Where will MV Caribou and MV Smallwood end up??

[Kyle Larabee]

Ok I did not know that.

[GregNL]

They took the Caribou out of service too quick and started removing some things (making her no longer fit for service) and then ran into a shortage when the weather kept the Vision from being able to dock in Port Aux Basques. For a while around Christmas Smallwood was handling 100% of the runs!

The reason the Caribou was taken out of service when she was is that her safety certificates were up the day of her last crossing. In order to renew them there was a significant structural and safety retrofit needed, primarily a replacement of the airlock watertight car deck doors which the Smallwood had done on prior dry dockings.  I missed the final crossing of the Caribou by a few hours so we hit up the Smallwood instead, which was cool, because we stopped for close to an hour to lay a wreath for the HMCS Shawinigan.

http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/cms/3/3-a_eng.asp?category=7&id=834

[Gulfspan]

Very interesting..yet Marine Atlantic was trashed by everyone for chartering..

"In 2004-2005 Marine Atlantic had an advanced plan approved by the board, Transport Canada and Public Works to acquire four made in Canada ferries by 2009. There was even a bidder

[Gulfspan]

They took the Caribou out of service too quick and started removing some things (making her no longer fit for service) and then ran into a shortage when the weather kept the Vision from being able to dock in Port Aux Basques. For a while around Christmas Smallwood was handling 100% of the runs!

The reason the Caribou was taken out of service when she was is that her safety certificates were up the day of her last crossing. In order to renew them there was a significant structural and safety retrofit needed, primarily a replacement of the airlock watertight car deck doors which the Smallwood had done on prior dry dockings.  I missed the final crossing of the Caribou by a few hours so we hit up the Smallwood instead, which was cool, because we stopped for close to an hour to lay a wreath for the HMCS Shawinigan.

http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/cms/3/3-a_eng.asp?category=7&id=834

Ive was told that three months before she was retired ..but nope every one said it wasnt true..

[GregNL]

Ive was told that three months before she was retired ..but nope every one said it wasnt true..

Yep, tough love for sure.  An employee on the Smallwood, who started his career on the Caribou, filled us in on all the details during our 24 passenger crossing, lol.  Easy to see the lack of needed funds being put into these great ferries.  I remember roaming the Caribou back in 2006 seeing wall panels and stair support structures rusted completely away inside on lower decks.

[Gulfspan]

Smallwood wasnt at the terminal at Nth Sydney this aft..never passed by the Caribou today..so I dont know if she's been moved along side her sister.

[Don Merritt]

The Smallwood moved over to Sydport about 2 this afternoon. She's tied up next to the Caribou at the outside wharf. Tried to upload a photo but this retarded thing says upload folder is full or something.

[Trucker001]

does she still have her MA stripes?? just a thought MA has brought in 3 boats to do the work that these 2 ships have ben doing for over 20 years.. that kinda makes you go huh what is wrong with this picture??

  on a side note the CBC news has pissed me off when refering to the caribou as in decrepid condition and smallwood was in bad condition, when compaired to the newer boats yes IF IF MA and ottawa had loked after these ships we wouldnt have the bad service that we are getting now ... when ever a storm is forcast they park the vision and looks like the puttees may be in the same condition for now

[Mac Mackay]

Highlanders was registered in Canada March 24.

[kasco]

No one can dispute that the Caribou and the Smallwood were great vessels. But to suggest that three vessels were put into service to do the work that the Caribou and Smallwood were doing is just wrong. The vessels that were in the fleet before the Atlantic Vision came on stream just did not have the capacity to move the traffic offered.

The Altantic Freighter was replaced with the Ericson as the commercial vessel,approx. 20% more capacity.
The Atlantic Vision entered service to replace the Ericson as a passenger vessel, approx. 50% more capacity.
The Blue Puttees replaced the Caribou, approx 40% more capacity.
The Highlanders is replacing the Smallwood, approx. 40% more capacity.

Kasco

[Gulfspan]

Agree

[Gulfspan]

As an after thought kasco..Sipping a beer ..I think you'll agree that the traffic being offered ..the back-logs..were not entirely due to lack of capacity..
With the Vision's fair weather avoidance status..
the sad shape of the Gulf Spain ferries
The Ericson had her share of missed appointments

The numbers really only tell some of the story I think..
Had the Gulfspan ferries been maintained to a state that they were reliable as they always were.
Had the Ericcson..well..she's the Ericson .. 
Had the Vision never-ever been considered..but a ship similar to the Fosen Optima,or the Gulfspan series, been charted initially the First Time

with all 4  ships running reliably..would there have been a Capacity issue?
 
We'll never know..but it does offer food for thought.

My thoughts as time drags on ..the Fosen Optima's were chosen to carry the burden of the Vision when she cant sail..and to a lesser extent the Ericson when she's laden with Dangerous goods..

Again my thoughts ..I ran some quick math in my head...the service is still less than 3 full time ships even when the Ericson returns from refit..on average..when the above is considered ..no mechanical delays.

By the way Ericson  looks good ,saw her in Dartmouth yesterday,,still has one of Irvings cranes(160t,I believe) servicing her on board needs ..but coming along..not a whole lot of gear left on the dock.

[Trucker001]

 When is Erickson leaving halifax?? as we now know the smallwood has been tied up beside Caribou in sydport any pics of both vessels  the caribou and Smallwood and erickson as she sits in halifax?? 

[Don Merritt]

When is Erickson leaving halifax?? as we now know the smallwood has been tied up beside Caribou in sydport any pics of both vessels  the caribou and Smallwood and erickson as she sits in halifax?? 

Hello Trucker001. If you go to the top of the page here and search for photos of Caribou there's a couple of her tied up with the Smallwood in Sydport. I tried to attach one or two in this forum but it keeps telling me the upload folder is full. Don't have a clue what that's about, so I have to post them in the ship photos section.

[kasco]

Gulfspan
There are two sides to the equation, commercial and passenger related traffic. The new vessels will meet the needs of the commercial industry. The question now becomes will they meet the needs of the passenger sector.

Kasco