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Post by Ferryman on Jul 22, 2007 16:54:14 GMT -8
There's been alot of discussion of the soon to be retired Queen of Esquimalt in other threads, so we should try and filter it all into this one. But please save the photos you have, of the Esquimalt, for the designated threat in the "Ferry Photos" section of the Forum.
A summary:
A few months ago we heard a rumour that the Queen of Esquimalt will be laid up this winter, and eventually retired early next year, once one or two Coastal Ferries are in service. This rumour has slowly become more and more true as time has gone past, as her lack of exterior maintenance is really starting to show.
Last month, Karl, Scott, and myself had the opportunity to wander around the Esquimalt while she sat in Berth 1 at Departure Bay, awaiting to be thrown into minimal summer service between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay. A sign of a nearing retirement, was that the ships bell at the bow has already been removed. The bell on the Port side Bridge wing is still attached. Her outer decks are quite rusty, as alot of the paint has peeled off, and in places, the cement layer (?) on top of the deck plates has cracked, or formed pot hole like areas. On the roof, it was obvious that she's had problems with leaks, as there was probably a few hundred leaky spots over the past decade or more, judging by the different colours of paint and small pieces of steel welded on. Although, the interior was the same as I've always remembered it, and the average person would just think it was just an old boat.
A few nights ago, a forum member has stated that the Esquimalt will be retired by being sent out to Turkey to be scrapped. We won't know if this is actually true, until it actually happens, or some sort of News Release comes out.
A bit of history to the Queen of Esquimalt:
In 1963 she was the final ship to be launched, as what we call a V-Class nowadays. The 3 very similar sister ships built after her became classed as a B-Class. She was also the second ship to be initially given the "Queen of" prefix before her name. I'd say she was on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen Route probably full time for 3/4 of her service life. She was the first one to be stretched in the early 70's, and one of the last to be lifted in the early 80s. By the early 90s, the Spirits of BC and VI entered service on the Swartz Bay - Tsawwassen route, so the Esquimalt and her sister, Queen of Victoria were moved up Island to provide supplemental service on the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay route, or Departure Bay to Tsawwassen route, which eventually was changed to Duke Point to Tsawwassen route. At the odd time, either of the two ships got to be brought back down to their initial route to provide service for a short time. Of course the Victoria was the first V-Class to finally leave BC Ferries, which was sold, and eventually scrapped 6 years after being sold from BC Ferries in 2000. 7 years later, it's now the Esquimalts turn to be retired.
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Mirrlees
Voyager 
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Jul 22, 2007 20:38:13 GMT -8
The thing that really "irks" me about the Esquimalt's impending retirement is the fact that this shouldn't have had to happen this way. I know that BCF made some really BAD decisions in the past and;some ships have paid the price dearly. We now have BCFS and they are slowly trying to right the past but,the same ships are still getting the "shaft".  The new company promised that things would get better although, not for the Esqimalt. Had they kept up her PM by giving her a regular crew then, she would have been just as viable as Saanich/Vancouver. Being able to serve out the last year or two with her sisters.  |
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Post by Curtis on Jul 22, 2007 21:59:35 GMT -8
The thing that really "irks" me about the Esquimalt's impending retirement is the fact that this shouldn't have had to happen this way. I know that BCF made some really BAD decisions in the past and;some ships have paid the price dearly. We now have BCFS and they are slowly trying to right the past but,the same ships are still getting the "shaft". The new company promised that things would get better although, not for the Esqimalt. Had they kept up her PM by giving her a regular crew then, she would have been just as viable as Saanich/Vancouver. Being able to serve out the last year or two with her sisters. You do realize next summer there might not be a V Class in service. And BTW September 3rd Might not be the Esquimalt's last Sailing. if the trend of her acting as holiday relief continues...Though I guess there won't be a C Class in MLU...Has anyone considered that she'll replace the New West during her 3/4 Life Upgrade? |
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Post by Ferryman on Jul 22, 2007 22:09:28 GMT -8
...Has anyone considered that she'll replace the New West during her 3/4 Life Upgrade? The Coquitlam is eligable for this. Before any of the C's went through MLU's, the Coquitlam would sometimes replace the New West during annual refits. Ah, those were the days seeing two C's on Route 30 in expo colours... |
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Post by Ferry Rider 42 on Jul 22, 2007 23:02:23 GMT -8
I disagree with a number of you. BCF management has made the correct decision not to invest a dime into the Esquimalt. The plan for the future was plotted long ago, and it didn’t include this particular boat. Once that decision was made, it only makes sense to reduce maintenance to only the essentials. I’m sure a cost / benefit analysis was done to see if there where any other practical uses for the old girl, the results of which we can assume pointed to ‘no’. BCF doesn’t seem to be throwing money around, and I suspect they wouldn’t be sending a boat to the scrap heap just for the hell of it.
As mentioned, dream of expansion will have to wait just a few months longer. But common guys, let the old girl sleep, she’s looking mighty tired.
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Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Jul 22, 2007 23:03:03 GMT -8
The thing that really "irks" me about the Esquimalt's impending retirement is the fact that this shouldn't have had to happen this way. I know that BCF made some really BAD decisions in the past and;some ships have paid the price dearly. We now have BCFS and they are slowly trying to right the past but,the same ships are still getting the "shaft". The new company promised that things would get better although, not for the Esqimalt. Had they kept up her PM by giving her a regular crew then, she would have been just as viable as Saanich/Vancouver. Being able to serve out the last year or two with her sisters. You do realize next summer there might not be a V Class in service. And BTW September 3rd Might not be the Esquimalt's last Sailing. if the trend of her acting as holiday relief continues...Though I guess there won't be a C Class in MLU...Has anyone considered that she'll replace the New West during her 3/4 Life Upgrade? I stand corrected.  |
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Post by hergfest on Jul 23, 2007 7:09:14 GMT -8
The biggest reason to put a C-Class in for the New West is so they can keep the schedule. And with no C-Class in MLU this year, they will actually have the extra boat for it.
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Post by Ian on Jul 23, 2007 9:15:16 GMT -8
I think it will be the Vancouver to go before the Esquimalt. A year or so ago I was talking to a worker onboard the Vancouver who said this and the reason was that in terms of performance the Esquimalt bests the Vancouver. If this is true, who knows ?
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,887 
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 23, 2007 13:27:20 GMT -8
So this means we should plan some group trips focused on the remaining V-Class vessels in service.
And...
When some sort of Circlepac trip gets underway, we should make sure we take the Esquimalt en route to Powell River if she is on the Langdale run so that as many of us as possible get one more chance to sail with her.
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Post by NMcKay on Jul 27, 2007 12:11:16 GMT -8
why would they keep the tswassen...shes the oldest.
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Post by Retrovision on Jul 27, 2007 12:26:48 GMT -8
why would they keep the tswassen...shes the oldest. worth maintaining? |
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Post by NMcKay on Jul 27, 2007 17:49:56 GMT -8
no. they cant even keep her transport canada certified past 2010, the engineers need to work in breating masks.....shes the oldest and the least worth maintaining, shes also got the smallest capacity of the larger vessels....
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,080
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Post by Nick on Jul 27, 2007 18:03:30 GMT -8
There is also a rumour of using the saanich or equimalt as a commercial trailer-only service (similar to seaspan), so who knows. From what I have heard, they have just extended the esquimalt's service for another 2 years.
The Tsawwassen has been maintained a lot better than the esquimalt has in recent years. The esquimalt has only had the bare essentials done to her for the past 10 years, as her planned service life has been extended so many times.
BTW, Tsawwassen is apparently next to go after the esquimalt.
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 27, 2007 19:46:32 GMT -8
If you get rid of the Tsawwassen what will you use for a replacement vessel during refit season on the Tsw - Gulf Is, Comox - Powell River & Jervis Inlet routes. A 'V'?, the Nimpkish? What?
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Post by Balfour on Jul 27, 2007 21:14:42 GMT -8
I guess we'll have to squeeze a few more months out of the Queen of Tsawassen then.
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Post by Hardy on Jul 27, 2007 23:09:59 GMT -8
If you get rid of the Tsawwassen what will you use for a replacement vessel during refit season on the Tsw - Gulf Is, Comox - Powell River & Jervis Inlet routes. A 'V'?, the Nimpkish? What? I would say (and I am only guessing) that it would be the Vancouver or the Saanich; Would this not make the most amount of sense, using a V to replace a B? Just don't utilize the upper car deck .... |
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Post by Ferryman on Jul 28, 2007 0:10:41 GMT -8
Perhaps the Queen of Chilliwack will be the B-Class replacement in the winter during refits, etc...? There hasn't been any confirmed times for the replacement of the Chilliwack. So once that new I-Class is on Route 7 (Earls Cove - Saltery Bay), that gives the Chilliwack winters off I'd assume? Either that, or the New I-Class would be brought down to handle Route 9, and the Comox-Powell River routes when the primary vessels for those routes are out of service.
Also, when the Queen of Chilliwack was first purchased by BCF, wasn't she started off with handling Route 9 for a small period of time?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2007 2:33:09 GMT -8
I was on the Chilliwack, when she was doing the route from Swartz bay to Pender Island. A few years back.
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 28, 2007 7:13:06 GMT -8
The Chilliwack's speed (or lack there of) would be an issue, esp on route 9, but it is maybe doable. Will the new I class be certified for Georgia St. crossings during the fall-winter-spring periods?
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Post by Coastal Canuck on Jul 28, 2007 7:19:15 GMT -8
my guess is that the Queen of Chilliwack will fill in for the new I class for the new I class's refit and then the New I class will fill in for the Queen of Burnaby for it's refit and then after that the Queen of Burnaby will fill in for the Queen of Nanaimo for it's refit then every boat goes back to there normal routes and the Queen of Chilliwack would have its refit, then go up North for the summer
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 28, 2007 8:30:19 GMT -8
Also, when the Queen of Chilliwack was first purchased by BCF, wasn't she started off with handling Route 9 for a small period of time? I know that she was on Route-5 (Swartz to S.G.I.) for the beginning of her BC Ferries career.... |
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Post by Mac Write on Jul 28, 2007 13:56:54 GMT -8
So the Esquimalt's pending retirement has been cancelled?
I thought the Tsawwassen was going to be used as a training ship (rumored)?
The new I-class I thought was going to be on Route 7 year round?
Seems the Chiliwack will replace the Tsawwassen as the "Spare" ship if the new I-Class is indeed full-time on route 7. This is my guess based on the chiliwack not being on route 7 anymore.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 28, 2007 15:58:03 GMT -8
So the Esquimalt's pending retirement has been cancelled? I think that the only thing we know for certain, is that we won't know the placement of ships, until it happens. And we won't know if the placement is short-term or long-term permanent, until some time has passed. (this zen moment brought to you by Coastal-Baltar, head of Cylon-Ferries tyranny.....) |
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Post by Hardy on Jul 29, 2007 19:32:48 GMT -8
LOL -- the only certain thing is uncertainty? Is this what I am reading now? The only constant is change? Hehehehe ... oh well, heck, this is what I have been espousing. It just irks me, when you don't do regular PM on something and then it wastes away and later you pour obscene amounts of money into it. I know that scheduled obsolecence is a common business practice, but it sure does turn out to limit your options -- leaving you painted in a corner if you want to coin a phrase. Sure leaves you with a whole lot less wiggle room!
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Post by shipyard on Aug 12, 2007 10:47:49 GMT -8
I noticed yesterday that her CG certificate expires Nov 1. 2007, so by that date we should know if she'll be recertified, or if that is the end.
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