ONE of the private ferries that will replace the axed Manly JetCat was so unsuitable for the route when Sydney Ferries leased the boat three years ago that it was taken out of service just days after its contract began.
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The 34-metre whale-watching vessel, Ocean Dreaming, owned by Bass and Flinders, will begin peak-hour services between Manly and Circular Quay next month to ease the worsening commuter congestion on the slower ferry service.
But doubt has been cast over its suitability because of problems in 2006 when Ocean Dreaming was leased by Sydney Ferries under a $20,000-a-day deal to travel the Manly route while the trouble-plagued Collaroy ferry was awaiting repairs.
Ferry workers at the time claimed Ocean Dreaming was too large to dock at Manly Wharf and could only use wharf three at Circular Quay because of its size. It was taken out of service after a few days when it damaged a gearbox.
Bass and Flinders's managing director, Richard Ford, said the gearbox issue had been resolved but conceded that the vessel was not ideal for the service and would simply "bridge the gap" until a more suitable ferry was available, probably in April.
Mr Ford denied there had been problems with docking at wharves in 2006 and said there would be no issues this time.
"Manly Wharf has changed, so there are no problems there, and there will be a gangway, a ramp, at Circular Quay," he said.
"These measures are interim and most likely she will become a breakdown boat."
Mr Ford said Ocean Dreaming was in service for 14 hours a day when it was contracted to Sydney Ferries in 2006, which was too long for it, but next month it would operate for only three hours during the peak periods.
"I'm sure we are going to have some issues managing crowds in the initial period because commuters are used to a particular service but once we can get the message out about our service, things will improve," he said.
Bass and Flinders was awarded the 12-month contract to run a fast ferry service to Manly after the State Government scrapped the problematic JetCat last last year. It had promised to have a replacement service operating by January 12.
It is understood Bass and Flinders is in talks with Palm Beach Ferries about using vessels from its fleet but Mr Ford would not comment because he was still negotiating the terms of its contract with the Government.
Mr Ford said the family-owned company was contracted to operate the service for 12 months as a stopgap measure.
"This is not a long-term solution … we don't have a fleet of three identical vessels, which is ideally what you want," he said.
The Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the Transport Minister, David Campbell, needed to address any potential problems before the new services began.
"This is evidence that the Government's decision to privatise high-speed ferry services to Manly risks becoming another transport blunder," Ms Rhiannon said.
"One attraction of privatisation for the Government is that when services fail it does not carry the can, despite that fact commuters will be left with a substandard service."
