Why a narrow-hulled ferry can move quickly
A fast passenger ferry is often a catamaran: a boat with two hulls joined by a deck. Each hull can be relatively slender, so it parts the water with less wave-making resistance than a single broad hull of similar capacity. At commuting speeds, that resistance matters: the boat must spend power not only pushing water aside but also overcoming the waves it creates.
The twin-hull layout also gives the vessel a wide platform for passengers without requiring one wide hull in the water. That helps combine a stable ride with a shape designed for speed. It does not make the trip effortless, though. Moving faster takes substantial power, and passenger service has to balance travel time against the cost and practical limits of operating a fast boat.
Leaving cars behind saves time at the dock
A car ferry must load vehicles in an orderly sequence, fit them into limited deck space, and unload them at the other end. A passenger-only boat avoids that process. People can board on foot, so the vessel can spend less of its schedule tied up at the terminal and more of it crossing the sound.
That difference matters to commuters because a ferry’s usefulness depends on the whole trip, not just its top speed. A quick crossing can turn water that separates neighborhoods into part of a daily route—provided passengers can reach the dock and continue their journey on the other side. The striking result is that the boat’s speed and its lack of a car deck work together: one shortens the crossing, while the other makes each departure easier to turn around.
