Summer Timetable loses Two Sailings

CalMac have issued notice of changes to the summer timetable affecting Coruisk sailings. The last pair of the five daily returns run by the Coruisk will not be operated, and the crossing time of Coruisk sailings is being increased from 55 minutes to 1 hour.
The reasons for this are technical – as well as hugely frustrating. The Coruisk has developed an intermittent electronic problem on the bridge that occurs when control moves from one helm station to another. A technical fix has not been found. The MCA have agreed an operating protocol that overcomes the potential safety concerns – but it requires the Master to be on duty on the bridge at all times. In normal operation, it would be common practice for a more junior officer to be in control whilst the Master was resting. There are legal limits to the number of hours the Master may remain on duty each day. Due to the MCA’s requirement for the Master to be on duty at all times whilst the Coruisk is underway, the Master will now reach that legal time limit before the day’s sailings are complete. CalMac’s response is to remove the last two sailings from the timetable… more in the printed issue