centerline sections of seats a mere 6Ó. This layout works best when center seats face outboard towards perimeter windows. New boat buyers like tour operator Harbor Breeze Cruises, are moving full speed ahead with a boatload of passenger-pleasing features including a fully accessible walk-around deck, stadium-tiered foredeck seating, and LED color changing lighting systems throughout the vessel. And, unlike most other staunchly white vessels, Harbor Breeze will really make a splash with a vibrant multi-colored paint scheme.FREE RIDES ARE NEVER FREEThanks to MARAD, many public ferry operators can get signiÞ cant portions of their new vessel paid for by the Ferry Boat Discretionary Program. The program presents several hoops to jump through which does end up overinß ating the purchase price. Furthermore, many government funded ferries are constructed under the Field of Dreams philosophy of Ôbuild it and they will comeÕ. Building the boat is part of it, but schedule, ticket price, and the customerÕs perceived value are the other must haves for a successful passenger vessel operation. While agencies like MARAD can help operators procure a new boat, they do not have means to supplement operating capital, which can quickly leave a vessel high and dry. The misfortunes of the Spirit of Ontario, Hawaii Superferry and M/V Susitna have proven to be very expensive lessons to learn. KEEPING WATCH While the future is looking quite bright for the passenger vessel industry, challenging obstacles remain to be navigated. Groups like the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) provide a wealth of educational resources and advocacy to help their members maintain successful and safe operations. PVA will be hosting their annual national convention, Maritrends, in Jacksonville, FL in February. Topics addressed at Maritrends and of general interest to passenger vessels operators in the year ahead concern ADA vessel design standards, re-interpreting the Guide to Structural Fire Protection (NVIC 9-97 change # 1), and what to expect during the transition from EPA Tier II to Tier III engines. MN 35www.marinelink.com MN Jan2013 Layout 32-42.indd 35MN Jan2013 Layout 32-42.indd 351/3/2013 9:47:36 AM1/3/2013 9:47:36 AM