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Post by Nickfro on Sept 15, 2008 10:24:22 GMT -8
The Howe Sound tour is complete. . .no docking occurred, just a cruise-by. She is now currently off Passage Island, running at 12 knots.
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Ferryman
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Post by Ferryman on Sept 15, 2008 11:56:57 GMT -8
Wow! That's interesting she did a quick tour of Howe Sound. I sure hope this isn't the "farewell tour" that David Hahn quietly mentioned to us back at the Coastal Renaissance open houses...
Currently she's appoaching Tsawwassen, and it looks like the Coastal Inspiration is going to do a nice and close pass by with her. Today was the day to be out on the Ferries to see this! Dogunnit, too badd I'm stuck at work!
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Sept 15, 2008 12:10:24 GMT -8
...And here she is: SIITECH
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Post by Hardy on Sept 15, 2008 12:20:11 GMT -8
As discussed in the PJ thread, she is probably heading to Tsawwassen as there is not a lot of space at Deas right now. Either that, or they are planning on the SoBC pooching again - maybe they can tether together the Tsawwassen and Vancouver to get the capacity of the SoBC! More than likely her stay at her namesake port will be depend on how quickly they can free up space at DPM.
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Post by Curtis on Sept 15, 2008 13:36:54 GMT -8
She's departed Tsawwassen. Maybe she's heading for Deas now.
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Post by Hardy on Sept 15, 2008 13:46:20 GMT -8
She's departed Tsawwassen. Maybe she's heading for Deas now. I suppose that we could consider her Tsawwassen stop-over as a "de-provisioning" maneuver?? That would make sense, more or less, to off-load whatever stores she had left-over that could be distributed to other Rte-1/-9/-30 vessels.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Sept 15, 2008 14:39:54 GMT -8
She's departed Tsawwassen. Maybe she's heading for Deas now. She is. And it looks like the tugs WESTMINSTER HYACK and WESTMINSTER PRIDE are waiting.
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Sept 15, 2008 15:06:45 GMT -8
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Post by Douglas on Sept 15, 2008 15:14:29 GMT -8
The Tsawwassen is heading for Deas anything the logging contractor that bought her doesn't want is being removed.
The Tsawwassen will be used as a helicopter forestry camp which is nice to hear its not heading to China for scrap. They are going to butcher the top of the ship thou to make a helicopter pad. The company that bought the Tsawwassen isn't going even use the engines anything they don't want will probably be scrapped.
The old Mirrlees are pretty well worn out. Pull the shafts and props out and weld up the shaft logs.
The old Tsawwassen is just too old to dump any money into her. She would have to be repowered with a newer style engine and would end up having a transmission. The ship has miles of piping and wiring that is old and needs replacing. She needs deck plating replaced the hull plating needs replacing. Then it probably needs millions of dollars worth of coast guard upgrades.
I think 90% of the stores stuff that could be used went onto the Chilli last night.
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Sept 15, 2008 15:25:04 GMT -8
The Tsawwassen is heading for Deas anything the logging contractor that bought her doesn't want is being removed. The Tsawwassen will be used as a helicopter forestry camp which is nice to hear its not heading to China for scrap. They are going to butcher the top of the ship thou to make a helicopter pad. The company that bought the Tsawwassen isn't going even use the engines anything they don't want will probably be scrapped. The old Mirrlees are pretty well worn out. Pull the shafts and props out and weld up the shaft logs. The old Tsawwassen is just too old to dump any money into her. She would have to be repowered with a newer style engine and would end up having a transmission. The ship has miles of piping and wiring that is old and needs replacing. She needs deck plating replaced the hull plating needs replacing. Then it probably needs millions of dollars worth of coast guard upgrades. I think 90% of the stores stuff that could be used went onto the Chilli last night. According to her engineering crew, her hull is completely sound, so it's not likely any significant amount of plating would need to be replaced. If all this does happen though, it seems likely that, even if she stays on the coast, she will ultimately cease to be the Queen of Tsawwassen in any meaningful way.
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Post by Douglas on Sept 15, 2008 15:37:28 GMT -8
The upper house works to the hull is where she needs work and anywhere its rusting heavily. I agree once she is out of B.C. ferries hands who knows what the contractor/company will do to the ship. All I heard was the upper decks on the outside would be chopped off. I wouldn't be surprised if the wheel house would be hacked off. Who knows what will happen with the old Tsawwassen but a old BC ship gone for good
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Post by Northern Exploration on Sept 15, 2008 16:09:47 GMT -8
Sad if the upper superstructure is cut off. A helicopter landing pad needs flat empty space. They could put tankers on the car deck with av fuel. And other space for storage. The upper works would only be necessary if they were going to board loggers on the ship and they have barges for that. Probably cheaper to hire a tug to tow as well, than keep her engines running and have to man machinery crew. I would imagine Transport Canada regs would be much different is she was operated as a barge than a self propelled vessel. Back to dreaming, the superstructure if cut off in one piece or in pieces that could be reassembled would make a great theme restaurant somewhere. Now if only I win the lotto to make it happen . *often when a ferry stops in Tswwassen prior to Dees it is to offload crew vehicles.
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Post by Douglas on Sept 15, 2008 16:55:58 GMT -8
I was told they are going to tow the ship to the north coast or where ever its supposed to go.
To run the Tsawwassen you would need the full engineering crew to operator her. Definatly not a turn the key and start her up ship. Then you have telegraph controls.
The biggest thing for remote logging camps is accomodations. Loggers like to eat good if you ever went to a camp or see what those guys get to eat. Your pretty well work eat sleep for so many days in camp then you get days off.
Heli logging is 90% water based operation some have a dry land sort/drop but most are either barges etc.
I guess the only engines running in the Tsawwassen's hull will be generators.
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Post by Hardy on Sept 15, 2008 17:22:29 GMT -8
It would be nice to find out what the logging contractor's plans for the old QoT would include, and if they are at all sensitive to the history of the ship they have purchased; I would imagine that it would be hard NOT to know the history of it. There will no doubt be significant changes to her works and structure, but with some consideration and a nod to her past, I am sure that something could be done to preserve her in some ways.
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Post by Douglas on Sept 15, 2008 19:21:21 GMT -8
Who knows it may end up like the Sidney that was bought by a logging company and look at it sitting in the river doing nothing.
I would be curious to see what the Esquimalt looks like I heard it got a shave and hair cut and it heading to some foreign country to work another 40 years.
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Post by Dane on Sept 15, 2008 21:01:07 GMT -8
Kuper is in North Van with the Kahloke now. I will try and get a photo. They're tied to one another and it makes the Kahloke look even smaller than she is, or the Kuper larger depending on how you look at it.
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Post by Coastal Canuck on Sept 18, 2008 15:24:35 GMT -8
the CC is now at Swartz Bay!!!
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Sept 18, 2008 15:39:00 GMT -8
Umm, she's been there for the past week and a half. Supposedly crew training is going to start next week.
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Post by Nickfro on Sept 29, 2008 12:16:17 GMT -8
Looking thru the schedules pages, here is something that I didn't know about:
Queen Charlotte Islands Fall/Winter/Spring (Prince Rupert - Skidegate)
ALL SAILINGS FOR THIS ROUTE ARE SUSPENDED BETWEEN JANUARY 4 AND FEBRUARY 5, 2009, DUE TO DOCK CONSTRUCTION AT SKIDEGATE.
Looks like the tug and barge companies will be stuffing their pockets during this service suspension!
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Post by Northern Exploration on Sept 29, 2008 12:41:12 GMT -8
Wow that is huge. Obviously this is a quiet time of the year for tourists but this has to hurt Skidgate somewhat. I suppose it wouldn't make sense financially to operate the ferry as a passenger only service that month. I think this is an example where the BC Government should kick in a special subsidy for the month and either put in a temporary dock somewhere or offset BC Ferries losses for lack of vehicle traffic and have them run as a passenger service. I don't recall but does this coincide with the move south when Bear Cove is being done as well? Perhaps the extra sailing time from there is eating into the schedule so much that it isn't possible to run when the NorAd is getting her next modifications.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Sept 30, 2008 13:30:54 GMT -8
Looks like Bowen Queen is heading for dry dock in Esquimault.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Sept 30, 2008 15:08:49 GMT -8
I guess a quick mini-refit before she replaces the Quinsam on October 15. She's on Gabriola until February 15, so she won't get another chance for a while.
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Ferryman
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Post by Ferryman on Sept 30, 2008 18:42:40 GMT -8
I had thought she was there already...
Where was she before? Fulford Harbour?
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Sept 30, 2008 19:30:07 GMT -8
The Bowen has been in Esquimalt Drydock for a while now. Maybe she was just out doing some trials or something.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 1, 2008 8:54:20 GMT -8
The Nor Ad has just passed Gillies Bay on Texada Island and she is heading for Deas according to Siitech.
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