Sailing soon: an Orca-friendly, all-electric car ferry

yup saw that yesterday as well. Can't wait for the day of electric outboards for my fishing boat!
 
Solar trickle charge while you're trolling. Quiet, reliable, torquey. I'll take one too. The only issue would be compromising range for battery weight.
 
Others are doing it too.

We are rebuilding two ferries, the Tycho Brahe and the Aurora, for battery operation to make for a cleaner and more peaceful environment around the Sound. By the end of 2017, we are installing the batteries needed for the forward propulsion of the two ferries and upgrading the ports on both sides of the strait – so the trip on the region’s floating bridge will be an even greener experience.

http://sailwiththecurrent.com/
 
Hopefully not so quiet the whales can't locate them in the background noise?
 
Hopefully not so quiet the whales can't locate them in the background noise?
Exactly. Would be sadly ironic if the new ferry struck a whale. Almost as ironic as when NOAA killed an SR orca with an unsterilized tracking tag last year. Love them to death -- quite literally.
 
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With all the challenges that the orcas face every small step in the right direction benefits us. Think things through before you criticize positive actions.
 
Interesting debate/conversation. I know that there is a vessel slowdown trial in Haro Strait in order to study and reduce underwater vessel noise AKA "acoustic disturbance" posted at: http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/index.php?threads/vessel-slowdown-trial-in-haro-strait.67318/

My question(s) would be:
1/ if we reduce "acoustic disturbance" will we increase ship/whale collisions?
2/ what frequencies are whales most attuned to? Which ones the least? What frequencies do ship's props and engines noises operate on? What noises are generated by electric ferries - if any? Is there a frequency like a deer whistle that would assist with collision avoidance by whales?
 
Another interesting video from the guy of red dwarf fame.

 
With all the challenges that the orcas face every small step in the right direction benefits us. Think things through before you criticize positive actions.
Conversely think things through before you anoint them as positive actions! Well intentioned actions should be able to face criticism before being declared positive. The difference between faith and science is largely in the questioning.
AA has asked some very relevant questions!
 
Conversely think things through before you anoint them as positive actions! Well intentioned actions should be able to face criticism before being declared positive. The difference between faith and science is largely in the questioning.
AA has asked some very relevant questions!

Thanks for your comment but did you read the article in the first post? Did you follow the links that were in that article? If you did then you might not have jumped in with your off hand comment. Maybe that was not your intention and if so then my apologies to you. These are important problems that we have with orcas and it's going to take all of us to solve them. I for one would like us to turn this around before they ask us recreational anglers to stop fishing for springs, after all if the orca population is growing (recovering) then we anglers might just get lucky and be able to continue to pursue our passion. That's why I support things like this as a way forward.
 
You need to lighten up. Did you read it? As well as the articles you also posted on vessels slowing down? It would seem your other articles seemed to feel cavitation noise was the major factor, not engine noise. Cavitation is caused by propellers not engines, therefor questioning whether an electric ferry is "orca friendly" or the reference was merely a PR stunt to promote it, seems reasonable to me. Perhaps a carbon friendly ferry is a better description. You seem a little aggressive with suggesting "I jumped in with an off hand comment", because I didn't buy in. So I direct you back to my so called off hand comment, seems appropriate more than ever!
 
Whew. Just spent 2.5 hrs reading all the links on the other slow down thread.

And yes, the main culprit of ships noise in decibels is caused by cavitation of the propellor, followed by shaft and machinery turning it, and lastly by engine noise, blowers, pumps, fans ect.

Doesn't look like the electric ferries will be sneaking up on the whales. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise for those of us who are divers that have heard large vessels passing by! Whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp
 
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