Floating bridge ... again

[VicS]

I knew it would happen

I knew that pole they added to the pile by the Cowes side slip way would not last long .... it received a bit of a nudge yesterday ... but a bit more than a nudge today

 

[mainsail1]

It is working? Ramps fixed? Everyone happy?

 

[VicS]

It is working? Ramps fixed? Everyone happy?

It sort of works , but it is suspended for 2 hours before every low water with a launch service for foot passengers.

The IOW council have said that the ramps will have longer "fingers" fitted sometine in July.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The IOW council have said that the ramps will have longer "fingers" fitted sometine in July.

This is the bit which really puzzles me. Adjusting chain positions and lengths for a new ferry - yes, fair enough, each site is different and adjustment is inevitable. But there are dozens of ferries with ramps landing at slipways around Britain hundreds of times a day. Even if the geometry is, for some reason, complicated, there are loads of models to copy. How did they manage to get that aspect of it so wrong?

 

[Seajet]

Even if the geometry is, for some reason, complicated, there are loads of models to copy. How did they manage to get that aspect of it so wrong?

It takes a supremely honed mindset and years of council training, the like of which Armstrong, Aldrin or even Custer could never dream of.

 

[VicS]

Councils are committed to securing best value for tax payers.

To a bean counter best value = cheapest

 

[Seajet]

I find myself referring again to the Saturn V Appollo rocket programme, I think it was Buzz Aldrin who said ' I'm on top of this thing and realised every bit went to the cheapest supplier ! '

Seeing as the Cowes chain ferry has been done before - and in 40 years I never heard of such chromium-plated cock-ups - I wonder if a raffle ought to be held for whoever specified / designed this thing - and the Cowes Breakwater - to be ceremoniously booted up the arse around the perimeter of the IOW ?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Does the ferry have a sprocket that pulls itself along the chain, or does the chain pull the ferry back and forth?

 

[Seajet]

I'm pretty sure the ferry has a sprocket, or at least that was the old scheme; and you'd have to be stupidly close to worry about the very heavy chains.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Does the ferry have a sprocket that pulls itself along the chain, or does the chain pull the ferry back and forth?

In this case, the ferry winds itself along the chains. There are all sort of variants; sometimes they use wires instead of chains, the Upper Dart one used to have paddles and I am pretty sure there was one which guided itself on wires but pulled itself across on a light chain. Then there are reaction ferries, which are guided by a cable but propelled by angling themselves to the current - used on the Rhine at Basle and on the Severn.

 

[VicS]

Never mind all this nonsense about chains and sprockets .... That dolphin is back there again!

 

[chrishscorp]

Councils are committed to securing best value for tax payers.

To a bean counter best value = cheapest

Yes sadly this is usually the case with scant regard for long term value for money or aftercare.

 

[Thistle]

Never mind all this nonsense about chains and sprockets .... That dolphin is back there again!

An intelligent creature laughing at the stupidity of humans?

 

[JumbleDuck]

An intelligent creature laughing at the stupidity of humans?

Remember, we're only Number 3. The dolphins are Number 2.

 

[VicS]

Remember, we're only Number 3. The dolphins are Number 2.

They could have done with the assistance of the dolphin today.

You can see from the picture how the "bridge", with nearly a full load of cars and a good few passengers, arrived on the slipway this afternoon.

A man had to put on waders and get into the water to winch it sideways ... I assume though this is standard practice with chain ferries.

 

[sarabande]

I think they should add sponsons to port and starboard to reduce the draught and make it less susceptible to lateral tidal forces.

 

[lpdsn]

Could they not just have a whole string of piles with rubber rollers downstream of each landing and just bounce it into position on each approach?

 

[penberth3]

Could they not just have a whole string of piles with rubber rollers downstream of each landing and just bounce it into position on each approach?

Or something on rails? It's been done before:

http://throughtheeyesofabrightongirl.yolasite.com/resources/jg_06_169.jpg

 

[colhel]

That breakwater must have had an effect on the tide heights and also how the tides flushed the Medina keeping silt levels down.

 

[VicS]

That breakwater must have had an effect on the tide heights and also how the tides flushed the Medina keeping silt levels down.

The spring ebb certainly seems to be pretty strong

This picture of the bridge, "moored" for the night, gives some idea.