Dicus: Superferry - The "Non-issue" of Campaign, etc.

Source: http://blogs.hawaiinewsnow.com/howard/2010/08/two-non-issues-of-the-gubernatorial-campaign.html

08/31/2010
"Two non-issues of the gubernatorial campaign"
by Howard Dicus (Superferry supporter)

It was a little weird to hear two perfectly intelligent men of substantial achievements who care deeply about Hawaii arguing over two complete non-issues in the debate Monday night.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and former Rep. Neil Abercrombie, in this and other debates, have discussed Hawaii Superferry and timeshare tourism. They might as well leave these topics on the table. I almost hate to bring this up because I enjoy amiable relations with both guys. And I hear their aides, spokeshumans and other impediments are increasingly temperamental as the campaign wears on. But I'm going to proceed anyhow. Vote against them if they can't take a joke.

Hawaii Superferry went broke, not merely because of the court challenges against it, but because its basic economic model was flawed. It would have required way more usage by the average resident than it could ever have reasonably counted on. I speak as a Superferry supporter who felt much of the opposition to it was invalid. I rode it once and really enjoyed it. I said at the time that the criticisms of it were more properly directed to other boats in the water that the same people have simply allowed to sail and proliferate. Yet it needed more revenue than it was ever going to get.

The ships are gone, sold off, and the company has died. Not only that, but both Hawaiian Airlines passenger service and Aloha Air Cargo service between the islands have improved a lot since Superferry "sank the island," as they said in the Master & Commander novels. Superferry's not coming back, so talking about it is kind of a waste of time at this point...

There you have it. But, we imagine there are some out there who still don't get it.

Also received the following comment today:

Doctor on a bike said...

My office looks right out on the Hawaii Superferries in Norfolk. They've been moved this morning (Sept. 1) and look to be ready to go somewhere.

To which we said...

BTW, if you go to here: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/
Set it to "Satellite," zoom in, and you can look down on the Alakai and Huakai and see they have been moved to a pier right next to the one they have been at.