Displaying items by tag: Off Service

16th April 2020

Isle of Man Ferry Out of Service for A Fortnight In Response to Covid-19

The Isle of Man Steam Packet's fast-ferry Manannan to take over key daytime services from AFLOAT adds the conventional ropax Ben-My-Chree in response to Covid-19. Above AFLOAT adds is the Manannan seen arriving yesterday afternoon in Douglas Harbour from Heysham with Manx residents repatriated in response to Covid-19.

Isle of Man sailings on a daily basis to and from the island will be carried out by the (fast-ferry) Manannan, while the Ben-my-Chree is out of service for two weeks.

The latest changes to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's schedule are a further response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

From tomorrow (yesterday) the fast craft is to carry out daytime sailings (between Douglas) and Heysham - with additional overnight freight services provided by the MV Arrow.

For more Manx Radio reports here.

Afloat adds that the radio station also reported on Tuesday of the first batch of repatriated residents that returned yesterday to the Isle of Man from Heysham.

This involved the Manannan arriving in Douglas Harbour with 29 of a total of 400 Manx residents due to sail across the Irish Sea from Britain.

Published in Ferry

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About the TP52 Racing Yacht

The TP52 racing yacht is a remarkable example of cutting-edge technology in the world of competitive yachting. Measuring 52 feet (15.85 metres) in length, this vessel is constructed entirely from carbon fibre, making it an incredibly light and agile craft.

The TP52 features a 6.25-metre high rig, complete with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker and a self-tacking jib. This design reduces the workload of the crew, allowing for more efficient manoeuvres and freeing up the crew to focus on the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The spinnaker rigging set-up, measuring 15.00 m2, presents a challenge to even the most experienced crews, requiring them to be fit and perfectly coordinated. Maneuvering the boat requires athleticism due to the vessel's lack of inherent stability and the high speed generated by the fully battened mainsail and jib.

The TP52's hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout, resulting in a weight of just 74kg. The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is made up of three parts, featuring an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease overall weight. The capsizing moment, which can be generated by a heavy mast tip, is also reduced through this design. The TP52's foils are constructed from either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the specific requirements of the vessel.

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