Question: Ship Birthdays

[Deleted]

Does anyone know, or know where I could find out what the actual birthdays of our ferries are?

[Low Light Mike]

We had a recent debate about that, whether a ship's age is "from keel laying", or "from launch".

Are you wanting year, or month/day too?

You can like get keel-laying and/or launch dates from various sources on internet.

Google is as: "Queen of New Westminister" & "launched", and see what you come up with.

But we wary of the keel-lay vs launch issue

[Ferryman]

I'd recommend having a look in the book, "Queens of British Columbia", if you have a copy. The book was made in the early 70's, and there are pages in teh back of the book which will tell you, when the keel was layed, when it was launched, who it was launched by, and when it did its inaugural voyage. It's only useful for ferries built up until about 1973, which were a part of the BC Ferry system back then.

[Deleted]

Sigh... I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

I just thought it would be nice for the new year, to celebrate our ferry's birthdays, especially since some may be retiring soon. I was hoping to get an exact date, but from what you're telling me, there is no definitive date. It could be either keel-laid date, or launch date.

So, when Graham acknowledged the Queen of Capilano's birthday this past June (thread started June 1st), he was going by the date on the plaque of the ship? Dare I ask which date the plaque refers to?

Also...Thanks Chris! I found the chart at the back of the book!

[Dane]

First day of service would probably be the most relevent date for us?

[Deleted]

First day of service would probably be the most relevent date for us?

Yes. Looks like the "World Shipping Register" lists the DOB of the ships as their inaugural run date. At least, these are the dates that match the chart on pages 114-115 in the "Dogwood Fleet" book.

Bowen Queen......................................January 3, 1966
Queen of Saanich.................................February 9,1963
Spirit of British Columbia.......................February 1993
Spirit of Vancouver Island.....................February 19, 1994
Howe Sound Queen..............................March 1964
Kahloke.................................................March 1973
Klitsa.....................................................March 1972
North Island Princess............................March 1958
Quadra Queen II...................................March 1969
Queen of Esquimalt...............................March 31, 1963
Tachek...................................................March 1969
Tenaka...................................................March 1964
Queen of Cumberland............................April 1992
Queen of Vancouver...............................April 18, 1962
Quinsam.................................................April 1982
Skeena Queen........................................April 1997
Queen of Prince Rupert...........................May 20, 1966
Queen of Burnaby...................................May 26, 1965
Queen of Surrey......................................May 27, 1981
Queen of Alberni.....................................June 1976
Queen of Capilano..................................June 1991
Queen of Chilliwack................................June 1978
Queen of Coquitlam...............................June 1976
Queen of Oak Bay..................................June 1981
Queen of Nanaimo..................................June 5, 1964
Queen of Tsawwassen...........................June 15, 1960
Mill Bay....................................................June 27, 1956
Queen of Cowichan................................July 1976
Kwuna....................................................August 1975
Queen of New Westminster...................August 4, 1964
Powell River Queen................................August 25, 1965
Mayne Queen.........................................November 2, 1965
Quinitsa..................................................December 1977
Nimpkish.................................................1973

[Curtis]

I'm guessing these Inaugural Runs are first day of Sea Trials, because the Queen of Tsawwassen's Inaugural Run (First Day of Service) was June 15.

[Barnacle]

I recently acquired a large pile of magazines dating back as far as the 1940's about the industry... I can probably tighten up some of those dates if you give me a bit of time. ;D

[Deleted]

Oops! Sorry about Mill Bay. I searched our old forum postings especially for that one.

Please do tighten up these dates! I guess we are going for their first day in service, so if anybody has the info, go for it!

Also, the Nimpkish. I couldn't find a month. Only a year.

[NMcKay]

Klitsa -- 1972 /09 /28 - date of registry then how could she have run earlier?

Example:

Harbourlynx -- 2003 /09 /10 - She started running October 1 2003

[Ferryman]

I've just been doing some research around the net, and I came across the Canadian Ship Registry website. Their dates for the older ships aren't that accurate, because their certificates were updated about 10 years after they were built, and the V's had their certs updated when they were lifted in the 80s. Anyways, just thought I might post the dates for when their certificates expire, which just might just predict the retirement date for the ships. The ones with the asterisk, are the ones I think will have their dates extended.

Mill Bay: registered-1956 06 28, expires-2009 04 30
North Island Princess: 2009 04 30
Queen of Tsawwassen: 2009 04 30
Queen of Vancouver: 2009 04 30
Queen of Saanich: 2009 04 30
Queen of Esquimalt: 2009 04 30
Tenaka: 2009 04 30
*Queen of Nanaimo: 2009 04 30
*Queen of New Westminster: 2009 04 30
*Queen of Burnaby:2007 06 30
Powell River Queen: 2009 04 30
Mayne Queen: 2009 04 30
Bowen Queen: 2009 04 30
Queen of Prince Rupert: 2009 04 30
Queen of the North: registered-1980 04 21, expires-2009 04 30
Quadra Queen II: 2009 04 30
Tachek: 2009 04 30
Klitsa: 2009 04 30
Kahloke: 2009 04 30
Kwuna: 2009 04 30

More to come later........

For more info, check out...

www.tc.gc.ca/ShipRegistry/menu.asp?lang=e

[EGfleet]

First day of service for the Kahloke aka Langdale Queen: 27 June 1953.

[Deleted]

Happy Birthday Bowen Queen!

Wherever you are! The date may not be exactly right, but the sentiment is there...

[Neil]

No, we don't. Here, as elsewhere, keel laying dates are noted, but not used as the 'birthday' of a ship. And maritime history notes significant events in a ship's life as dating from launch, or commissioning.

[Northern Exploration]

Parts of the ship including the hull can be much older than the launch or commissioning date.

An interesting example, I can remember a tour of the Newport News Shipyard in Virginia where most of the Aircraft Carriers are built. The USS United States was there which competed for the one of the transatlantic crossing trophies, the Blue Ribband. The hull (maybe just the keel) and even the engines were to be used for an aircraft carrier that was never finished and was cancelled midconstruction. If I remember correctly the aircraft carrier was to be called the United States as well. After the materials sat around for a some years at the shipyard, someone got the idea to turn into a cruise ship and use it to go after the transatlantic crossing record. The extremely powerful engines made for one very fast ship. Part of the deal was that should a war happen it would be converted to a very fast troop ship and it was constructed to navy standards. It was tied up at the shipyard at the time waiting proposals on what to do with her.

Last I heard it was in Philadelphia and there were proposals for museums and even by Norwegian Cruise Lines to restore it and return it to shorter cruising. Long story short the date used for the ship is the launch date and not the date for the orginal hull etc.

[Northern Exploration]

I couldn't see anywhere documentation that the keel or hull were connected to the aircraft carrier. It was clearly what the tour guide said though. The engines were destined for the cancelled aircraft carrier for sure.

[EGfleet]

pnwtraveler said:

I couldn't see anywhere documentation that the keel or hull were connected to the aircraft carrier. It was clearly what the tour guide said though. The engines were destined for the cancelled aircraft carrier for sure.

A comprehensive history of the "Big U" can be found here:

ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/History.html

Incidentally, this is the same W.F. Gibbs who designed the Chinook, aka Sechelt Queen.