Coastal Renaissance.

[bcscot]

Has anyone else been on the new BC Ferry, Coastal Renaissance & what did you think of her? See my comments on the thread about accomodation in Victoria. This could be interesting information for anyone taking a CRUISE into Vancouver & wanting to cross for a visit to Vancouver Island!:)

 

Graham.

[Putterdude]

Here is the BC Ferry website, I have to keep my son employed! http://www.bcferries.com/

[Urban trekker]

As posted earlier on the other thread I went to the open house and will get a chance to see her in action at the end of the month.

 

This ferry is set for the Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo run so most tourists won't get a chance to see her as they are likely to take the southern route to Swartz Bay and Victoria - that new ship won't be here until the fall after the cruise season has ended.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

However we are delighted to have the Queen of Coquitlam as the extra vessel backing up the Queen of Surrey for the summer here on the Sunshine Coast. I guess the Queen of Esquimalt's days are numbered as she is on the block and I thought the Queen of Tsawwassen had sailed her last trip as a BC Ferry but I got a email notice from the Corp. today saying that she was going back on the Earls Cove to Saltery Bay route in relief of the Queen of Chilliwack for 10 days or so starting next week. So every time I say good bye to her she comes back, we are going to the Island via Powell River next weekend. Actually they had her tied up at Saltery Bay for awhile and were using her to train crew on an advanced life saving course the Corp was conducting in mid January. One of my sons was on the course and dislocated his shoulder when he reached out to grab a lifeboat that was not going into the chaulks properly and just then the Q ot T decided to roll, he is still off on compo and just had an MRI done today.

[bcscot]

I think that I read at the Victoria Maritime Museum that the Queen of Tsawwassen was one of the original of the 'new' BC Ferries & was a copy of the Port Angeles Ferry, the Coho (for speed of production & economy) & I think may have been one of the few not to have been lengthened or had an extra deck added. Can anyone confirm this?

 

Graham.

[Putterdude]

I think that I read at the Victoria Maritime Museum that the Queen of Tsawwassen was one of the original of the 'new' BC Ferries & was a copy of the Port Angeles Ferry, the Coho (for speed of production & economy) & I think may have been one of the few not to have been lengthened or had an extra deck added. Can anyone confirm this?

 

Graham.

 

No I don't believe that she was ever lengthened but she did get that mezzinine car deck that was kind of suspended over the other deck. They have to lower the ramp from the mezz deck to get cars up on it and if they are really loaded there is yet another deck that is attached to the mezz deck that they can lower and use; other wise it is kept in a virtical state. If you have time and have the interest you ought to go take a trip on her, she is a real flashback in time. However I warn you she is just the most rusty thing in the fleet her days have been numbered for at least the last 18 months and probably 2 years.

[c-to-sea]

BC Ferries history is interesting to us westcoasters. MV Tsawassen and MV Sidney

were the first of the fleet. The 'Queen of' was added later. They were built and

launched in 1959/60, I believe and were later joined by the ships from the

Black Ball Ferries line that had been bought out. A number of other, smaller

ships also came into the fleet about that time as routes were expanded.

I worked for Black Ball in 56/57 but not for BCF.

[Urban trekker]

Here's the news release regarding the four ships that will be put up for sail and yes the Queen of Tsawassen is on the list:

 

http://www.bcferries.com/news/files/08-009fourvesselsforsale.pdf

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[bcscot]

It seems the Black Ball history is complex, involving American & Canadian ownership & several companies; ie The Black Ball Line, Black Ball Ferries, Black Ball Transport & Black Ball Freight. The MV Coho was built for Black Ball Transport (as opposed to Black Ball Ferries) in Seattle in 1959. The Sidney Class vessels were near copies, being built as BC Ferries' first ferries in 1960 with the MV Sidney in Victoria & then the MV Tsawwassen (later Queen) in Vancouver.

 

If the Queen of Tsawwassen is to be sold, that will just leave the Coho in local service (I still have to sail on her). The Queen of Sidney was sold to a logging company in 2,000 but I do not know if she is still afloat.

 

My first trip on a BC Ferry was on the Queen of Saanich in 1973.

 

Graham.

[Putterdude]

I certainly remember the old Black Ball ferries and I am not sure that old WAC actually bought them as much as expropriated them in 1961 after he had started up BC Ferries; remember the government hates competition. I have a home movie going back into the late 50's or very early 60's of us going to Langdale on what I think was the Langdale Queen which was a BB "aqusition" but I could be wrong on the name. But what struck me as interesting was the complete lack of infastructure there was at Horseshoe Bay you kind of drove down and sailed. We were also at the museum in Powell River recently and my wife spotted a picture of the opening of the terminal (such as it was) and the commencement of the run from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay. My father-in-law was in charge of the RCMP detachment in Powell River at the time and my wife remembers him having to get in his blasted Red Serge and going down for the opening cerimonies.

 

I also spent some time last night trying to think of which ships were stretched and lifted, there were 4 larger ones done and 3 smaller ones done prior. I think the larger ones were the Queen of Burnaby which is on the Powell River to Comox route, the Vancouver, the Saanich and the Nanaimo, but I stand to be corrected on that.

 

I also think that the dining rooms were a latter add on to the Tsawwassen and the Sydney.

[c-to-sea]

This is a pretty comprehensive story of BC Ferries. It shows how some were

stretched and then raised.

 

http://www.bcferries.com/about/history/

 

While I was with Black Ball Ferries at Horseshoe Bay, I was assigned to Saltery

Bay terminal to relieve the agent for vacation. I spent a couple of weeks

living on the MV Quillayute, going back and forth to Earls Cove when not

on shift.

I was also at Horseshoe Bay when the MV Kahloke slammed into the dock,

putting it out of service for a few weeks.

Yes, the terminal was pretty basic, compared to today.

Also, the passenger fare to Nanaimo was $2.00 and a car was $5.00.

Since wages have gone up at least 10 times since then, the current fares

are not really out of line, or so I try to convince the complainers.

 

Maybe us oldtimers should continue this reminiscence thread.

[bcscot]

Apparently the BC flag was first flown in public, onboard the MV Sidney on a crossing between Tsawwassen & Swartz Bay in 1960!

 

You seem to have a few of the interesting old ferries on the Sunshine Coast routes Putterdude.

 

Graham.

[Urban trekker]

I believe old WAC started up BC Ferries because the CPR - the other carrier in those days went on strike and Black Ball either wouldn't or couldn't expand the service and WAC wasn't prepared to let the Island and other coastal communities suffer and so to solve the problem the good old free enterpriser took over the Black Ball service and their ships and started what is now one of the largest ferry fleets in the world.

 

Putterdude - yes there was a ferry called the "Langdale Queen - remember taking it over to the Sunshine Coast a few times perhaps to Scout camp at Robert's Creek. I'm going to see if I can find a link to the history of that ship.

 

Here's a link to some information on the Langdale Queen:

 

http://www.geocities.com/ferries_bc/profiles/retired/bcf_langdaleqn.html

 

We should be okay with the CC Cops as taking a ferry trip is still a sea cruise.

 

Have a good afternoon - the sun has come out in downtown Vancouver.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

I believe old WAC started up BC Ferries because the CPR - the other carrier in those days went on strike and Black Ball either wouldn't or couldn't expand the service and WAC wasn't prepared to let the Island and other coastal communities suffer and so to solve the problem the good old free enterpriser took over the Black Ball service and their ships and started what is now one of the largest ferry fleets in the world.

 

I think your recollection of the "trigger" event is pretty accurate. Now when do the get into a discussion of the "fast cats".

[Putterdude]

Here's the news release regarding the four ships that will be put up for sail and yes the Queen of Tsawassen is on the list:

 

Some of these older ferries are being refitted as floating fishing lodges for the Queen Charlottes and north. We have one that spends the winter tied up in Porpoise Bay but there is no question of her past identity, she is still wears the Ferry Corps old livery.

[scottbee]

I also spent some time last night trying to think of which ships were stretched and lifted, there were 4 larger ones done and 3 smaller ones done prior. I think the larger ones were the Queen of Burnaby which is on the Powell River to Comox route, the Vancouver, the Saanich and the Nanaimo, but I stand to be corrected on that.

 

There's basically two things that have been done to various vessels in the [V class] fleet. A stretch (a plug in the middle) and a lift (adding a full upper car deck). All of the vessels with the lift, also have the stretch.

 

Stretch and lift, in that order. All now for sale by BC Ferries

QoVancouver (the TSW based 2nd vessel on TSW-SWB)

QoSaanich (the SWB based 2nd vessel on SWB-TSW)

QoEsquimalt (spare for HSB routes)

 

There are a couple that have had the stretch, but no life

QoVictoria (sold years ago)

QoBurnaby

QoNanaimo

 

and some that have/had neither

QoTsawwassen (for sale)

QoSidney (gone long ago)

 

QoSaanich, QoVancouver, QoEsquimalt and QoTsw are all for sale. I'm surprized they're selling Saanich, as they did a fairly extensive makeover a few years back, but Vancouver and especially Esquimalt really show their age.

[bcscot]

Langdale Queen - built in 1903 !!! WOW!!! How old does that make those who remember her?:D

 

The closest I can come to that is my favourite old friend, the 1912 TSS Earnslaw, the last steam powered passenger vessel in the Southern Hemisphere, still plying the waters of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand. I would love to be there for her centenary in 2012! How about sailing on a 100 year old steamboat?!:)

 

Graham.

[Putterdude]

scottbee; are you quite certain that there was not a fourth ship that got the stretch and lift, I think BC Ferries kind of alludes to a fourth on their website? However you are quite right when I think of it the Queen of Burnaby does of the mezzanine car deck with the flop down extra mezzanine so it would not have been lifted when stretched.

[Urban trekker]

"How old does that make those who remember her"

 

Let's just say that I get one cheque from the government every month from something I paid into for 40 years.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

You seem to have a few of the interesting old ferries on the Sunshine Coast routes Putterdude.

 

Well I am happy to say that is comming to an end pretty quickly with imminent departure of the of the Queens of Esquimalt and Tsawwassen. I think one of the two smaller new vessels that are being built in BC is to go on to the Earls Cove to Saltery Bay route. I am not sure what the plan for the Queen of Chilliwack is but her bow door structuture does not make her fit for open water deployment during the winter that is why she comes off the northern freight and milk run. However her flop down doors my son tells me makes for an easy launch and retreval of kyack parties up north. She also has a Z drive which makes her quite manoverable but she is a real shaker and I am told that during her northern deployment the liveaboard crews really dislike her for that reason.

[c-to-sea]

The Langdale Queen came from the Black Ball Ferry fleet, where it was the MV Kahloke.

Prior to coming to Black Ball, she operated in the San Francisco Bay area.

There was also a steamer, the SS Smokwa, for a short time, also from BBF.

She hit a rock in Horseshoe Bay one night trying to maneuvre from the

damaged dock mentioned above. SHe did not sink but was also out of service

for a while. She had a new captain when she returned from repairs.

[Putterdude]

The Langdale Queen came from the Black Ball Ferry fleet, where it was the MV Kahloke.

Prior to coming to Black Ball, she operated in the San Francisco Bay area.

There was also a steamer, the SS Smokwa, for a short time, also from BBF.

She hit a rock in Horseshoe Bay one night trying to maneuvre from the

damaged dock mentioned above. SHe did not sink but was also out of service

for a while. She had a new captain when she returned from repairs.

 

That is very interesting posting; it must have been a quite a voyage to get the Kahloke/Langdale Queen up the coast from San Francisco with her open bow. It would not have been a job that I would not have lusted for.

[c-to-sea]

Both MV Kahloke and MV Chinook, the Nanaimo ferries, had hydraulic doors

bow and stern for the open water crossings. Not sure if Kahloke's were installed before

she came up the coast or not but have a feeling they were.

 

I have a very interesting book on the history of the ferry system, written by

Gary and Patricia Bannerman, covering up to 1985. The title is The Ships of

British Columbia.

[Putterdude]

The home movie that I have of leaving from Horseshoe Bay for the Sunshine Coast shows and open bow(ed) ferry, now it is quite possible that is was not the Langdale Queen does your book suggest what other BB boats were on the Langdale run in the late 50's to say '62?

[c-to-sea]

At that time, Langdale was probably being served by Bainbridge and Smokwa.

Kahloke/Langdale Queen only went on that run after more BC Ferries were

built for Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo. Bainbridge and Smokwa were both open ended.

The Sunshine Coast terminal originally was Gibson's Landing. Langdale

was purpose built later.

Boy, this is bringing back all sorts of memories - great. Thanks to whoever

started this.