The Fast Ferry's Coming !!!!

[Hills Bro]

Yes it is...finally starting next month we'll be able to go across Lake Ontario from Rochester to Toronto and back via this wonderful Ferry,, The Spirit of Ontario. WHAT!! and you thought this was another gay thread? :P--> :D-->

Built by Austal Limited

THE AUSTAL STORY

Austal Ships commenced operations in 1988 with a vision to build high quality commercial vessels for the international market. By the company's fifth anniversary, Austal had become the world's leading manufacturer of 40 metre passenger catamarans and the dominant supplier to Asia.

It was in Hong Kong as early as 1993, that Austal introduced gas turbine propulsion and the first two installations of the Austal developed Ocean Leveller ride control system. The success in Asia and the introduction of a range of sophisticated, large vehicle-carrying fast ferries were the springboard for ongoing growth in Europe, the Mediterranean and the Asia-Pacific.

Today, Austal Ships is the world's largest builder of fast ferries and is proud to list amongst its customers many of the world's leading fast ferry and shipping operators.

Austal listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in December 1998 and has diversified its product base through acquisitions of Image Marine and luxury motor yacht builder, Oceanfast and through the establishment of Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.

Collectively, the Austal group provides one of the most substantial product bases of any shipbuilder worldwide.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[Rocky]

:D--> You talkin to me?

[This message was edited by Rocky on March 15, 2004 at 13:23.]

Edited March 15, 2004 by Guest

[Hills Bro]

Rocky...May 2nd is set as first Rochester to Toronto trip

here is the Official site.

http://www.catsfastferry.com/hmpg.htm

you can actually track its voyage from Australia to Rochester

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[Trefor Heywood]

Hmm looks impressive!

What a wonderful way of linking the gay communities of Toronto and Rochester together Hills Bro!

:D-->

Trefor Heywood

"Cymru Am Byth!"

[Mandii]

LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

The lightning-bug is brilliant, but he hasn't any mind; He stumbles through existence with his headlight on behind.-E.F. Ware, The Lightning-Bugsize font color>

[Rocky]

The Breeze... so, does it come in right next to Sea Breeze? Or is that amusement park still around?

:D--> You talkin to me?

[Hills Bro]

It's gonna come into Charlotte pier at mouth of Genesee river. They took an old rundown warehouse along the pier and rehabed it into a very nice facility for boarding.

Yes Seabreeze Park is still up and running with many new rides and attractions.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[Rocky]

Actually, I figured it would dock at Charlotte. That's where I remember touring the occasional navy ship that would come in for promotional reasons when I was a kid.

Btw, I really loved Durand Eastman Park in the spring/summer.

:D--> You talkin to me?

[Hills Bro]

Trefor Heywood

There are Sky Marshalls and then there are Ferry Marshalls.. maybe I'll apply and throw all the gays overboard

[J0nny Ling0]

Sounds nice. We have a new fast ferry coming here in the summer of 2004 named the "M/V (motor vessel) Fairweather". She'll be taking passengers and vehicles between Juneau, Haines (my town), Skagway, and Sitka, Alaska. She is brand new and is on her way from the East Coast to the West, and is going through the Canal right about now on her way to Alaska from the shipyard where she was built.

And...She will be a great benefit to this town where I live in that she will help cut out so much of the isolation that we experience by way of the poor ferry service that we have endured.

[Hills Bro]

Many new resturants are opening in Charlotte with expectations of reaping from the tourists. The Canandaiqua winery is setting up shop along with many other NY winerys to sell their wines. I think the long range goal is to have a similar lake front tourist attraction as they have in Cleveland "the Flats"

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[Wacky Funster]

"WHAT!! and you thought this was another gay thread?"

...then you would have called it The Fast Fairy's Coming!!!

:P--> :P-->

[dmiller]

And Trefor -- since you said --- "Hmm looks impressive! What a wonderful way of linking the gay communities of Toronto and Rochester together Hills Bro!"

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Just what kind of LINKING might that be ? --> -->

[corrydj]

quote:

---

and you thought this was another gay thread? :P--> :D-->

---

haha, that was funny!

Up here in Seattle they just took an art deco sort of ferry in for restoration. It's called The Kalakala, and it's so incredible looking.

I'll try to post here.

"Why you going to the airport, flyin' somewhere?"

[corrydj]

Arriving

"Why you going to the airport, flyin' somewhere?"

[corrydj]

"The Kalakala"

"Why you going to the airport, flyin' somewhere?"

[Trefor Heywood]

What I said was merely a joke in response to Hills Bro's comment. When you have to explain the joke the point of it is lost.

But the ferry does indeed look impressive. I wonder how long it will take for the journey compared by going by road via Niagara Falls. I have only been on the Toronto Islands Ferry which is only a short journey.but has impressive views.

Trefor Heywood

"Cymru Am Byth!"

[Mandii]

Gosh, it was a joke and a play on words!!!

Besides, when I hear the word 'ferry' I think automatically of 'faery' which is the fae folk that one should never mess with as the majority of them don't like humans. (sorry old folklore I grew up with)

Hey Hills, if you promise not to throw anyone overboard, let's go 'do' the ferry together! The girls would love it and from the news reports on it, it looks absolutely gorgeous!! Nothing like the Staten Island Ferry, which was the first and last ferry I was on and cruised by the Statue of Liberty at 2am in the morning!!

The lightning-bug is brilliant, but he hasn't any mind; He stumbles through existence with his headlight on behind.-E.F. Ware, The Lightning-Bugsize font color>

[Pirate1974]

60 bucks for a car and driver one way?

Man, I think I'd really have to need to make this trip bad to pay that.

Of course, my experience has been limited to ferries here in North Carolina, like Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke, which is free, or Fort Fisher to Southport at $5.00. The most expensive is Ocracoke to Cedar Island, a 2 1/2 hour trip that costs $15.00 per car, no extra charge for passengers.

[dougie73]

I wanna water ski behind it to Toronto ! :D-->

[This message was edited by dougie73 on March 14, 2004 at 1:08.]

Edited March 14, 2004 by Guest

[J0nny Ling0]

I pay $330.00 round trip with my Suburban, wife and three kids to go to Juneau from Haines and back. It's a four and a half hour ride to get to Juneau on our older ferries. But it will only be a two and a half hour ride once our M/V Fairweather gets here this summer.

Ferries are definitely a way of life for everyone here in Southeast Alaska. When my two older kids were on the basketball team, they would be on the ferry alot. When the Regionals were in Ketchikan, they'd be on the ferry for a day and a half just to get there. The kids take their sleeping bags and sleep in the forward observation lounge or up in the "movie room" where there are reclining chairs. They really have a blast while they are underway. It must really be something to be a kid up here.

Once when my daughters b ballteam had to pay this Indian village team called Metlakatla (I just love to say that word "Metlakatla"-try it!), the kids took the ferry toKetchikan, and then thy got on single engine planes (Cherokee Sixes) and flew in to "Metlakatla". Pretty cool for a bunch of highschool kids.

Hey, I'll post a picture of the M/V Kennicott. She is the newest vessel in our fleet (until that Fairweather gets here). I worked on her for three years. I was even on the maiden voyage. It was pretty funny too, because we kept having kids (young couples) ask us if they could go up on the bow when we were underway so they could re-enact some seen from "The Titanic" which had just come out...

Ahh... I just love ships! I have been working on them on and off since I was sixteen. Gave up that career when I got involved with The Way, then in '93, I started back into it again..

Here's the Kennicott..

[This message was edited by Jonny Lingo on March 13, 2004 at 11:29.]

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[J0nny Ling0]

Nice thread Hillsbruh!

[johniam]

I used to occasionally take the ferry (SS City of Midland) between Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI and back when my sister lived in Appleton, WI. It took 4 hrs to go 50 miles and included vehicles. Can't remember what it cost with a vehicle, but solo it only cost $8.00 one way in 1975. This fast ferry sounds a little more specialized.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest

[Pirate1974]

Obviously that's a whole different class of ferry.

This is what we have here in NC:

M/V Governor Hyde

[J0nny Ling0]

Pirate-

How is it that you are able to post a picture and have it show up so fast? Corrie are still waiting for the Kalakala and the Kennicott to "arrive"...

Nice pic too Pirate, do you intend on taking a "boarding party" and running up the old Jolly Roger? (skull and cross bones) Haha! Or, is she already one of your prizes?

Edited March 13, 2004 by Guest