High speed ferries on Willamette & Columbia!

Waterfish · 03-08-2004, 06:02 PM

Quite an interesting article in today's Oregonian (Metro section, pg B-2). Dan Yates, president of the dinner ship "Portland Spirit" plans to buy up to eight high speed passenger ferries and begin service by next year. The ferries will be 41 feet long, carry 45 passengers, and go 40 mph on the Willamette and Columbia rivers. This should be quite exciting, especially during springer season! Here is a link to the article on line:
http://oregonlive.com/portland/orego...8071206570.xml

SandySteel · 03-08-2004, 06:26 PM

What kind of spin do you get on a herring at 40 mph? :grin:

rebell · 03-08-2004, 06:32 PM

Can you imagine the wake those things will make? :depressed:

Jennie@ifish · 03-08-2004, 06:41 PM

I am not pleased. Saw it on the news.
I hope the whole idea will fizzle.
I think it will.
Jen

Herring Impaired · 03-08-2004, 08:02 PM

This brings back some bad images from the past.
I think they were called Lewis & Clark tours or something like that. They went by a sled up near Bonneville Dam and nearly swamped it! Going way too fast and way too much wake.
The big freighters don't throw the wake that those tour boats and 20-40 foot cabin cruisers do!

[ 03-08-2004, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: Leroy ]

SKP · 03-08-2004, 08:03 PM

Self edit.

SKP

[ 03-08-2004, 09:34 PM: Message edited by: SKP ]

1pump · 03-08-2004, 10:37 PM

That Lewis & Clark catamaran is a major pain in the arse. A buddy of mine and myself were nearly knocked off a rock while bank fishing below Bonneville a couple of summers ago when it went blasting by.
I haven't seen it lately, and if I do see it again it'll be too soon.

judyfish99 · 03-08-2004, 10:46 PM

Honey, in Irish it's called a keester. :grin: :If the L&C goes by, you had better move your chair and tackle at least 3 feet uphill!!! [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img] judyfish

WaterDog · 03-09-2004, 05:12 AM

Arent these boats 41' jet boats? Not a lot different that the tour boats on the Rogue or Snake. Not much of a wake maker. Can't be any worse that the wakes the big pleasure boats throw. :whazzup:

Jennie@ifish · 03-09-2004, 05:55 AM

Not any bigger wakes, just more of them. I'll take my water flat, please. :smile:

Jen

WaterDog · 03-09-2004, 06:00 AM

Jen, You need a bigger boat!

Mojo · 03-09-2004, 07:03 AM

Yeah, but when you hook a springer at 40 mph, it takes the fight right out of them... :grin:

I agree with Jennie, I hope the idea fizzles...

Lured In · 03-09-2004, 07:27 AM

I may be in the minority here, but I think it is a step in the right direction. Things like speed, wake, etc will likely be evaluated. If there is a public outcry, things will change.

I have often wondered why the Portland Metro area does not take full advantage of the waterways. Specifically I am thinking of vehicle/passenger ferries between Vancouver and PDX, Vancouver and St. Helens, Troutdale and PDX, Camas and PDX, Camas and Troutdale. In this case the focus would be on reducing area traffic while providing a potenitally cost effective means of commute.

As proposed it sounds like this article focuses on creating a 'water taxi'. While it may be useful, I don't know how well it will be recieved unless the public transit system adapts to passenger needs.

I guess we'll see.

1pump · 03-09-2004, 09:41 AM

Quote:

I have often wondered why the Portland Metro area does not take full advantage of the waterways.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">We have rivers, not huge bays or sounds like Seattle, New York or San Francisco. It's a lot more expedient and economical to build bridges.
I'd rather drive across a bridge quickly for free than pay for a long ride down river.
I don't think it will reduce traffic much. Unlike buses and trains, boats have to stay on the water, and once they dock, the passengers need additional transportation from there. It might cut the traffic on the bridges a little, but not elsewhere around town.
I agree that the concept is cool, but I just don't see how it can work here. Especially in summer when the rivers drop and get narrower and more ships, barges and boats are competing for less space. And in the winter when the Willamette is running high (and full of debris) a tall passenger boat could face a tight squeeze under some of the bridges.

Chrome Bumper · 03-09-2004, 10:00 AM

Those thing tend to throw huge wakes, you have to see them to believe it.

ampersat · 03-09-2004, 10:23 AM

I don't get it. Where's the market for this? It's been a while but I haven't seen people hanging out on the banks of the Willy or Columbia trying to "thumb a ride" from here to there. It could be kind of a neat touristy sort of thing during the summertime but I don't see it as a viable option in the mass transit plan.

Rakkasan · 03-09-2004, 10:47 AM

I think it is time to go to school and get at least my 100 ton license. River rats make decent money. As far as the wakes go on the clarks..............

Yes they do put out a big one. Especially the one which has jets.

I think it will fly and it is a good idea. Can't be as bad as fishing on the Willy last weekend which was like I-5.

I promise it will not hurt the fish

Boat Monkey · 03-09-2004, 11:47 PM

Oh! This is going to be a new update from the Sellwood area--as these plow through the trollers they will be launching 10oz weights at them.

Even if they do abide by the speed limits, the increase large boat traffic is going to be a huge nuscance.