Cowes Floating Bridge

[Hermit]

More of a sitcking plaster than a solution:

Push Boat Service for Floating Bridge 6
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council ("the Authority") invites Tenders from suitably qualified suppliers ("Potential Suppliers") for the provision of a Push Boat Service for Floating Bridge 6. This procurement follows the OPEN under the Public Contract Regulations 2015. The Authority requires the Supplier to provide a fully crewed vessel to push Floating Bridge 6 (FB6) square on the Cowes and East Cowes Slipways during the fast-flowing spring ebb tides for the periods as set out in Appendix 1. The Supplier must be able to provide a vessel adequate to the task of pushing the Floating Bridge square to the slipway without the need for any modifications to any part of FB6. The vessel used to deliver the service must conform to the relevant Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) class; it must be certified, equipped and crewed accordingly. Please note that, before contract award, the Preferred Supplier will be required to undertake a trial on one spring tide to establish that their proposed vessel and methodology achieve the requirements of the specification. Should the trial fail to achieve these objectives then the Authority reserves the right to reject the submission and seek to award to the next placed Potential Supplier. If this is the case, then a live trial will be undertaken for the second placed Potential Supplier. The term of the contract shall be from 1st October 2022 until 30th September 2025 with the option to extend for up to a further 24 months at the sole discretion of the Authority. Extensions will be agreed for 6 month periods up to a maximum of 24 months in total; each extension will be advised a minimum of two months before it is required. The closing date for receipt of Tenders is 14:00Hrs on 17 August 2022.
Location South East
Value £658,160 to £658,160
Date notice published 13 July 2022
Closing 17 August 2022, 2pm
Notice status Open
Procurement stage Opportunity

 

[Giblets]

I seem to remember watching that being tried out a while back using one of the push boats from either So'ton or Pompy. At full ebb the push boat was really working it's socks off to keep FB6 level.

 

[Hermit]

I suspect that was a trial to see if the plan had legs and now they go to tender. The winning bidder has to prove they can do it before they get the contract at least.

 

[Lightwave395]

This has been done a number of times, don't know if it's regular and been with the same boat, it's usually at strong spring tide times

 

[mainsail1]

Modification of the floating bridge to provide one or two side thrusters would surely be a more satisfactory solution at less cost?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Modification of the floating bridge to provide one or two side thrusters would surely be a more satisfactory solution at less cost?

They’re using several hundred hp to push it sideways at the moment. Its going to need a mighty thruster, and theres probably no space for that in it’s hull. Its just a raft really.

 

[rotrax]

A couple of weeks ago First Mate and I crossed Strangford Lough on the ferry between Strangford Town and Portaferry.

The ferry vessels are designed and built for the trip and incorporate very powerful side thrusters to compensate for the high speed of the water flow in the Narrows.

I have seen low powered yachts going with the ebb unable to steer as their power was not enough. They went in circles downstream at 6 knots plus, little outboard at full chat.

Two large yachts came up with the flood at 10 knots plus later that evening. They were both keeping just enough power on for their rudders to get a bite on the water.

Compared to the tidal conditions in Strangford Lough, Cowes should be a doddle for someone who understands the issues.

The Floating Bridge designers/builders obviously did not.................................

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I think all of us IOW residents would agree. But thrusters are unlikely to be our solution, the thing is so shallow. And your ferry isn’t attached to chains is it?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

A couple of weeks ago First Mate and I crossed Strangford Lough on the ferry between Strangford Town and Portaferry.

The ferry vessels are designed and built for the trip and incorporate very powerful side thrusters to compensate for the high speed of the water flow in the Narrows.

It has a Voith Schneider prop at either end which can direct their thrust at any angle. I had a trip across each way on the bridge a few years ago. Steering is by 2 joysticks, one for each prop. The vessel does not have a dedicated bow and stern - the bow is which ever way it's travelling on that trip. The nav lights have to be flipped around for each crossing when they are used. A disadvantage of this type of drive is the depth needed to accommodate the vertical axis propellers. That may not have been available at Cowes.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The cowes bridge is propelled by its chain wheels, I thought. As was the previous one.

Angus,this is the medina link ferry, not a Solent ferry we are talking about

 

[dunedin]

The cowes bridge is propelled by its chain wheels, I thought. As was the previous one.

Angus,this is the medina link ferry, not a Solent ferry we are talking about

I think the point other posters are making is that perhaps a chain ferry ain’t the best solution for a fast tide situation, as places like Strangford Lough and Kyle Rhea, which have proper tides far exceeding Cowes, have effective solutions without chains.

A chain ferry plus a pushing boat sounds a “worst of both” non-solution (or cludge)

 

[Lightwave395]

The cowes bridge is propelled by its chain wheels, I thought. As was the previous one.

Angus,this is the medina link ferry, not a Solent ferry we are talking about

Absolutely right, the Red Funnel car ferries have the Voith Schneider system - it's amusing to there are electronic road signs as you approach Cowes that say 'Cowes floating bridge operating normally', presumably as it's not often doing that...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We wonder if that means it’s busted again. Driving from West Wight to The Folly, we go past several of those signs

 

[AngusMcDoon]

The cowes bridge is propelled by its chain wheels, I thought. As was the previous one.

Angus,this is the medina link ferry, not a Solent ferry we are talking about

I know. I was just giving some details of the Strangford/Portaferry ferry, because Rotrax mentioned it. I also realize that its design is not suitable for Cowes because of the depth needed - which I also mentioned.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Maybe the chain restraint also reduces the chances of a rogue ferry careering around the harbour. Theres enough trouble with yotties who can’t steer, and the odd Red Funnel hitting moored boats. The river is about 150m wide, at the crossing point.
Its not unusual for yachts to be 4 abreast there, in both directions. Then the orange flashing light starts…?

 

[penfold]

The fixed price is a bit suss, like they've already decided what the solution is.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The fixed price is a bit suss, like they've already decided what the solution is.

Well, they have. You cannot help wondering, if it’s a fix of an entirely different nature.

 

[ashtead]

Pleased to see the council providing such local employment opportunities but surely they would be better off creating their own push boat ferry service staffed by council staff? I guess this is not a sort term solution. One day I suppose they might consider a smaller ferry which might run without the boat pushing service.

 

[Robin]

Pleased to see the council providing such local employment opportunities but surely they would be better off creating their own push boat ferry service staffed by council staff? I guess this is not a sort term solution. One day I suppose they might consider a smaller ferry which might run without the boat pushing service.

But IOW council staff only WFH don't they ?

 

[Stemar]

Cowes should be a doddle for someone who understands the issues.

Indeed.

But that's been the problem all along. Booze-up in brewery and the inability to organise

I'm going to guess that they've had some consultants in who've told them you either get a pusher boat or you throw it all away and start again.