Sydney hydrofoils
Hydrofoil Dee Why passing the ferry South Steyne, Sydney Heads, 1970
Class overview
Builders
Operators
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General characteristics

The Sydney hydrofoils were a series of hydrofoils operated by Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company and its successors on the ferry service from Circular Quay to Manly.

The hydrofoils covered the 10-kilometre (6 mi) journey from Circular Quay to Manly in 15 minutes compared to 35 minutes for conventional ferries.

History

By the mid-1960s, patronage on the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company's formerly lucrative Circular Quay to Manly service was declining. The company introduced a hydrofoil service halving the travelling time from 30 to 15 minutes but at a premium fare.

Introduced in 1965, the first hydrofoil was a 75-seat PT20 from Hitachi, Kanagawa named Manly.[1][2][3][4] Despite early troubles with harbour debris, she proved to be a success and three larger hydrofoils were ordered from Italy through leasing arrangements.[5]

The first of the three was a 140-seat Rodriguez PT50 hydrofoil, Fairlight, built by Cantiere navale di Ancona, Ancona and entered service in 1966. It would be joined by the Dee Why in 1970 and Curl Curl in 1973. These were joined by the Palm Beach purchased second hand from Macau in 1975 and the Long Reef from Italy in 1978.[1][2][3][4]

In March 1973, Curl Curl was used on a hydrofoil service from Circular Quay to Gladesville, however, the service was short-lived due to river bank damage.[6]

The hydrofoils, along with the conventional Manly ferries, North Head, Baragoola, and South Steyne, were taken over by Brambles when it acquired the Port Jackson company. The hydrofoils were profitable for Brambles as they were leased rather than owned outright.[1] In 1974, the NSW State Government's Public Transport Commission took over the Manly ferry and hydrofoil services, and the hydrofoils were purchased from a finance company in 1975.[7]

In 1984/85, two 235-seat hydrofoils, Manly IV and Sydney entered service. The State Transit Authority replaced its remaining hydrofoils with three JetCats, with the last operating on 18 March 1991. The remaining vessels were sold for further service on the Mediterranean Sea.[2][3][8] Fairlight, Dee Why and Palm Beach were scrapped at Homebush Bay in 1988.[9]

Vessels

Name Type Image Official Number MMSI Year in service Length Seats Notes
m ft
Manly IIIPT20
317480[10] 1965 18.59 61.0 75Builder: Hitachi. sold 1979 to Great Keppel Island, renamed Enterprise
Fairlight IIPT50
317902[11] 1966 28.96 95.0 140Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. Scrapped 1988[12]
Dee Why IIPT50
343631[13] 1970 28.96 95.0 140Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. scrapped 1988[14]
Curl Curl IIRHS140
355207[15]7232975 1973 28.96 95.0 140Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. Sold 1992 to Ustica Lines, Italy & renamed Spargi, sold to Alimare[3][16][17]
Palm BeachPT50
 1975 28.96 95.0 140Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. ex Patane, second-hand from Macau, built 1970
Long ReefPT50
 1978 28.96 95.0 140Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. second-hand from Italy, built 1967 as Freccia di Mergellina, sold 1992 to Italy[3]
Manly IVRHS160F
8222290 1984 31.20 102.4 235Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. sold 1992 to Naples, renamed Sinai[3]
SydneyRHS160F
8310982 1985 31.20 102.4 235Builder: Cantiere navale L Rodriquez, Messina. sold 1992 to Naples, renamed Fast Blu[3]

Trivia

The Fairlight CMI, a pioneering digital synthesizer, was named for the Fairlight II, which, in turn, was named after Fairlight, New South Wales.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Andrews, Graeme (1975). The Ferries of Sydney. Terry Hills: AH & AW Reed. pp. 54–55. ISBN 0 589 07172 6.
  2. 1 2 3 Mead, Tom (1988). Manly Ferries. Brookvale: Child & Associates. pp. 133–138, 167. ISBN 0 86777 091 0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Down Under Foils Classic Fast Ferries June 2002
  4. 1 2 Do you remember the Hydrofoils Part 1 Afloat Magazine June 2007
  5. ↑ Andrews, Graeme (1975). The Ferries of Sydney. Terry Hills: AH & AW Reed. p. 59. ISBN 0 589 07172 6.
  6. ↑ Andrews, Graeme (1975). The Ferries of Sydney. Terry Hills: AH & AW Reed. p. 54. ISBN 0 589 07172 6.
  7. ↑ Prescott, AM (1984). Sydney Ferry Fleets. Magill South Australia: Ronald H Parsons. p. 21. ISBN 0909418306.
  8. ↑ Do you remember the Hydrofoils Part 2 Afloat Magazine July 2007
  9. ↑ Youtube film Homebush Bay 1988 the scrapping of Fairlight, Dee Why & Palm Beach
  10. ↑ National Archive of Australia
  11. ↑ National Archives of Australia
  12. ↑ Fairlight II Ferries of Sydney
  13. ↑ National Archives of Australia
  14. ↑ Dee Why II Ferries of Sydney
  15. ↑ National Archives of Australia
  16. ↑ Curl Curl II Archived 2015-04-14 at the Wayback Machine Ferries of Sydney
  17. ↑ SAS: The Hovering Years Classic Fast Ferries May 2004
  18. ↑ Stewart, Andy. "Name Behind the Name: Bruce Jackson — Apogee, Jands, Lake Technology". Audio Technology (40).

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