- HSC Snaefell
The HSC "Snaefell" is an Incat WPC74 (Wave Piercing Catamaran, 74 metres), owned and operated by the
Isle of Man Steam Packet . The vessel is the oldest ship in the company's fleet. She is the sixth vessel to bear the name."Snaefell" was launched as "Hoverspeed France" for Sea Containers, for use with Hoverspeed, in 1991; and operated as the "Sardegna Express" on charter, before returning to Hoverspeed as the "SeaCat Boulogne". In 1994, she was again renamed to "SeaCat Isle of Man", and put on charter to the Isle of Man Steam Packet. She brought with her high charter fees and operation costs; and endangered the career of the MV "Lady of Mann", the latter being given a much needed lifeline when a freak wave in the River Mersey encountered by the "SeaCat Isle of Man" twisted the ship's bow and tore off the water-tight visor. The Steam Packet decided not to continue in chartering the ship from Sea Containers, and she was chartered out to ColorSeaCat as the "SeaCat Norge".
She returned to Hoverspeed as the "SeaCat Norge"; and when her owners bought out the Steam Packet in 1996, she returned to the Irish Sea as the "SeaCat Isle of Man" once again. Briefly going back to Hoverspeed from 1997-8; she returned to the Steam Packet's service in 1998 until 2005.
"SeaCat Isle of Man" became "Sea Express 1", and operated for Irish Sea Express in 2005. The next year, she returned to the Steam Packet fleet. In February 2007, the vessel was involved in a serious accident, being badly damaged [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6327539.stm BBC NEWS | England | Merseyside | Seacat collides with cargo ship ] ] . Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the accident, but the "Sea Express 1" had taken on water quite quickly. Fortunately, by the next day, the ship was stable. The first attempt to tow the ship across the river to drydock had failed, but the second succeeded. In December 2007, the vessel was renamed "Snaefell" whilst still under repair. As of 22/12/2007, it looked likely that the "Snaefell" would be the first vessel to be painted into the new livery for 2008, however this vessel turned out to be the "Viking".
Return to service
"Snaefell" moved under her own power for the first time in over a year when she moved from the West Float in Birkenhead to the Pier Head Landing Stage, and then after a detour, headed out on trials which were expected to take three days, and took two. "Snaefell"s first passenger sailing since her accident in 2007 was on
May 12 ,2008 with the 0730 sailing toLiverpool .References
External links
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6327539.stm BBC News "Sea Express 1 Crashes in the River Mersey]
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