PS Waverley 2023 Dry Dock Appeal

[Lynda Bradford]

Waverley Dry Dock appeal

An appeal has been launched to urgently raise the funds needed to afford Waverley’s upcoming dry dock in March and the start-up costs before she enters service. If you can help support Waverley please read the appeal page and if you can make a donation to help to raise the funds, you will be helping to preserve this ship.

Paul Semple, General Manager has posted a You Tube video appeal

[Clydebuilt1971]

This is what I feared might happen - especially with the cryptic facebook post the week before last!
I really feel for Paul and his team as it has been one thing after another since they took the helm of the operation in late 2018.

Those of you who know me will know Waverley has a wee place in my heart that nothing or no one else will ever occupy but these year on year appeals cant go on in my opinion - this HAS to be the last time the cap goes round or at least the last for funding to cover operational costs (ie not a capital project)
The public purse is stretched to breaking point just trying to keep the lights on in some cases.

If the monies are raised and she is able to sail (which I hope is the case) then the operation must make enough to see itself through next winter and into service.
Back 15 or 20 years ago the drydocking was scheduled to happen after her Western Isles programme (ie she still had a valid passenger cert for those sailings) - this way there were funds in the bank which would hopefully cover the docking and therefore her pax cert would be renewed for another year.

Whether due to her boiler issues in 2019 or something else her cert now appears to expire before the Western Isles which means the funds to dock her must be available or she wont sail.

At least this year her fuel bill should be lower.

Fingers crossed the monies are raised and she will come out again in 2023.

[Rob Lightbody]

Why does she need dry docked every year?

Could she go slower to save fuel?  Could they just use one boiler?

And my perennial question... Could she open at her berth, static, sometimes to make money from her bar and restaurant...

Should she just stay down south where she makes more money due to the better weather?  I'd be sad to lose her from the Clyde, but if it means she survives...

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip on her last year, despite it being very expensive.  They did have a glitch on our trip, but communications were excellent.  If they get her sailing, I'll be there.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hi Rob,

Due to her age she requires to be docked annually.

I personally dont know of any reason she couldn't be opened alongside however it would require some alteration to the way her winter overhaul is conducted so that it could happen in parallel.

As for her sailing areas - I dont know if the reason she makes money down south is because she is there for such a short period of time and whether that would be sustainable on a longer season - I wonder if she took pilots down there last year or if the skippers have their exemptions for those areas.
If she required to be off the Clyde for longer than she was on it to survive I would support that - as you say its better she survives.

I am assuming many options have been considered moving forward but I guess the focus will be getting her back out this year.

I had three trips on her last year and enjoyed them all. During the last trip in August she had air pump issues which was slowing her down but those were resolved overnight and she carried out her timetabled sailing the next day.

As for sailing her slower - this creates timetabling issues I would think but everything should be considered.

Gav