Page 9: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1994)

(Continued from page 14) service was originally started be- tween Bremerton and Seattle re- sulted in a speed reduction to 12 knots for vessels going through the area. The result: a much slower travel time, ultimately resulting in unacceptable performance. The report recommends a catamaran configuration. Any new vessel pro- curement will require that the ves- sel designer provide hull form and weight data so that analytical pre- dictions of wake-wash can be mod- eled, as well as requiring measure- ments of the initial vessel's wake- wash before additional vessels are accepted for delivery by Washing- ton State Ferries.

Also, the new vessel specs re- quire a propulsion system which can survive the rigors of the Puget

Sound, which has a lot of floating debris such as logs. Puget Sound's high tidal current velocities require a vessel with excellent maneuver- ability and controllability, particu- larly at low speeds. As a solution, the new vessels are recommended to have waterjet propulsion, which reportedly can minimize the effects of the previously-mentioned condi- tions.

The report also advocates a pas- senger loading system using an over- the-bow ramp concept and retract- able doors to provide rapid embark- ing and disembarking.

One problem area is the language of current Washington State Law, which restricts the state to the pur- chase of vessels "of a proven and operational design... [that have been] placed in operation within the pre- vious five years" (RCW 47.60.651).

The report concludes that the lan- guage, if strictly interpreted, could exclude from vessel procurement the latest technology of low wake- wash, speed and reliability. It rec- ommends the state amend the stat- ute so, in essence, Washington State

Ferries can benefit from the latest technological developments.

FINAL IMPLEMENTATION

The report states that the imple- mentation of Phase II accomplishes two goals: providing improved ser- vice frequency on all routes; and to satisfy estimated future demand for increased capacity on the Kingston and Southworth routes. To allow time for expansion of the Colman

Dock facility in Seattle—necessary to accommodate a 13-boat pro- gram—Phase II of the plan would not be implemented for a projected minimum of seven years, providing five years for an environmental re- view and permitting, and another two years for actual construction.

Once all facilities and boats are in place, however, the report envisions: three vessels on the Bremerton route; three vessels on the

Southworth route; three vessels on the Kingston route; two vessels on the Vashon route; one maintenance rotation boat; and retention of the

Tyee as an emergency back-up ves- sel.

At press time, plans to present the report to the Washington State

Legislation were being carried out.

February, 1994

After the obligatory review and bud- getary considerations, the Wash- ington State Transportation Com- mission will discuss the project for inclusion on its budget request for the years 1995 to 1997.

Chubb Helps To Keep

Shipping Safe In

Strait Of Gibraltar

To meet the fire protection needs of an automated lighthouse,

Middlesex-based Chubb Fire Engi- neering has designed and supplied an automatic system primarily to "flood" the generator room of the lighthouse at Europa Point in

Gibraltar with C02 in the event of a fire.

Until now, Chubb Fire extin- guishers have been used as first-aid fire protection.

Chubb Fire's sister company,

Edinburgh-based Guardall, is to supply intruder detection and alarm equipment. Passive infrared (PIR) sensors will be linked to two

Guardall Rascal microprocessor alarm control units: one protecting the lighthouse and the other the keepers' lodges.

Installation will be supervised by

Fire Security (Gibraltar) Ltd., a com- pany established by former Chubb

Fire manager Mike Reid.

Chubb Fire and Guardall are part of Chubb Security Pic.

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