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Displaying items by tag: Ferry delayed

One of the largest ferries in the CalMac fleet, Finlaggan, of 5,626 gross tons, which usually serves Islay in the Inner Hebrides, has been delayed in annual maintenance, reports The National.

Afloat.ie adds that the almost 90-metre ferry is currently berthed nearby in Birkenhead Docks having been in a dry-dock at the Cammell Laird shipyard also on Merseyside.

The 550 passenger/88 car ferry is now due to return to service on Saturday, 18 May, which means that the vessel built in 2011 is expected to be back in operation in time for the Islay Festival (24 May-1 June) as Afloat previously reported over concerns about capacity.

In April, CalMac had redeployed ferries to account for the withdrawal of Finlaggan on the routes connecting Port Askaig/Port Ellen and the mainland at Kennacraig on the Mull of Kintyre. This was to facilitate the ferry undergoing maintenance and the implementation of a revised timetable that will remain in place until Saturday, the company said.

Commenting on the disruption, CalMac’s interim CEO Duncan Mackison, said: “We are frustrated that MV Finlaggan’s return has been delayed, and our fleet management team has had a regular presence at the shipyard recently.

More from the newspaper here.

Published in Ferry

RC35 Class

The concept of the RC35 Class is to bring together similar boats within a close handicap banding and to work with owners and crews to develop the best racing experience possible on the Clyde and the Irish Sea area. The Class is within a tight rating band (IRC 1.015-1.040) yacht racing will be in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Q: What is the RC35 ‘Rule’?
A: Qualifying yachts for the RC35 Class will sit within an IRC Banding of 1.015 to 1.040. In 2017 it is proposed that a tolerance of +/- 0.05pts will be permitted

Q: Are there any other criteria?
A: RC35 takes the most prevalent IRC racing boats on the Clyde and groups them within a fixed rating band. Qualifying boats will have an LOA 32ft—38ft and displacement of between 3,000kg—9,000kg. The rule also requires boats conform to ISAF Cat.4 be anti-fouled and not dry sailed. A limit of sail purchases (2 per year) also applies.

Q: What is the RC35 Championship?
A: The RC35 Championship will cover 8 events (6 to count) and include events such as Scottish Series, Dun Laoghaire/Bangor and an RC35 Championship weekend. Each year the Class will make a commitment to one ‘away’ regatta as part of the Championship.