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Post by Mike on Apr 7, 2011 19:54:40 GMT -8
Pacificat Explorer under construction at CFI. Photo taken by my grandfather.
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 13, 2011 11:25:32 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 13, 2011 16:56:19 GMT -8
Luke,
Nice work in tracking this down. All three fast cats are visible in the photo. They appear to be 'parked' over there, just like they were 'parked' here. Now the next trick is to track down what if anything has happened to them since this photo was taken several months ago now.
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 13, 2011 16:58:28 GMT -8
Luke, Nice work in tracking this down. All three fast cats are visible in the photo. They appear to be 'parked' over there, just like they were 'parked' here. Now the next trick is to track down what if anything has happened to them since this photo was taken several months ago now. A news story from an Abu Dhabi newspaper I found this morning said that A.D. MAR was going to start up a ferry service to the islands surrounding Abu Dhabi, and that the service 'will start in 2010'. That obviously didn't happen.
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Post by Scott on Jul 16, 2011 19:17:06 GMT -8
Finally got a new scanner.
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Post by Mike C on Dec 17, 2011 19:07:15 GMT -8
I believe this YouTube user is a member of the forum, posting several fantastic time lapse videos.
Albeit not time lapse, this video shows the Pacificat Explorer departing Departure Bay's Berth 3.
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Post by WettCoast on Dec 17, 2011 19:40:49 GMT -8
Very interesting... Thank you!
I regret not ever having traveled on one of these vessels, or for that mater, even seeing them while 'in action'.
I tried once near Christmas about 10 years ago to do a sailing on one, but alas, they substituted a C class. I told the cashier at one of the HSB ticket booths that I had come to ride the 'fast cat' and that I was not interested in a C class trip. I told her I would drive instead to Tsawwassen and partake of a Spirit sailing. I did a U-turn just beyond the ticket booth!
I wanted to judge for myself just how bad (or maybe not so bad) these vessels were.
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 17, 2011 20:23:16 GMT -8
I went to the Pacific Explorer Open House in Victoria, then rode on Pacificat Discovery from Nanaimo to HSB the following year. It was a very full and cramped sailing. The straight back seats were not very comfortable, and although they looked like they should swivel, they were fixed in place. Aisles were narrow, and the interior stairs were very steep. Also, they did not have an outdoor deck area, except for a couple of "patios" at the back of the upstairs seating area. Riding on the Pacificat was a novel experience, but I could see right away why regular passengers did not like them.
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 9, 2012 1:33:37 GMT -8
Video of the Pacificat Discovery arriving in Departure Bay. Also includes a sounding of the horn.
Also, just in case it hasn't been posted already:
Pacificat Explorer arriving in Nanaimo Harbour for the Nanaimo Open House (Late 90s)
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Post by swartzbaydreaming on Feb 12, 2012 22:35:38 GMT -8
I also wished that I had been on or ever even saw one of the fastcats. I just hope they get put to good use finally! They were never one of my favorite BC Ferries for sure, I remember seeing a sign before they were finished on one of the HSB crossings with a delivery date for later that year and hoping they didn't replace any of my favorite ships!
That being said it was cool to watch an old video I found on you tube about the design and building of the fastcats and its positive impact on the BC ship building industry. I wish them good luck. They would be good ships for the right route somewhere...
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 1, 2012 13:11:02 GMT -8
A video of Pacificat Discovery making her way under Lions Gate Bridge for Canada place. This was where the Auction was held for them.
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Post by lmtengs on Apr 7, 2012 11:12:19 GMT -8
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Post by Northern Exploration on Apr 7, 2012 18:17:51 GMT -8
In the foreground as well is the hull of the military ship that was to be turned into a mega yacht. There were two of these hulls to be converted. I haven't seen any press on these. If they were complete you would think there would be press to make a splash about it so the yard would obtain further business. By now much progress should have been made.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Apr 8, 2012 5:52:00 GMT -8
In the foreground as well is the hull of the military ship that was to be turned into a mega yacht. There were two of these hulls to be converted. I haven't seen any press on these. If they were complete you would think there would be press to make a splash about it so the yard would obtain further business. By now much progress should have been made. OK I lied. www.theyachtphoto.com/yas.htmwww.yachtforums.com/features/t-new-launch-abu-dhabi-mar-141m-yas-superyacht-17512.html*So I was curious and googled a bit. There is a policy in place to link a bunch of Islands in Abu Dhabi with the mainland. They are currently linked with some sort of subsidized ferry/barge service and free airfare. (See if BC had oil revenues all ferries would be free ) It seems there are two purchased ferries currently running between three ports. When I read that I thought eureka. But alas neither are from BC. Two former Isle of Wight ferries are being used.
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mrdot
Voyager
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
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Post by mrdot on Apr 12, 2012 16:16:41 GMT -8
:)this was my away from the marine scene time, my municipal planning years, but I followed the ferry scene from a distance, and these were the lost years for our dogwood fleet, when against all good marine advice, the gov't of the day charted another course, and our ferries paid a dreadful price! mrdot.
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Post by Ferryman on Apr 12, 2012 22:38:33 GMT -8
Was that really spring/summer of 2002? I remember the Pacificat Explorer sticking around Departure Bay right up until late spring of 2003. I remember CHEK news featuring the Queen of Coquitlam's new Coastalized Interior on the news the day she came back into service from her mid-life refit. They happened to show the departure of the Pacificat Explorer under tow for Deas by saying "Out with the old, and in with the New"...or something around those lines. Also that'd be the AJ Savoie there EDIT: Here's a video I took during Spring Break 2003. Pacificat Explorer can be seen at the 00:42 mark.
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Post by Ferryman on Apr 14, 2012 10:33:24 GMT -8
Re: AJ Savoie I know that for a while she was laid up at Deas as a surplus around that time. She was obviously sold off a little while after that photo was taken. As for telling the AJ/Nicola/Nimpkish apart there's at least one good clue that seperates the Nimpkish from the other two. As you know, the AJ and Nicola were built in 1960, whereas I believe the Nimpkish was built in 1973. Bit of an age gap there. The Nimpkish stands out from the rest with her wheelhouse windows having their corners rounded. The visor above the windows is a little less obvious on the Nimpkish as well. It's pretty hard to explain actually, so I hope everyone understands what I'm pointing out...Here are links to Scotts Flickr of each ship... Nimpkish www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/2692207168/in/set-72157606307560998Nicola www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3828048481/in/set-72157618014345503AJ Savoie www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3096362934/in/set-72157610967473566
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Post by Mike C on Apr 14, 2012 11:25:57 GMT -8
Re: AJ Savoie I know that for a while she was laid up at Deas as a surplus around that time. She was obviously sold off a little while after that photo was taken. As for telling the AJ/Nicola/Nimpkish apart there's at least one good clue that seperates the Nimpkish from the other two. As you know, the AJ and Nicola were built in 1960, whereas I believe the Nimpkish was built in 1973. Bit of an age gap there. The Nimpkish stands out from the rest with her wheelhouse windows having their corners rounded. The visor above the windows is a little less obvious on the Nimpkish as well. It's pretty hard to explain actually, so I hope everyone understands what I'm pointing out...Here are links to Scotts Flickr of each ship... Nimpkish www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/2692207168/in/set-72157606307560998Nicola www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3828048481/in/set-72157618014345503AJ Savoie www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3096362934/in/set-72157610967473566That does make sense. Another difference, if you're looking at the side/rear, is that the AJ and Nicola have an additional (third) elongated car deck window near the aft, whereas the Nimpkish does not.
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Post by lmtengs on Apr 14, 2012 12:07:12 GMT -8
Re: AJ Savoie I know that for a while she was laid up at Deas as a surplus around that time. She was obviously sold off a little while after that photo was taken. As for telling the AJ/Nicola/Nimpkish apart there's at least one good clue that seperates the Nimpkish from the other two. As you know, the AJ and Nicola were built in 1960, whereas I believe the Nimpkish was built in 1973. Bit of an age gap there. The Nimpkish stands out from the rest with her wheelhouse windows having their corners rounded. The visor above the windows is a little less obvious on the Nimpkish as well. It's pretty hard to explain actually, so I hope everyone understands what I'm pointing out...Here are links to Scotts Flickr of each ship... Nimpkish www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/2692207168/in/set-72157606307560998Nicola www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3828048481/in/set-72157618014345503AJ Savoie www.flickr.com/photos/bcfs/3096362934/in/set-72157610967473566That does make sense. Another difference, if you're looking at the side/rear, is that the AJ and Nicola have an additional (third) elongated car deck window near the aft, whereas the Nimpkish does not. An even harder to notice difference is that on the two older of the bunch, on the rail along the front of the bridge deck, the bottom bit is solid, not made of fence posts. The Nimpkish has this too, but her solid section is around half a foot shorter, and the shape of the end of the solid section of railing on the sides of the ship is different... hard to explain, but look at pictures and you'll see what I mean.
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Post by Mike C on Apr 16, 2012 13:51:16 GMT -8
Pacificat Navigator @ Deas Dock - c July 2000 The fourth Pacificat that was never built featured is the Voyager. But my ship ID skills also lead me to believe that is the AJ Savoie underneath the mammoth.
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Apr 16, 2012 16:20:59 GMT -8
Does anybody have access to or know the fuel burn numbers for the Pacificats at service speed? I'm looking for the stats for the Explorer in particular. I'd like to compare them to other fast ferry services, for my own curiosity.
I have heard many ballpark figures by hearsay, but nothing ever concrete.
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Post by Mike on Apr 16, 2012 16:38:45 GMT -8
Does anybody have access to or know the fuel burn numbers for the Pacificats at service speed? I'm looking for the stats for the Explorer in particular. I'd like to compare them to other fast ferry services, for my own curiosity. I have heard many ballpark figures by hearsay, but nothing ever concrete. This Province article says with a full load, it burned 6,250 litres of fuel an hour at 37 knots.
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Apr 16, 2012 16:53:49 GMT -8
Does anybody have access to or know the fuel burn numbers for the Pacificats at service speed? I'm looking for the stats for the Explorer in particular. I'd like to compare them to other fast ferry services, for my own curiosity. I have heard many ballpark figures by hearsay, but nothing ever concrete. This Province article says with a full load, it burned 6,250 litres of fuel an hour at 37 knots. Thanks for posting that. If they had been able to keep the 60 minute sailing schedule, that would have worked out to about 13,000L per round trip. Significantly more than the C class or even the Spirits.
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Post by Dane on Apr 16, 2012 21:09:15 GMT -8
Does anybody have access to or know the fuel burn numbers for the Pacificats at service speed? I'm looking for the stats for the Explorer in particular. I'd like to compare them to other fast ferry services, for my own curiosity. I have heard many ballpark figures by hearsay, but nothing ever concrete. There is a copy of the operational audit of the vessels conducted for the government, and a copy of the performance criteria released for the vessel's sale at both the downtown Vancouver Public Library and SFU's Bennett Library at the Burnaby Mountain campus. Obviously I am not in Vancouver, so cannot get it for you. If no one can by May, I will scan it for you when I am back home.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
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Post by Neil on Apr 16, 2012 21:28:47 GMT -8
... and in regard to fuel, the Pacificat consumption of 6250 litres an hour at 37 knots compares with the (2006) figures of 6491 litres per round trip on the 'Oak Bay, and 8416 per round trip on the 'Renaissance, both presumably on route 2. We need the figures for the 'cats operating at lower speeds.
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