'Frisco Bay politicians throwing money at Ferries

GOTTA BE CAREFUL in 'Frisco when saying "ferries" of course.

http://www.watertransit.org/newsInformation/pressReleases.aspx


Now check THIS out...."Water Emergency Transportation Authority"
http://www.watertransit.org/aboutUs/aboutUs.aspx

For if the bridges and BART(under bay subway) become unusable they want to suddenly have a bunch of ferries in the bay to take up the slack.

Now, WAY back when the Iron Curtain was falling, a buddy of mine was trying to put his brand new MBA to use and had some scheme to bring in a bunch of those Soviet Buck Rodgers hydrofoils if the bridges or BART or whatever came down.

He had a big contingency type plan drawn up and was trying to hook up USA and Russian players so IF something happened the boats could be brought over and put to use in a quick, orderly manner.

He was getting from "thanks, but no thanks" to "what the **** are you talking about" from our local Govt, and pretty much a "show me the money" from the Russian end.

THEN the Oct 1989 earthquake hits and the Bay Bridge goes down, etc.

Naturally, this guy was going nuts and trying to make the deal work somehow but it didn't.

Oh well. I lost touch with him a few years after. Still seems like a decent idea.

He had plans for the hydrofoils to possibly go all the way to Sacramento/Stockton and down to Santa Cruz from the SF Bay.

 

Putting sails on ferries to save fuel David R

Putting sails on ferries to save fuel

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

February 16, 2010|By David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer

• Artist's renderings of the "wind-assisted" ferryboat entrepreneur Jay Gardner wants to build.
  Credit: Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering illustrations

Ferries plying the San Francisco Bay in the future could be equipped with sails to slash the amount of fuel they consume, if Jay Gardner has his way.
Gardner co-owns a small startup, based in Napa, that plans to build ferries with tall, solid sails, using the bay's strong winds to help haul commuters across the waves.
The sails, made of carbon composite materials, would more closely resemble aircraft wings than the canvas rigging of standard sailboats. They wouldn't eliminate the need for an engine.
They could, however, cut each ferry's fuel use by at least 40 percent, said Gardner, with Wind+Wing Technologies.
"Especially with the Bay Area and the amount of wind we have, it's something that really clicks with people," Gardner said. "Once you get past the initial resistance and start showing them the studies we've developed, the light comes on."

 

Yes it saves a great deal of fuel, but trying to dock it at the Ferry building or Vallejo in a strong afternoon breeze and an ebb will make you re-think the idea. Talked to any experienced bay ferry Captains about the idea?

 

BATTAN, I was thinking same, but maybe new docks far out in water and

even able to rotate into/with the wind and tide might help otherwise unwieldy sailing ships dock and disembark with aplomb.

Of course the 1)extra walking distance for the passengers(across salt spray swept walkways) and the 2)extra docking time would be critical in planning any commuter operation.

I could easily see those two adding an extra 20-30 minutes to each ferry commute, which would be a 'concept killer'.

I think BART is less than 15 minutes from closest Oakland to SF stations under the Bay, and those are stations in downtowns of both cites, not "out at the dock".

 

Asking someone who works in an office and wears nice clothes to walk on slippery docks in a pounding rain and wind (last 3 days here) or on ice in the morning (this morning) is a non-starter. It would have to be like an airliner boarding tunnel, movable, motorized, expensive and prone to breakdown and more expense.
However, there is a huge tourist presence in SF area and an alternative ferry service in the high months on more of a fun-type experience combining crossing the bay and extreme novelty, might almost break even. Nah.
Any changes in docks, access, parking etc on shore within 100 feet of high tide line and out must run a truly bewildering series of agencies and permits to even be considered and takes years.