Bridges

[Ian]

Out of all the ferries which one has the best bridge, personally i think the spirits of the cumberland, on the spirits i like the big cruise ship feel and on the cap and the cumberland i like the fact that it's shaped like some sort of pod.

[The Ferry Man]

I like the Queen of Oak Bay and Surreys bridges for looks being at both ends of the ship and probably make docking easier but the problem is they really do stick out but i agree with royal caribean with the spirts and cumberland and capilano the fastcats had a neat bridge too it was like the spirits in a different layout

[Fenklebaum]

There are two wheelhouses that I'm quite fond of.

The Queen of Burnaby's bridge is a wonderful, spacious wheelhouse, with a gorgeous brass wheen in the centre. The view is breathtaking.

The Kahloke's wheelhouse is also a delight, as far as I'm concerned. Granted, it's very crowded, and if there are more than two people in there, cramped. However, it has a wonderful 360 view of the ship's surroundings, and is a space that I've found to be very condusive to conversation. Why, you might ask? Well, for the simple reason that because it's such a tight environment, one doesn't really have much of a choice when it comes to acknowledging another's presence in the wheelhouse.

I'm not a big fan of the huge 'cruise ship' type look, to be honest. It's never struck me as being particularly 'salty'.

Just my two cents

[Koastal Karl]

I would have to say my favorites would have to be the Spirits as well, and also the Cumberland and Capilano have neat ones too. I actually went on the Cumberland one year for my birthday and I got to to up on the bridge of the Cumberlan, which was really neat.

One question I have always wondered about the C class, can you access the wheelhouse from inside or do you have to go outside to get to the wheelhouse???

[NMcKay]

so you like the kahloke? so you like the klitsa,kulleet,klatawa,kwuna too? they all have the same bridge, just different layouts

[Ian]

I have been to the bridge twice on the queen of surey, one time at the #1 end and one time at the #2 end. You don't have to go outside but it's a lot faster cause you don't have to walk through the crowded pasenger deck.

[Ian]

Forgot something really cool, they let me steer the surrey for about 5-10 minutes, it was so cool.
And it was not in autohelm.

[Koastal Karl]

I also forgot, I got to go up to the bridge on the Queen of Victoria, one time just before we entered active pass coming from Tsawwassen and if I remember correctly they let me blast the ol horn on the Victoria. Really neat. Has anyone been up to the bridge on the Spirit's??? I was told once that you are not allowed to for some reason on the S class. But I think it would be neat to see the Spirits bridge.

[Fenklebaum]

Actually, Harbourlynx Kid, I do like all of them.

And with the unfortunate exception of the Kwuna, which I would dearly love to ride on, I have not only ridden on all of those ferries, but I have been to all of their wheelhouses. And while they are indeed identical in layout, there are subtle differences. I suppose I refer to the Kahloke's bridge, as she's a ferry which I have spent many a day riding on.

[Ian]

wow i think i'd rather pull the horn than steer, i love those old horns, any way Karl asked about the spirit bridges, they are very spacious with the main two person center consoloe and two small consoles on each wing next to the glass plate in the floor. they have two couches on each wing as well and a very small ugly wheel behind the center console, when i went up there they were very busy so i only had a few minutes to look around, the bridge is that of a small cruise ship.

[NMcKay]

ive been up there several times. that comes with having a dad who knows everybody. I even got to blow the horn in and out of active pass.

[Dane]

I did my job shadow day at High school on the Spirit of BC in 00, 01, and 02.

[Curtis]

Once again reviving a old topic from over a month ago
ive been on the Chilliwack's bridge once. nice place up there and I got to see them dock her at Earls Cove and watch the bow door open fun experience it really was.

[Koastal Karl]

Dane, you actually got to do a job shadow on the SOBC??? That must of been neat. I tried to get work experience on the ferries out of Swartz Bay but I was told they dident do work experience. But maybe a job shadow is different. I remember John H said he did work experience on the Capilano. That would of also been to neat too. I would of love to have done work experience or a job shadow program on the Cumberland or Saanich or SOVI. That would of been neat. I am out of school now have been for two years but, how did you go about getting that placement?? Just curious!

[Ferryman]

I have to hurry up and decide what to do for work experience for school and i never thought of working on a ferry for that and 30 hrs for as a volunteer. But ive only seen the bridge of Queen of Alberni and Newwest and that was a pretty awesome experience and i remember telling the chief stewerd i wanted the captain to sign the postcard for those ferries

[BrianWilliams]

The only bridge I have visited was Chilliwack's on the long ride to Bella Coola. The posts above encourage me to ask for a visit on other routes .. that will be a treat.

Chilliwack was a shock at first. Wheel? Where's the wheel? Just four little joysticks controlling the legs .. and about 5 million dollars' worth of navigation gear keeping us off the rocks (plus the skill of her sharp crew).

[Ferryman]

???The Chilliwack has Joysticks instead of a wheel? hmm i guess I gotta do more research seeming it looks like theres more to alot of these ferries seeming other smaller ferries have it too as I have just found out

[Curtis]

I didn't notice joysticks when I was on the bridge of the Chilliwack although it was a few years ago

[NMcKay]

yeah. the Chilliwack has the same Z drive technology used on the klitsa, and kahloke

[Ian]

The new radiance class cruise ships of royal caribbean have z drive. Well really there called azipods, and the ship is drivin by a joystick, a 90000 ton ship drivin by a joystick.

[NMcKay]

yeah it kinda freaks me out to know a 90000 ton ship is driven like a video game

[Political Incorrectness]

Hey its new technology the biggest used to be the Disney ships