C Class in Active Pass, again

[Dane]

I posed this as a question on the Yahoo! Group, but basically if the Fast Cats had worked the C Class would be on Route 1, right now, as I write this. Except 1 for Langdale and 1 out of Departure Bay. This I learned today from the wonderful staff on the Queen of Coquitlam.

[Koastal Karl]

That would of been cool!! I would get to ride the C class more often if they were on route 1.

[Curtis]

Only thing is BCF won't allow it but the Alberni went through Active Pass many times so the C's could go through they just need a experiened captain.

[kylefossett]

it is not that bc ferries does not allow the c class ferries to transit active pass it is transport canada(tc) that does not allow them. the c class ferry must go into mode 2 by law to make this passage, to do so they have to be in this mode before the pass and this is about 2 miles out on the strait side. this slow down the trip for the ferry and they lose time in the crossing. the findings by tc after the alberni hit the rocks in active pass was that she was in mode 1 and this limited her mobility. they continued to use c class ferries on this route after the accident but in mode to and found this to slow them down. and now when you see a c class at swartz bay it is usually there because it just came out of the shipyard in esquimalt and is getting ready to go back into service. somebody said this is where the crew will put their cars on. the c class will then go to the strait by way of south of saturna.

[Low Light Mike]

2 questions:

1) Is "mode 2" where the V-class would slow down, and the ferry-worker would uncover the anchor chains & stand-by at the front of the ship?

2) Kyle: can't you get your RCMP friends to pay a visit to Transport-Canada and scare them into changing the regulations (just kidding).

oops, here's a 3rd question:
- is Porlier Pass even tougher for a ferry to navigate than Active Pass? Or would this be impossible to go thru for a major ferry?

[kylefossett]

i have been through porlier a few times in a 22 footer and have seen tugs go through but i think it might be to do with the back eddys and the tide for why it is not used. the queen of sidney did go through there eventually after waiting off active pass for a few hours when the alberni went up on the rocks.

i am unsure about the mode 1 an d mode 2 this is just info passed on to me from people i know with in the ferry corporation. it haws something to do with the operation mode of the engines. what you are seeing with the deckhand at the anchors is in case there is trouble and they have to drop anchor. you would hate for the ferry engines to die in active pass and drift on to the rocks. they also do this when they are coming into the docks.

[Doug]

Mode 2 is using the propeller at the bow of the vessel to pull the ship. Obviously, it's slower.

[Ferryman]

Porlier Pass is a crazy pass to go through. We would always go fishing along there in our 16' boat and the currents are high all of the time and theres lots of rocks that you have to look out for. It's basically like a river in the Straight of Georgia. I don't even know how they were lucky enough getting Queen of Sidney through there on the day Queen of Alberni went up on the rocks. I watched the tug and barges go through there many times and they have to constantly honk their horns at other small pleasure crafts that are trying to get through. Somebody explained what mode 1 and 2 were on the yahoo site, i'll try to find it and post it on here.

[Ferryman]

This is what somebody posted on the Yahoo site about how the C-Class had to go through Active Pass.

the TSB investigation revealed just how
little steering control the C's had while in mode 1 operation. This
was a significant factor in the grounding of the Alberni. Transport
Canada immediately ruled at that time that the C's could no longer
transit the pass in mode 1, that they must slow up the vessel and
engage mode 2 prior to entering the pass (about 1 mile out). This
mode of operation reduces the vessels top speed, and burns more
fuel. Although they did this for awhile, it wasn't very long before
the decision was made to put them on route 2 instead, and go back to
the V class on route 1 as the C's now had a very hard time keeping
the schedule. This is also one of the primary reasons that Duke
Point was conceived, to make a permanent home for the Alberni, as it
was too long of a run from Tsawwassen to Departure Bay, and they
didn't want all the trucks going through Horshoe Bay either due to
the accidents on the hill etc.

[Ferryman]

Oh and mode 1 is regular speed ;D

[kylefossett]

yeah it was my uncle that took the sid thru porlier. my cousin spent the day in his boat at active pass watching all the excitement. my uncle did a lot of things with the gulf island ferry that most would not think of. took the nanny into montague and such

[Ferryman]

Your Uncle took the Sidney through Porlier Pass! Did he really have any trouble manageing that? That would of been weird to be fishing and watching the Queen of Alberni go by and then seeing her go up on the rocks.

[kylefossett]

my cousin went to active pass after the alberni hit the rocks. vancouver traffic told my uncle to take the sid thru porlier after they sat at active on the mayne side for 4 hours

[Balfour]

I remember Montague Harbour always being crowded with a marina. The only time I ever went to Galiano Island, The Ferry terminal wasn't in use, but everything was still there. Manoevering the Nanny into Montague must tough considering her size.

[kylefossett]

the uncle got into trouble for taking the nanny to montague

[Ian]

How much will the super c-class hull differ from that of a spirit class or a regular c-calss.

[Ian]

It will go deeper into the water, the difficulty is having a bow on each end and at the same time having a stern on each end.

[NMcKay]

you do know your replying to your own question

[Ian]

I know it's just that i posted it because i found out. Looks sort of stupid, ehh.

[NMcKay]

Not really. better thasn us posting the answer for you