Jetfour

…… and here’s what you are getting for your money!

Indeed. 19 point something knots boat speed plus the tide under her. At the same time, Superfast VIII was going in the opposite direction showing 18.9 kts. Maybe 20 kts boat speed less the current against her. Also strengthening wind from the south-west helps the Cairnryan bound ferry and retards the Belfast bound ferry.

LGW-IOM taxied at 20:44

“But conventional ferries can do 30 knots- Stena have several.” indeed they do, but for years, they have been running them at ‘best economical speed.’ The so called Superfast ferries serving Cairnryan- Belfast tootle about at 17-19 kts. Yes, they can do the guts of 30 kts, but they never do!

Could be worse. Join the Police Service of Northern Ireland and they will announce your identity on the internet!

I have been watching journey times for the Saturday night Belfast service all summer. Five and a quarter to five and a half hours is the norm. Four and three-quarter hours advertised. Ship going slower - why?

Of course you wouldn’t. The idea is to have a positive strategy in place to grow load factors by running a much more attractive service.

Totally agree, John and Albert. I brought parties of schoolchildren from Northern Ireland to the IoM annually from 1980 until my retirement in 2012. I witnessed the decline in service at first hand. Daytime sailings were axed and early morning and late evening sailings substituted on odd days of the week - no continuity. Timetable-wise, things improved very slightly when the first fast craft arrived but this, too, soon disappeared. It is very obvious that Belfast and Dublin services remain only because of the dictates of the “user agreement.” Given a free hand, there would be no service at all. I brought my wife, son and his family over to the island in July to let them see the wonderful place that I had visited for those 32 years. Outward journey on Manannan on a Tuesday morning was fine. Return on the Ben was not so good. Left Douglas at 8 p.m. On a Saturday night. Calm sea the whole way. Docked in Belfast at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Five and a half hours in calm seas. Why? Running at reduced speed to save fuel costs no doubt. We were lucky in that we had a car but there were many on board who had believed the published timetable and expected to connect with late night public transport which had long gone! There is an opportunity now. Use the Ben in June, July and August with suitable and proper promotion to run daytime services twice a week to Belfast and Dublin and re-build the business. In the winter, she can be leased out to the Orkneys, Shetlands and/or Channel Islands to pay her way. Worth a try surely? Discuss.

Only one return trip!? …. and not an iceberg in sight! 😲

Manxman is showing as being in Belfast tomorrow (31/7/23) for 7 hours trials. Also showing as being in Belfast next Saturday night after midnight for 1h 40m. This is the exact time that the Ben has been calling all summer.

Belfast Harbour appear to be expecting Manxman next Saturday night. On a revenue trip?

Gizo, I will assume that you are an intelligent being. Re-read your last and imagine you are a member of the rider’s or the marshal’s family. (In case you are not an intelligent being, it is the “hey?” bit.). Clever in the circumstances?

“North Korea in reverse.” That would be South Korea?

Stand by for large, fact-finding delegation of MHKs jetting off to the Lofoten Islands armed with a full dossier of expenses’ claim forms!