Any Ferry Attempts On Rio De La Plata Below Buenos Aires?

[Matt84]

I guess that, in general, the BA-Colonia and BA-Montevideo ferries follow the navigation channels outlined in the maps here?

Not really, the draught of those catamarans is so small that they can safely navigate on most of the flooded plains that constitute the "River" De La Plata. Notice for instance that the colonia ferries never go that far southeast to then north. They go pretty much straight over the less than 5 meters zone. I remember joking with Buquebus crew that these ships can't easily sink, but rather soothly run aground and have to wait for hours for a rescue boat. I think it never happened and the only Buquebus accident was a small fire. The canals are for the truly ocean-going cargo ships and they go all the way up to Rosario (much like the tract between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the biggest/most active port in America)

 

[Matt84]

What happened to the ex ship captain that used to hang around here, I forgot his name?

 

[Rich One]

Not really, the draught of those catamarans is so small that they can safely navigate on most of the flooded plains that constitute the "River" De La Plata. Notice for instance that the colonia ferries never go that far southeast to then north. They go pretty much straight over the less than 5 meters zone. I remember joking with Buquebus crew that these ships can't easily sink, but rather soothly run aground and have to wait for hours for a rescue boat. I think it never happened and the only Buquebus accident was a small fire. The canals are for the truly ocean-going cargo ships and they go all the way up to Rosario (much like the tract between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the biggest/most active port in America)

The draft of the catamarans is about 4 mts. Buquebus boats follow a clearly marked channel with buoys The Eladia Isabel is not a catamaran.

Major accidents by Buquebus

Más de 600 pasajeros de Buquebús vivieron una pesadilla en el río

El barco proveniente de Colonia, chocó con un pesquero, a 6 km del Puerto de Buenos Aires sin que se registraran heridos. Un pasajero relató en Radio 10 que la embarcación estuvo cuatro horas varada en el río
Un buque de la empresa Buquebús, con mas de 662 pasajeros quedó varado a 6 kilómetros del puerto de Buenos Aires, al chocar con un pesquero argentino.
No hubo heridos, por el impacto pero las demoras en regresar a la terminal portuaria provocaron el enojo de los pasajeros.
Según relató un pasajero a Radio 10 como consecuencia del choque, el buque Eladia Isabel, quedó sin energía y no pudo levantar anclas.
Debió esperar que llegaran los remolcadores para poder desembarcar en Buenos Aires, situación que demando cuatro horas.

El buque había partido desde la costa uruguaya a las 19.30 y el accidente se registro a las 22.20, cuando se estaba a 6 kilómetros de la Dársena Norte de Buenos Aires
El choque habría sido leve, pero provocó el corte de luz en la embarcación de Buquebus y deterioros en la estructura, que imposibilitan la continuidad de los servicios.
Además de los 662 pasajeros que viajaban de Colonia a Buenos Aires, el buque también

http://www.republica...na-de-buquebus/



El “Silvia Ana” de Buquebus chocó contra muelle argentino


[font=Noto Sans']Publicado el 15/4/2014 - 7:00

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[font=Noto Sans']El ferry sustituía al “Francisco” en la ruta Montevideo-Buenos Aires que también chocó a comienzos de año y que aún está en reparación. O[/font]



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM4KLloc98g

 

[Matt84]

The draft of the catamarans is about 4 mts. Buquebus boats follow a clearly marked channel with buoys The Eladia Isabel is not a catamaran.

the silvia ana is a monohull in fact an oceangoing one that connected danmark and norway. the eladia isabel is a catamaran (otherwise how could it had such a beam).
there are many other dredged cannals of about 8 meters max that are not shown in that map, which smaller yachts also follow. The way to Colonia is almost straight after it follows briefly the main canals out of the port. Thanks for the cool vids and data about buquebus. Obviously those few problems and the other general unpleasantness of taking the ferry to the other shore are caused because it's somewhat of a state-sponsored monopoly. It works so well because the state that sponsors it is the Uruguayan one.

 

[cbonanni]

the silvia ana is a monohull in fact an oceangoing one that connected danmark and norway. the eladia isabel is a catamaran (otherwise how could it had such a beam).
there are many other dredged cannals of about 8 meters max that are not shown in that map, which smaller yachts also follow. The way to Colonia is almost straight after it follows briefly the main canals out of the port. Thanks for the cool vids and data about buquebus. Obviously those few problems and the other general unpleasantness of taking the ferry to the other shore are caused because it's somewhat of a state-sponsored monopoly. It works so well because the state that sponsors it is the Uruguayan one.

Buque bus is owned by an Argentine company. They also own and operate ferries in Europe. The crossing is not "straight" as there are many wrecks and sunken vessels all across the Rio della Plata. No business model works for other Arg/Urg ports.

Maps are for land . CHARTS are for the sea/ocean/ river......

 

[Matt84]

Buquebus might be a virtual monopoly, but one that got to the top not only by the necessary dealing with governments but also by providing a better service than competing companies. The service could be better but at the moment you get onboard (from the Argentine side) I feel I'm already in a more polite environment. The ships are good and in fact Buquebus is one of the few big companies and services in this part of the World that are what could be expected in any truly First World country.

 

[Matt84]

Buque bus is owned by an Argentine company. They also own and operate ferries in Europe. The crossing is not "straight" as there are many wrecks and sunken vessels all across the Rio della Plata. No business model works for other Arg/Urg ports.

Maps are for land . CHARTS are for the sea/ocean/ river......

chart or carta, I am familiar with the term and also with Buquebus (which has companies in both countries and is owned by an Uruguayan and staffed, if you noticed, by Uruguayans too).
This shows the access to Colonia, this shows the canal between Buenos Aires and Colonia in an almost straight line, which is what yachts and ferries and tugboats use. Notice that when you leave Buenos Aires you follow the coast east somewhat but not almost all the way to La Plata, and also notice that you might see big ships in the distance but that you're not following the same route as them, but the same as tugboats pushing container barges.

 

[cbonanni]

OK Captain Matt. Ever done it on a sailboat ? Ever looked at the charts closely ? Buequebus is owned by an Argentine. May be 'based" in Uruguay and employ nationals of Uruguay , but all a big corrupt , money laundering enterprise.

Do you have a captains certificate from any country ? How about a timonel or patron from Argentina ? Ever work in the shipping industry ?

 

[Rich One]

the silvia ana is a monohull in fact an oceangoing one that connected danmark and norway. the eladia isabel is a catamaran (otherwise how could it had such a beam).
there are many other dredged canals of about 8 meters max that are not shown in that map, which smaller yachts also follow. The way to Colonia is almost straight after it follows briefly the main canals out of the port. Thanks for the cool vids and data about buquebus. Obviously those few problems and the other general unpleasantness of taking the ferry to the other shore are caused because it's somewhat of a state-sponsored monopoly. It works so well because the state that sponsors it is the Uruguayan one.

We have to agree with you that there are many canals not charted,that you only know about their existence

Few problems ? It was a major accident in 2006 with 800 people at risk and 15 injured !! The fishing boat punctured the hull leaving a 2 mts. in diammeter hole. Fortunately above the water line. Otherwise the drowned victims would have been in the hundreds a Titanic experience.

ELADIA ISABEL
En enero de 2006 el barco ya había protagonizado otro accidente, aunque sin heridos, cuando quedó varado sin electricidad en medio del Río de la Plata tras chocar con un pesquero y debió ser remolcado hasta el puerto en una operación que retrasó en cinco horas su llegada a destino.
Al mes siguiente, el mismo buque zarpó rumbo a Uruguay pero debió fondear en medio del río con 870 personas a bordo sacudido por una sudestada con vientos de hasta 80 kilómetros que destrozó vidrios, mamposterías y causó pánico entre los pasajeros para finalmente regresar al puerto porteño tras diez horas de pesadilla.




Pictures of the Eladia Isabel



http://www.buquebus....tml=Buques.html

 

[Matt84]

Are you both honestly suggesting the ferries follow the big canals marked in the chart i linked? If so how do they enter the port of colonia, the canal to the rio uruguay is quiet far from the port of colonia. the route is clearly marked on that chart, not technically straight but certainly not a sharp u turn. and i have sailed from zona norte to colonia more than a few times myself though I have not attained the rank of captain yet.