Queen of Tsawwassen on Rte. 1???

[CN2972South]

Hey all,

According to AM 730 the Queen of Tsawwassen was running 20 minutes late on the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay run tonight.

I take it they were mistaking it for the Queen of Vancouver??

[Koastal Karl]

Queen of Tsawwassen is on route 9 TSA to the Gulf Island not TSA to Swartz Bay! Dont listen to the media! They never get things right!!

Queen of Vancouver wasent running tonight anyways! She was this morning but not tonight! The Queen of Saanich is replacing the SOVI!

[CN2972South]

Queen of Tsawwassen is on the Gulf Island run? For how long? I think I might have to take a trip to Saltspring on her.

[Dane]

The Nan's in North Van next to L'Dale Quay, if anyone wants to see her. Seemed like an appropriate enough place to post that.

[Scott]

To take this thread in a different direction, I think it would be nice (if possible) to celebrate BC Ferries' 50th anniversary and the retiring of the Queen of Tsawwassen with the Queen of Tsawwassen making special sailings between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay in the summer of 2010. I think they want the Tsawwassen out of service before then, but in my opinion, it would be a nice way to celebrate the occassion. And in our little ferry dream world, she'd be painted for the last time in her original colors and fly the dogwood flag:)

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Finally! Now that would be one group trip I could probably make! As long as it is in February 2010.

[Curtis]

Now that would be a trip to remember. The Queen of Tsawwassen, in her Original Colours, on her Original Route. I would probably do that and snap a bunch of Photos.

[Ferryman]

The Tsawwassen hasn't been on Route 1 for years. If BC Ferries actually went through the effort to paint the Ferry back in her original paint scheme, I'd expect every single BC Ferries Fan to witness her sailing her through Active Pass. It would be even better if they could paint up the Sidney in the colours too, and tow her through the pass ;D.

[Koastal Karl]

lol! The old crippled Sidney being towed through active pass as the Queen of Tsawwassen passes by. That would definately be a cool sight to see but I dont see BC Ferries doing that. Definately would make for a big ferry forum trip!

[Hardy]

admin said:

To take this thread in a different direction, I think it would be nice (if possible) to celebrate BC Ferries' 50th anniversary and the retiring of the Queen of Tsawwassen with the Queen of Tsawwassen making special sailings between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay in the summer of 2010. I think they want the Tsawwassen out of service before then, but in my opinion, it would be a nice way to celebrate the occassion. And in our little ferry dream world, she'd be painted for the last time in her original colors and fly the dogwood flag:)

Who do we threaten to kill to get this to happen??

HEY BCFS -- people will pay a reservation fee AND a premium if you can pull THIS rabbit out of a hat! How many paid reservations would we need to fund JUST the paint job?

;D

[Scott]

hardy said:

Who do we threaten to kill to get this to happen??

HEY BCFS -- people will pay a reservation fee AND a premium if you can pull THIS rabbit out of a hat! How many paid reservations would we need to fund JUST the paint job?

;D

Hey, BC Ferries is pretty good at adding extra fees, it shouldn't be a problem for them:) How about a paint-surcharge just to pay for it?

Oh, and don't forget the environmental fee for the paint!

[WettCoast]

Great idea. I would want to be aboard for that trip. Chance of BCFS's being imaginitive enough to contemplate such an idea - ZERO!

[Retrovision]

admin said:

To take this thread in a different direction, I think it would be nice (if possible) to celebrate BC Ferries' 50th anniversary and the retiring of the Queen of Tsawwassen with the Queen of Tsawwassen making special sailings between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay in the summer of 2010. I think they want the Tsawwassen out of service before then, but in my opinion, it would be a nice way to celebrate the occassion. And in our little ferry dream world, she'd be painted for the last time in her original colors and fly the dogwood flag:)

At the end of the last Queen of Nanaimo refit, while aboard the Queen of Tsawwassen sailing the Southern Gulf Islands, I was informed of a credible rumour by a crew member about BCFerries possibly keeping the Queen of Tsawwassen in service a further 2 years beyond the date they were already planning to retire her. I thought this would be an appropriate time/place to mention this.

[Hardy]

Let's recap then ... for this "fantasy" schedule to take place, putting the Queen of Tsawwassen back on route 1 to celebrate the Olympics, 50th anniversary etc ....

a) FUEL surcharge
b) RESERVATION FEE
c) SPECIAL EVENT FEE
d) PAINT surcharge
e) ENVIRONMENTAL LEVY
f) FUN tax
g) FAINT-HOPE surtax
h) HISTORICAL PRESERVATION cost
....and.....
i) DOGWOOD CARPET TACKS (tax?)

Booooo ---- hisss....... :-)

[hergfest]

Somebody on here said they are keeping the Queen of Tsawwassen around for a training ship at Duke Point once they are done with her.

[Retrovision]

hergfest said:

Somebody on here said they are keeping the Queen of Tsawwassen around for a training ship at Duke Point once they are done with her.

I remember that rumour too, months ago, but this more recent rumour specifically mentioned her as being possibly used as an extra vessel. Of course these are all only rumours, but David Hahn did mention plans of developing an in-house training program at the last AGM.

[Northern Exploration]

Murphy's Law was mentioned in another post. I can see the headlines now. "Queen of
Sidney Sinks in Active Pass While Under Tow. Route expected to be blocked for years."

[Hardy]

pnwtraveler said:

Murphy's Law was mentioned in another post. I can see the headlines now. "Queen of
Sidney Sinks in Active Pass While Under Tow. Route expected to be blocked for years."

Nah -- pretty good, but not enough flair - not unrealistic enough. Watch "The A-Team" and try again .... ;D


<overactive childhood imagination>


"Queen of Sidney snaps tow lines" while under tow in Active Pass, strikes SOVI fresh out of refit, slashes her at a critical height due to the size disparity in the two vessels. While rescue efforts are underway for the fully loaded SOVI, Sidney continues to drift eventually getting in the way of Duke Point->Tsawwassen vessel. Strikes and sinks Alberni before grounding herself at the western approach to YVR.



I could try to throw a failed "lassoo-ing" attempt in there by a Seaspan unit, just to add trains to the mix too

Of course, I couldn't read a tidal chart if you explained one to me, so the above is probably highly unlikely. But then again so was a newly upgraded Oakie doing the infamous BumpStop; or two people supposedly fornicating the North into her watery grave.....

</overactive childhood imagination>

[Cool Ray]

I heard some information the other day from a man who works for the Washington Marine Group stating that BC Ferries will likely keep the Tsawwassen in service until 2011.

He gave no reason why BC Ferries will keep the 47 year old ship in service for another three years.

However, I got my own explanation.

Starting in the summer of 2008 the Tsawwassen will take over the Friday and Sunday/Holiday summer Tsawwassen-Gulf Island supplemental run, (Freeing the Bowen Queen to be used elsewhere, maybe to replace the Howe Sound Queen on the Cofton-Vesuvius route, or the North Island Princess for the summer months on the Powell River-Texada route, or the
Quinitsa for the summer months on the Buckley Bay-Denman route.) in the winter she can take over for the Burnaby, the Nanaimo and the new Imtermedlate class vessel(s) during their annual refits. Likely by 2011 the first of the new vessels to replace
the Tsawwassen, Nanaimo and Burnaby will be entering service, and the then 51 year old vessel will be retired.

Tha all for now.

Cool Ray.

[Curtis]

From what I think, they have to keep her in service, because what will supplement the Queen of Burnaby and Queen of Nanaimo? The New Intermidiate Vessel? There isn't any enclosed vessels they can use...Unless somebody decided to put the "V" Class to use by relieving PR-Comox and Tsawwassen-SGI. Would be quite the site seeing a "V" Class at Westview Terminal, Powell River.
But until they decide that the V Class can be used for that purpose. It's gong to be hard to find a suitable vessel to do those routes in stormy weather.

Come to think of it I wonder what's going to relieve the New Intermidiate Vessel?

[Cool Ray]

Here are my reasons why BC Ferries will be keeping the Tsawwassen around till 2011.

The Saanich burns 25 to 30% more fule per-hour then the Nanaimo and the Burnaby, while the
Tsawwassen burns 10% less fule per-hour than those two ships.

The Saanich will need 2 additional crew members to keep the minimum passenger
capacity of the Nanaimo and the Burnaby, while the Tsawwassen can sail with the same amount
of crew as those two ships, with the same minimum passenger capacity.

The Saanich can’t dock at Surdies Bay, Little River or Westview terminals during a “Force 3”
gale (or any thing over) without risking destroying a good number of dolphins while trying to do
so. The Nanaimo and Burnaby can still dock at those terminals in a “Force 3” gale, while there's a
story of the Sidney (the Tsawwassen twin-sister) docking a both Little River and Westview during a
“Force 5”.

The Chilliwack's slower then the Nanaimo and Burnaby so keeping to those ships' schedules
would be next to impossible, while the Tsawwassen operates at the same speed as those two ships.

The Chilliwack is a nightmare for the crew to load, meaning that this factor will add to a longer
schedule when compared to the Nanaimo and Burnaby, while the Tsawwassen is a dream to
load.

Chilliwack is too small to replace Nanaimo and Burnaby, 110 cars compared to the 130 cars
on the Tsawwassen.

The Chilliwack taking over for either the Nanaimo or Burnaby during refit season will be as
popular with their passengers as a “Little House on the Prairie” cast member (Who’s not
Melissa Gilbert*.) showing up at a “Doctor Who” convention. That ship now sucked #ss.

That's all for now, be seeing you.

Cool Ray.

(* She rumored to be a huge fan of “Doctor Who”.)

[Neil]

One of the reasons the Tsawwassen is disposable is because it is, indeed, a nightmare to load- that's one of the reasons the Jervis Inlet route is so chronically behind schedule. It's car lanes are so narrow, the listed capacity is a fiction, unless they waste time shoehorning the cars on. Also, it has to turn around, which negates a good part of any speed advantage it might have.

[Cool Ray]

hornbyguy said:

One of the reasons the Tsawwassen is disposable is because it is, indeed, a nightmare to load- that's one of the reasons the Jervis Inlet route is so chronically behind schedule. It's car lanes are so narrow, the listed capacity is a fiction, unless they waste time shoehorning the cars on. Also, it has to turn around, which negates a good part of any speed advantage it might have.

That's true, however the Chilliwack is ten times worst then the Tsawwassen to load. Her capacity was originally 115 cars, then when she was rebuild for the Mid-Coast route it was reduced
to 110. One of the engineers on the Jervis Inlet route told me that they should reduce her to 90 cars while
on that route so she make the schedule.

One good thing about the Tsawwassen remaining to 2011 is that she will be used mostly in the
slow travel refit season. Maybe between early November till a week or so before Christmas on
the Tsawwassen-Gulf Islands Route, from the second Monday in January till mid-February on the
Comox-Powell River route, then from mid-February-till a week or so before the Easter weekend
on the Jervis Inlet route. Then she will likely show up as the Fridays-Sundays-Holiday ship on the
Tsawwassen-Gulf Islands Route, that has a reservation system.

That's all for now, be seeing you.

Cool Ray