[lwrandall]

Having just taken the Staten Island ferry for the first time this past weekend I can't help but wonder. How much time did the captain have before he/she realized the ferry would not stop? One article I read said the ferry was traveling at full speed when the impact happened. I'm just grateful no one was seriously injured. Do these ferries have a set of engines on either end of the ferry? If so, time permitting, could the other set been started up to at least slow the ferry down. One thing I did notice when I was on board Saturday was that all the power on board was gone and the engines were silent for about 15 seconds. Any relationship, I will never know.

Eyewitness News

STATEN ISLAND (WABC) -- A "hard docking" at the Staten Island ferry terminal injured 15 people on Wednesday.

The Coast Guard said the ferry lost power while docking and struck the St. George's Pier.

According to investigators, preliminary indications are the ferry had an electrical transformer malfunction.

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Preliminary reports indicated the captain sounded the boat's whistle and crew members prepared the passengers for the hard landing, Staten Island Ferry Chief Operating Officer Jim DeSimone said.

Witnesses said that the announcement from the pilothouse was to "hang on" and that riders scrambled to the back of the ferry, which was taking them from lower Manhattan.

The boat hit the terminal's lower bridge platform and upper pedestrian passenger walkway, causing minor damage to the bridge deck and handrail on the walkway, DeSimone said. There was no damage to the boat, the John J. Marchi, named for a former state senator who died in April.

Between 700 and 800 people were on board the ferry at the time.

The 15 who were injured were taken to the hospital, but officials described all of the injuries as minor.

No one went into the water, according to the Coast Guard.

Ferry crew members were undergoing routine drug and alcohol tests, DeSimone said.

The Marchi has been in service for just over four years. It made its inaugural ride on Friday May 20, 2005.

New York City's Staten Island Ferry has nine vessels that carry commuters between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan. The five-mile, 25-minute ride is free.

[NYCAP123]

It's been a few years since I've been on board the S.I. ferry, but I remember that they always come in hard. Usually they come in on an angle and take several bangs off the dolphins before aligning with the ramp. At the only point they'd realize that they were unable to slow I can't think of a thing that could help. I'm sure they would cut power and try to turn but that would have little effect.

[CaptTom]

Also realize that the current runs pretty strong near the terminals and many times you have to muscle the ferry into the slip. Too slow and the ferry will be spun and end up laying across the opening. I give those captains credit; even though it may not be a long trip, conditions are ever-changing as in weather, current, other ferries, commercial and recreational traffic, and oh yeah, the occassional plane that drops from the sky. Not to mention several hundred passenger's lives in your hands.

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Also realize that the current runs pretty strong near the terminals and many times you have to muscle the ferry into the slip. Too slow and the ferry will be spun and end up laying across the opening. I give those captains credit; even though it may not be a long trip, conditions are ever-changing as in weather, current, other ferries, commercial and recreational traffic, and oh yeah, the occassional plane that drops from the sky. Not to mention several hundred passenger's lives in your hands.

Exactly right. Plus the S.I. ferry has been bringing on an entire new staff recently. A lot of experience has gone out the door since that major mishap a few years ago.