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Post by Mike C on Apr 1, 2014 10:27:46 GMT -8
Hi all. My name is Phil and I have always been captivated by our ferries here in Washington State since I was about knee-high. I think the first ferry I rode on was the Walla Walla (this might explain why she was and will always remain my favorite WSF). My favorite super class ferry is the Hyak, since my brother and I actually got to drive her for about 15 minutes when he was about 12 and I was 8 (under the watchful eye of the captain, of course! ). When I was in third grade, I got a tour of the Spokane, during which I got to blow her horn as she was leaving Bainbridge Island and again as she was arriving in Seattle. I have ridden almost all of our vessels except the Salish, Kennewick and the Hiyu. I have also ridden on the Coho. Unfortunately, I have not ridden on the BC Ferries. My other favorite things are fishing, airplanes, baseball, football, printers (when they work) and computers. -Phil (siegfriedphilip) Welcome aboard, Phil! Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself. We hope to see you up here on BC Ferries soon!
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Post by ladyengiewannabe on Apr 6, 2014 21:20:48 GMT -8
Hi folks! I'd thought I'd throw my hat in here and say hi. My father used to work for BC Ferries. His 60th birthday is coming up and I love him dearly. I have many great memories of my dad and his coworkers/friends on the ferries and I was hoping to gather some of those excellent memories from others and from passengers for his birthday. I do have proof available to the mods if they so request.
Sincerely, ladyengiewannabe
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 6, 2014 21:22:54 GMT -8
Hi folks! I'd thought I'd throw my hat in here and say hi. My father used to work for BC Ferries. His 60th birthday is coming up and I love him dearly. I have many great memories of my dad and his coworkers/friends on the ferries and I was hoping to gather some of those excellent memories from others and from passengers for his birthday. I do have proof available to the mods if they so request. Sincerely, ladyengiewannabe Welcome here! What routes or ships did he work on?
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Post by ladyengiewannabe on Apr 7, 2014 9:47:36 GMT -8
Let me see: Mayne Queen, QPR, Queen of Cumberland, Queen of Saanich and indirectly a bunch of the smaller ones.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 8, 2014 5:30:09 GMT -8
Let me see: Mayne Queen, QPR, Queen of Cumberland, Queen of Saanich and indirectly a bunch of the smaller ones. Welcome to the Forum, 'ladyengiewannabe'. When did you father work on the QPR? There are a few members of the Forum that put a lot of water under their keels with the venerable 'Old Girl' and we may be able to offer up some recollections
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Post by ladyengiewannabe on Apr 9, 2014 22:31:53 GMT -8
If I remember correctly, it was probably between 1988 and 1990, when I was just a baby. He's always tell me that my sister would cry when he'd come home because she didn't recognize him and she wasn't used to his beard. He has a very uncommon last name (which is why I don't wanna name him), he hates Deas with a passion, and he would make horrific puns at every opportunity (still does). I have inherited this, uh, talent. We are also very lucky to have pictures of the Cumbie, the Saanich, a pic of the QPR he took himself when she was in drydock at the Esquimalt Graving Dock, and a few other ships. Folks, PM me if you think you know who this unsavory character might be. I'd not rather have his name on the internet (this is supposed to be a surprise after all). Thank you!
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darkdragon4
Oiler (New Member)
i have a model of the M/V Hyak a newer model
Posts: 15
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Post by darkdragon4 on Jul 21, 2014 23:24:32 GMT -8
hey my name is david i build model ferries out of foam board and sell them
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Post by Kahloke on Jul 22, 2014 5:14:32 GMT -8
hey my name is david i build model ferries out of foam board and sell them Welcome to The Forum, David. It's great having another representative from Washington. Your models are really cool. Thanks for posting pics of them. We look forward to your contributions.
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heretix
Deckhand
Former sailor, commercial driver and logistics administrator
Posts: 72
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Post by heretix on May 21, 2015 15:09:18 GMT -8
Hi, I'm Heretix form Oslo, Norway. I did, however, grow up next to the ferry dock at Folkestad and this triggered a life-long interest for ferries. I started training as a ships's captain in the early 1980s, but didn't complete the education programme and ended up as a logistics manager working all over the world. I had the pleasure of traveling with BC Ferries in December 1985, while visiting BC and Alberta. It's always nice to see how things are done in different countries and I have followed BC Ferries ever since. Only last week, however, did I become aware of the fact that this forum existed, a strange coincident, since I have developed my own eponymous debate forum on ProBoards since September 2014. Like the previous newcomer, I have also made models of ferries, but they are currently kept in the attic of my parents' cabin and played with by visiting children.
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Post by Kahloke on May 21, 2015 18:33:20 GMT -8
Welcome to The Forum, Heretix:
It's always a treat to have someone outside British Columbia and Washington on the Forum. I look forward to reading your perspective and perhaps seeing some other ferries from around the world.
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Kam
Voyager
Posts: 926
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Post by Kam on May 21, 2015 19:57:33 GMT -8
Welcome my friend! I'm looking forward to your input and perspective!
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heretix
Deckhand
Former sailor, commercial driver and logistics administrator
Posts: 72
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Post by heretix on May 22, 2015 5:34:07 GMT -8
Hi, guys!
It's always great to receive such a warm welcome in a new place. I don't think, however, that I have a lot to contribute about BC/Canadian issues, since I know too little and haven't been there for several decades.
I'll see if I can put together some info about ferries in Norway and other places I've been, though,but it will be a project in many stages on and off along the way, since I am also busy establishing my own forum, researching my ancestors, searching for a new job and planning my step-son's wedding.
I'd like to grab this opportunity to wish you all a very pleasant Pentecost weekend.
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Post by taverner on Jun 19, 2015 10:28:53 GMT -8
Greetings! My name is Bob, I'm a truck driver from the Victoria area and I spend ALOT of time on the ferries! I usually do 2 or 3 trips a week to Oregon from the island. I use the Coho as often as possible, but I also use BC ferries. I have developed a keen interest in our west coast ferries over the last few years. I will sometimes alter my schedule to ride on a preferred ship (new west, alberni...). This site has been a great resource for me to learn more about the ferries I love. Glad to be a member of the site!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 19, 2015 10:41:37 GMT -8
Greetings! My name is Bob, I'm a truck driver from the Victoria area and I spend ALOT of time on the ferries! I usually do 2 or 3 trips a week to Oregon from the island. I use the Coho as often as possible, but I also use BC ferries. I have developed a keen interest in our west coast ferries over the last few years. I will sometimes alter my schedule to ride on a preferred ship (new west, alberni...). This site has been a great resource for me to learn more about the ferries I love. Glad to be a member of the site! Thanks for your kind words. Question for you: - How difficult is it for a truck to load or offload the Coho at Victoria, with the tight turn on the side door ?
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Post by taverner on Jun 19, 2015 10:59:22 GMT -8
Loading in Victoria is a bit tougher than unloading. The crew on the Coho do an excellent job of guiding in the tight spots. The real challenge comes when there are lots of trucks and we need to load on both sides of the ship. I pull super-b (2 trailers). So backing into the bow to get to the other side is VERY tight. I need to curl the rear trailer around the pillar in the bow to have the room to get over... Lots of fun
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Post by taverner on Jun 22, 2015 20:10:39 GMT -8
Like this, just happens that I needed to be on the other side today, got another driver to snap a photo
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heretix
Deckhand
Former sailor, commercial driver and logistics administrator
Posts: 72
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Post by heretix on Jun 23, 2015 3:38:35 GMT -8
Cool. When I was a truck driver, I used to like challenges, too. I remember once on board the "Nørvøy" between Liabygda and Stranda on the Norwegian West Coast when I was hauling an extra tall 40' container and an inexperienced substitute crew member indicated that I should park my rig towards the side of the ferry instead of straight ahead. The inevitable happened and I touched the support beam for the deck above with a screeching noise. One of the regular deck hands came running and guided me to a place where there were a few centimeters of clearance. When I should pay for the fare, he jokingly claimed that I owed him for a litre of white paint as well... Photo copyright by Varre Fjell, Stranda, 1991.
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 23, 2015 5:55:54 GMT -8
Like this, just happens that I needed to be on the other side today, got another driver to snap a photo Welcome to the Forum 'Taverner'. Must say that is a shot of some dandy driving/parking acumen! I'll keep this photo in mind the next time I'm watching someone trying to parallel park a small vehicle in downtown Vancouver, which usually presents a major vehicle handling challenge. I suppose given the age of the 'Coho', any thoughts of giving her a front-load bow door is out of the question?
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Post by taverner on Jun 23, 2015 8:28:26 GMT -8
They won't change the boat, they are re-building the terminal on the Victoria side next year and continuing with side loading. Sounds like long term plans for side loading. It's really not that big of a deal even for us trucks. I've been on with as many as 12 other trucks.... Gets a bit complicated but the coho crew are great at managing it.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 23, 2015 8:33:46 GMT -8
They won't change the boat, they are re-building the terminal on the Victoria side next year and continuing with side loading. Sounds like long term plans for side loading. It's really not that big of a deal even for us trucks. I've been on with as many as 12 other trucks.... Gets a bit complicated but the coho crew are great at managing it. I've copied your Coho post and your fabulous photo over to our Coho thread.
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Post by westernflyer on Jun 26, 2015 16:19:06 GMT -8
Hi there I'm westernflyer. I've been a member for a while and made a few posts around this forum but have not yet taken the time to introduce myself. Better late than never, I suppose. I am originally from Powell River but I now live near Parksville on Vancouver Island. I have had a keen interest in water-borne transportation my whole life. Some of my favorite memories are of watching the North Island Princess and the Queen of Sidney do their evening dance at Westview terminal. I have a real soft spot for the Sidney as she was an important part of my life for many years. I was lucky enough to cross the Strait of Georgia on board her many times in the 90's. I still think she is a wonderful ship (despite her current situation) and an important part of BC's transportation history. I joined this forum because I have been consistently impressed by the contributions made by other members and I hope I can make a positive contribution here as well.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 26, 2015 16:48:39 GMT -8
Hi there I'm westernflyer. Welcome here ! I also rode Queen of Sidney many times across the strait in the 1990s, spending lots of studying-time sitting in the quiet upstairs lounge. I loved that secluded spot, that hardly anyone else knew about.
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Post by Kahloke on Jun 26, 2015 19:26:57 GMT -8
Welcome aboard, Westernflyer.
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Post by westernflyer on Jun 27, 2015 9:17:17 GMT -8
Thanks for the welcome. I think it's an interesting time here in BC and in Washington state and I look forward to participating in the coming discussions. I also rode Queen of Sidney many times across the strait in the 1990s, spending lots of studying-time sitting in the quiet upstairs lounge. I loved that secluded spot, that hardly anyone else knew about. I really liked the forward lounge on quiet sailings. If it was a busier sailing the secluded upstairs lounge was certainly the best place to be. I like the Burnaby too she's still a good ship but the Sidney was more enjoyable to travel on. I think she was well suited to route 17. If only she could have been treated to a life extension program like the QoNW.
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Post by Mike C on Jun 28, 2015 2:02:09 GMT -8
Hi there I'm westernflyer. I've been a member for a while and made a few posts around this forum but have not yet taken the time to introduce myself. Better late than never, I suppose. I am originally from Powell River but I now live near Parksville on Vancouver Island. I have had a keen interest in water-borne transportation my whole life. Some of my favorite memories are of watching the North Island Princess and the Queen of Sidney do their evening dance at Westview terminal. I have a real soft spot for the Sidney as she was an important part of my life for many years. I was lucky enough to cross the Strait of Georgia on board her many times in the 90's. I still think she is a wonderful ship (despite her current situation) and an important part of BC's transportation history. I joined this forum because I have been consistently impressed by the contributions made by other members and I hope I can make a positive contribution here as well. Welcome. May I ask what your avatar is? It looks to be a vessel concept designed in SketchUp, and it has piqued my curiosity.
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