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Post by Ferryman on Jun 13, 2012 12:21:48 GMT -8
Currently the Nicola is being drydocked at Deas. Yes. Drydocked. A floating crane was brought in, and she was lifted up on to the shoreline at Deas where she'll be given an extensive overhaul for the summer. More info and pics: www.bcferries.com/bcferries/faces/attachments?id=648727
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 13, 2012 13:56:44 GMT -8
It is interesting that they are 'dry-docking' the vessel in this way at their own facilities. I assume that they are looking at this as a means to save BCFS some money. Perhaps we can expect other little vessels to receive maintenance in a similar fashion.
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Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
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Post by Mirrlees on Jun 13, 2012 16:24:44 GMT -8
Maybe for the minor vessels. I think something the size of the Bowen Queen will still need the services of a traditional drydock.
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Post by lmtengs on Jun 13, 2012 17:44:30 GMT -8
I wonder if BCF will ever construct a permanent drydocking facility at Deas. They have all that land on the West shore of the lagoon, they could fit vessels up to at least the size of the Island Sky there if they had the right infrastructure installed. The cost of installing a drydock would also eventually turn into saved money since BCF wouldn't have to send so many of their ships into drydocks owned by third-party businesses.
Even if they only installed a permanent crane to lift their ships up onto dry land; I suppose it would work.
It's an interesting concept to think about.
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Post by cobblehillian on Jun 13, 2012 18:40:37 GMT -8
Mr Cdn. Viking wonders about a drydock for Deas.
I would suggest that it probably wouldn't happen under the Liberals watch, or as long as BCF operates under its current pseudo quasi crypto private enterprise model. Under Hahn, Deas was encouraged to take in contract work and was to "pay its way" whatever that means.
Under prior governments I think BCFerries was encouraged to give work to the private yards to help them stay afloat (pardon the pun) during lean times. Building ferries may have been necessary to keep some of the yards alive. As well, this system may have meant BC Ferries could keep a relatively small stable year round workforce for maintenance.
There would have to be a major cost-benefit analysis to see if such a facility could be justified.
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Post by lmtengs on Jun 13, 2012 20:54:34 GMT -8
Then there's the cost justification for keeping the dry dock operational. It isn't just a rectangular concrete tub filling with water when needed. There's ancillary machinery that needs to be bought and maintained and probably additional personnel. Would it necessarily be a graving dock, or would they choose to build a shipyard (similar to the Nanaimo Shipyard) there?
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 13, 2012 21:10:24 GMT -8
I think the idea of being able to 'dry-dock' smaller vessels in the fleet at Deas has some merit. This does not necessarily mean a conventional or even floating dry-dock. It could take the form of a marine railway such as is used to haul inland ferries out of the water. It might also be a permanent crane arrangement similar to what has been used here for the Nicola.
I also recall some discussion of there being a problem with available dry-dock capacity in BC such that BC Ferries is unable to carry out certain types of maintenance (requiring dry-docking) as frequently as it ought to be done, hull painting being an example.
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Post by Ferryman on Sept 21, 2012 21:07:59 GMT -8
The Nicola is now showing up on AIS again, as she is now back in the water at Deas.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Oct 5, 2012 20:49:03 GMT -8
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Post by lmtengs on Oct 5, 2012 21:34:57 GMT -8
It's not often you see a ferrplane...
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Oct 14, 2012 19:56:52 GMT -8
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Post by compdude787 on Mar 15, 2013 10:00:57 GMT -8
I was just curious: Before the Nicola (then the Quadra Queen, IIRC) was built for the Ministry of Trans. and Hwys. saltwater ferry fleet, did they have any other ferries, or was Nicola their very first ferry? If so, when were those other ferries built?
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 15, 2013 10:08:20 GMT -8
I was just curious: Before the Nicola (then the Quadra Queen, IIRC) was built for the Ministry of Trans. and Hwys. saltwater ferry fleet, did they have any other ferries, or was Nicola their very first ferry? If so, when were those other ferries built? Here is our thread on that: ferriesbc.proboards.com/thread/8177/salt-water-ministry-highways-ferriesIt doesn't answer your question specificially, but it gives you an idea on some earlier ferries that became part of the Ministry of Highways saltwater fleet.
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Post by compdude787 on Mar 15, 2013 10:12:08 GMT -8
Ah-ha! I was looking for a thread about that, but clearly wasn't looking hard enough. Thanks, Flugel.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 6, 2015 19:31:57 GMT -8
Some photos of Nicola, her berths and the Tuck Inlet route: - seen by me on her 5:00pm & 6:00pm trips on a sunny August 5, 2015. Sean G. can photo-shop his image beside the life-ring, to get his classic pose 20150805_155239 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Wheelhouse: 20150805_155316 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr 20150805_155547 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Prince Rupert berth, at Aero Point - simple structure, of a float, with a ramp up to the roadway, just like a marina float & walkway. Then the ship's onboard ramp lowers on to the floating platform, similar to a BC Ferries northern-style berth. MV Nicola at Prince Rupert's Aero Point by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr 20150805_165941 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr The tight corner, part way through her trip. I got audio of her horns sounding 5-second blasts on this corner, and they sound like Airchimes. (audio to be posted with a Youtube video, later this month). 20150805_172226 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr --------------- Ferry website is HERE
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 8, 2015 16:51:45 GMT -8
Here is a video that includes 2 samples of Nicola's horn.
In the first sample, a little girl pulls the lever, and doesn't hold it long enough - hence the re-play
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Post by Queen of Nanaimo Teen on Aug 8, 2015 17:54:40 GMT -8
Thanks for the honorable mention! I feel really fortunate that I got to ride on the Nicola a few years ago. I know her and the 3 other sisters are nothing to special, but they are really neat little ships! And the route is also beautiful. I'm not sure that I was aware that she had been coastalized? Perhaps this had been mentioned, but I don't remember seeing the new carpet they put in the bridge! I guess it was bound to happen though.I also noticed that the old wooden doors leading out of the passenger lounge were replaced. Also a shame! Thanks for the pics!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 9, 2015 19:26:44 GMT -8
Some more Nicola pics from August 5, 2015 at Prince Rupert. . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Some work required... 004 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Aero Point, Prince Rupert . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr 079 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Port side lounge . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Port side lounge . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr ---------------- I never thought to get a shot of her from shore, of her forward end. So I don't know if the "Spirit of Lax Kw'alaams" name is still painted.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 10, 2015 12:27:58 GMT -8
Views from a Nicola trip up Tuck Inlet from Prince Rupert to the landing south of Lax Kw'alaams. - August 5, 2015 at 5:00pm, in lovely light. Traffic is loaded carefully because most of the vehicles are too tall for the outside lanes under the saddle-lounges. . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Loading at Aero Point, Prince Rupert . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr The landing south of Lax Kw'alaams. It is a 40 minute drive up the dirt road, to get to the village (Port Simpson, on the north shore of an isolated mainland peninsula, roughly half-way between Prince Rupert and the Alaska border) Website with location/direction is HERE. by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr ----------------- A series of shots showing the magnificent Tuck Inlet scenery: . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr Approaching the narrows, on the left . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr After the narrows, with the ferry landing in the right-centre. . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Aug 10, 2015 13:37:58 GMT -8
So how long is the sailing on this route??
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 10, 2015 13:48:44 GMT -8
So how long is the sailing on this route?? 2,400 seconds.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,150
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Post by Neil on Aug 10, 2015 20:44:21 GMT -8
This ferry is also rather expensive- $64 return for car and driver. Langdale, also forty minutes, is about $54, Experience rate, and Cortes, also forty, is $27.75 return. If band members aren't getting a discount, perhaps they should be asking why they're paying significantly higher fares than BC Ferries customers, given that they're also receiving minimal service.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 10, 2015 20:52:30 GMT -8
This ferry is also rather expensive- $64 return for car and driver. Langdale, also forty minutes, is about $54, Experience rate, and Cortes, also forty, is $27.75 return. If band members aren't getting a discount, perhaps they should be asking why they're paying significantly higher fares than BC Ferries customers, given that they're also receiving minimal service. Apparently the subsidy (I assume from Stone, through BC Ferries) is going to increase in mid-August, and the result will be more sailings. ie. 6 or 7 days per week. I will be checking that website to see if fares change.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 10, 2015 22:21:22 GMT -8
Here's my video of a sailing from Aero Point (Prince Rupert) to the landing near Lax Kw'alaams. - 5:00pm on August 5, 2015
I also have footage of the returning trip at 6:00pm that day. I will also process that and post it in the next week or so.
One of my purposes on this forum is to get us footage/images that we haven't seen very much of before, and to present it here for a many people to experience and enjoy. I enjoy the fun of doing that.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 16, 2015 13:13:11 GMT -8
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