Seatran Express Vs Lomprayah

[girlx]

I am terrified of the ferries and I have to travel on one Tuesday morning as I am headed off to South America for 2 months... as there is this big storm warning right now for this area and it is raining torrentially, I am worried about the boat to Samui. Someone mentioned on here once that they though Seatran Express was a safer boat than Lompryah... can't remember why exactly but would love to hear opinions. Thanks for indulging my paranoia!

[Samuian]

I am terrified of the ferries and I have to travel on one Tuesday morning as I am headed off to South America for 2 months... as there is this big storm warning right now for this area and it is raining torrentially, I am worried about the boat to Samui. Someone mentioned on here once that they though Seatran Express was a safer boat than Lompryah... can't remember why exactly but would love to hear opinions. Thanks for indulging my paranoia!

Well I neither share or like to "indulge" in your "paranoia"...

You mention 2 Companies, but from where to where do you wish to commute/

Guess Samui/Nathon to Don Sak (Suratthani) with the large Car Ferry is pretty safe - if not they won't go!

If it's the Ferry I'll be on it on Tuesday too!

Edited October 21, 2007 by Samuian

[girlx]

those are the two boats i wish to compare. heading from thongsala to either mae nam or bangrak. headed for the airport.

Edited October 21, 2007 by girlx

[Samui Coconut]

those are the two boats i wish to compare. heading from thongsala to either mae nam or bangrak. headed for the airport.

Lompraya is 25 minutes, Seatran 35 minutes......

I would think Lompraya is safer.....and since shorter journey time, go for Lompraya....

[Chayaphum]

I am terrified of the ferries and I have to travel on one Tuesday morning as I am headed off to South America for 2 months... as there is this big storm warning right now for this area and it is raining torrentially, I am worried about the boat to Samui. Someone mentioned on here once that they though Seatran Express was a safer boat than Lompryah... can't remember why exactly but would love to hear opinions. Thanks for indulging my paranoia!

From where to where dou you want to travel?

Bigger boats are normally more save

But Catamarans are unsinkable (Lompraya) if there is no Taifun.......

up to you.....you can rent a jet-ski to samui

Chayaphum

Edited October 22, 2007 by Chayaphum

[womble]

Catamarans are safer and do not sink......

So if the boat is destroyed at least you have something to hold onto. Cats are also more stable than monohulls so more comfortable in rough conditions.

[Mid]

Catamarans don't sink ?

someone should have told the designers of the TITANIC .................

they all sink.

[Chayaphum]

Catamarans don't sink ? someone should have told the designers of the TITANIC ................. they all sink.

YES! Catamarans don't sink

from Google....

by CE standart, a catamaran for (unlimited highsea use) must be unsinkable, and while including the maximum load.

shure, you can make sinking every boat, just use a drill-machine and make a hole in the body and wait what's coming up

or bring some TNT into the body and wait for the explosion and then look how fast he will sinking......

more informations in every language you will find on www.Google.com

Chayaphum

PS: Collision from Titanic was on the 14.04.1912 23:40

that time, the designers from the Titanic d'ont know about the Catamaran-technology, sorry....now we have 95years later

[t.s]

Catamarans don't sink ? someone should have told the designers of the TITANIC ................. they all sink.

YES! Catamarans don't sink

from Google....

by CE standart, a catamaran for (unlimited highsea use) must be unsinkable, and while including the maximum load.

shure, you can make sinking every boat, just use a drill-machine and make a hole in the body and wait what's coming up

or bring some TNT into the body and wait for the explosion and then look how fast he will sinking......

more informations in every language you will find on www.Google.com

Chayaphum

PS: Collision from Titanic was on the 14.04.1912 23:40

that time, the designers from the Titanic d'ont know about the Catamaran-technology, sorry....now we have 95years later

thats all nice, but these aren't high sea cats, these boats were made for inland waters amd have been put into service in the gulf of thailand.

i think safteywise the boats themselves are similar. i much prefer the seatran though. i really dislike lomprayah as a company and in the monsoon that boat really gets chucked around. you couldn't pay may to take a kpg chumpon run, and i don't get seasick.

girlx you heard the seatran was safer the last time someone posted this question. the lomprayah was not intended to be an oceangoing vessel, but a harbour boat.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/...php/t98497.html

the boat is an incat crowther for those who want to know. i believe their largest is a 25m

Edited October 22, 2007 by t.s

[girlx]

the lomprayah was not intended to be an oceangoing vessel, but a harbour boat.

hmm, that is a bit iffy, but if a catamaran can't sink, i'm on it! thanks for all the replies though!

[mattias33]

i think safteywise the boats themselves are similar. i much prefer the seatran though. i really dislike lomprayah as a company and in the monsoon that boat really gets chucked around. you couldn't pay may to take a kpg chumpon run, and i don't get seasick

.

I would have to agree with you. Allthough i took the lomprayah one time all the way from samui to choumpon and it was a realy nice ride. But this was is GOOD weather. I think i would have a different oppinion if we ran into the monsoon, catamarans are not comfortable in bad weather.

[mrt273nva]

thats all nice, but these aren't high sea cats, these boats were made for inland waters amd have been put into service in the gulf of thailand.

The Gulf isn't quite comparable to high seas. 3 meter swells in bad weather. The deepest point in the Gulf is 80 meters, and I haven't found anywhere in between the islands that is deeper that 30 meters. The Lomprayah's cats are well suited for the gulf.

[t.s]

thats all nice, but these aren't high sea cats, these boats were made for inland waters amd have been put into service in the gulf of thailand.

The Gulf isn't quite comparable to high seas. 3 meter swells in bad weather. The deepest point in the Gulf is 80 meters, and I haven't found anywhere in between the islands that is deeper that 30 meters. The Lomprayah's cats are well suited for the gulf.

i have not done any depthsounding myself but i still say the seatran is much more comfortable. and if your are going to samui airport it makes better sense. it is closer, and none of lomprayahs hackneyed landing spots come anywhere near the bangrak pier as a facility.

the time saved alone between the drive from meanam time wasted in mini vans etc more than make up for the few minutes slower the seatran is.

and seeing as samui seems to be experiencing its annual floods, i would say that anyone who reccomends lomprayah just aint thinkining it through.

Edited October 23, 2007 by t.s

[t.s]

the lomprayah was not intended to be an oceangoing vessel, but a harbour boat.

hmm, that is a bit iffy, but if a catamaran can't sink, i'm on it! thanks for all the replies though!

they certainly can capsize though.

[mattias33]

T.s. You seem to be expirienced.

At least when you go all the way from choumpon, lomprayah minivans drive you for free on samui. How is it when you go only from pagnan?

Because as we know, even if the taxiride is only five minuites you might easy have to pay 500 baht for that one with samui taxis!!

Or do actually seatran have a similar service from ban rak pier? I mean a free van?

Othrewise i agree with you that Ban rak pier is the place you want to come to if you are heading for the airport. Mae nam is way out there and with a "lake" in the middle of the town. Maybe lomprayah catamaran actually go all the way to seven eleven in mae nam soon?!

Only chaweng lakeroad is worse.

[Samui Coconut]

[quote name='t.s' date=

and seeing as samui seems to be experiencing its annual floods, i would say that anyone who reccomends lomprayah just aint thinkining it through.

The question of the OP was 'which is safer"....not which is faster.

May be someone is reading through it without thinking

[mrt273nva]

the lomprayah was not intended to be an oceangoing vessel, but a harbour boat.

hmm, that is a bit iffy, but if a catamaran can't sink, i'm on it! thanks for all the replies though!

they certainly can capsize though.

not in these waters. maybe out in the middle of the pacific where the swells are 10 to 20 times the size they are here.

[girlx]

lomprayah went smoothly, it was the hellish drive fom thong nai pan i should have been worried about today. lomprayah is my favorite boat anyway- professional staff, comfy seats with lifejackets under them, everything looks relatively new and well kept. nice free busses to wherever you are going (doesn't take long from mae nam to the airport, though you are right, there is a bit of flooding already)....

[t.s]

and seeing as samui seems to be experiencing its annual floods, i would say that anyone who reccomends lomprayah just aint thinkining it through.

The question of the OP was 'which is safer"....not which is faster.

May be someone is reading through it without thinking

well, it is debatable. while i admit the op was asking which boat is safer, she did specify she was going to the airport.

would you argue that 5 minutes in a minivan from bangrak pier to the airpoort is safer than 20 minutes driving in a minivan through flooded meanam, bophut, etc to the airport.

less time in a van has got to equate to greater safety.

mattias,

i beleive the seatran has an airport shuttle. it doesn't matter if you come from the mainland or phanngan. i must admit i cannot remember for sure though, best check.

[pumpuiman]

I am a ferry captain, I alternate command of nine different vessels varying in size and configuration...including a high speed catamaran.

In my opinion, if the wind is 15-20 knots or less....go for the cat. Any more and your on what we call a vomit comet.

20 knots and up.....a fully loaded car ferry...preferably seated as low to the water, and as close to the center of the ship as possible.

Catamarans can sink. And their aluminum hulls can crumple like beer cans. They are designed with separate watertight compartments, but things happen. Our fast ferry took a wave in rough weather that exploded the"watertight doors" flooding the passenger cabin and engine spaces. I don't trust them in rough weather.......and unfortunately money, not safety is king in Thailand.........so watch your marine weather reports.....and pay close attention to wind speed and direction..(the best direction would be to travel directly into the wind)

[womble]

I think they are both fine in terms of safety, probobally well above Thailand's average and close to international standards, infact I would say lomprayah is up to international standards for most things........As I said I would go with the cat over a monohull. Neigher the Seatran high speed or Lomprayah cats are river boats, the nathon - donsak ferry however are.

The cats could take some pretty heavy seas as they sit high on the water and the waves ride through the hull, would not be comfortable though as you get a juddering motion with cats in high seas that can be annoying and uncomfortable

If you wish to go to nathon you take Lomprayah, if you want airport you can take seatran.

[girlx]

i beleive the seatran has an airport shuttle.

yes, seatran has one as well.

[girlx]

p.s. one drawback with lomprayah in high season is that they seriously overload the boat with passengers and their bags... probably the same with all the boats though.

[LaoPo]

p.s. one drawback with lomprayah in high season is that they seriously overload the boat with passengers and their bags... probably the same with all the boats though.

Hope you made it safe in the meantime Girlx !...since you were about to travel yesterday (tuesday)...right ?

LaoPo

[girlx]

see a couple posts back

[jamiemac]

thats all nice, but these aren't high sea cats, these boats were made for inland waters amd have been put into service in the gulf of thailand.

The Gulf isn't quite comparable to high seas. 3 meter swells in bad weather. The deepest point in the Gulf is 80 meters, and I haven't found anywhere in between the islands that is deeper that 30 meters. The Lomprayah's cats are well suited for the gulf.

The Gulf certainly is comparable to the high seas, the relatively shallow water makes navigation more difficult as the seas kick up very quickly with a very short wave-length. it's easy to get caught out,especially at this time of year with a northerly wind.

We dive the whole Gulf looking for shipwrecks and most we've found, apart from WW2 US submarine victims,have succumbed to storms. some of these ships are modern , fully equipped military and merchant vessels upto 10,000 tons.

The boat we own was the very first Seatran , now MV Trident, a 100ft heavy steel monohull. vessel. Maybe I'm a bit biased but I certainly like a monohull in rough weather - the Lomprayah can slam about a bit and spill your beer.

The day this picture was taken started as a lovely sunny June morning........

[susquosh]

New service just started.Large wooden ferry constructed of Gophur wood.Operated by Capt.Noah and Arklines.

[jaidam]

thats all nice, but these aren't high sea cats, these boats were made for inland waters amd have been put into service in the gulf of thailand.

The Gulf isn't quite comparable to high seas. 3 meter swells in bad weather. The deepest point in the Gulf is 80 meters, and I haven't found anywhere in between the islands that is deeper that 30 meters. The Lomprayah's cats are well suited for the gulf.

The Gulf certainly is comparable to the high seas, the relatively shallow water makes navigation more difficult as the seas kick up very quickly with a very short wave-length. it's easy to get caught out,especially at this time of year with a northerly wind.

We dive the whole Gulf looking for shipwrecks and most we've found, apart from WW2 US submarine victims,have succumbed to storms. some of these ships are modern , fully equipped military and merchant vessels upto 10,000 tons.

The boat we own was the very first Seatran , now MV Trident, a 100ft heavy steel monohull. vessel. Maybe I'm a bit biased but I certainly like a monohull in rough weather - the Lomprayah can slam about a bit and spill your beer.

The day this picture was taken started as a lovely sunny June morning........

So what is safer. A 100ft heavy steel monohull, or a 5m blow up dinghy?

[mattias33]

New service just started.Large wooden ferry constructed of Gophur wood.Operated by Capt.Noah and Arklines.

From what i hear Noah is quite expirienced. Most be getting old by now though....... .

[susquosh]

New service just started.Large wooden ferry constructed of Gophur wood.Operated by Capt.Noah and Arklines.

From what i hear Noah is quite expirienced. Most be getting old by now though....... .

About the same age as some of them ferry boats!!