MV Coho

[Koastal Karl]

Actually both the international vessels are on the Saun Jaun runs now. The Elwha is doing her regular schedule minus the route to Sidney and the Evergreen State is filling in for the Sealth. So they are both on the island runs.

[Dane]

Yes, but it has still been scheduled, Im curios if the ship running aground has screwed them up but the maint. has been scheduled for quite some time.

[lest69]

The ferry terminal couldn't be moved back to Ogden Point because the old Princess Marg terminal has been removed and converted to a cruise ship terminal. A replacement for the Coho would still have to go to the inner harbour.

[Koastal Karl]

It would also get very congested at Ogden Point in the summer as we have at the most, 3 cruise ships at a time visting on Saturday nights. Well last summer at least. Probably wouldent be any more room to have the Coho dock there. Although the Princess Margurite did in the summer months when cruise ships where there but I dont think we had as many cruise ships visiting back then.

[NMcKay]

the coho does a fine job. she was built and designed for the job she does. and she does it well

[Koastal Karl]

Yes, the Coho does do a fine job. She is a tough ol gal and you very rarely see her sailings cancelled due to high winds or even mechanical difficulties. But she only runs once or twice in the off season. From February 28th to March 13th she will be out of service for her annual refit.

[NMcKay]

yeah, and with the Clipper IV and the Coho out, youd have to drive all the way to Tswassen to go to victoria

[Koastal Karl]

Is the Clipper IV out of service??? I dident know that. Dont forget the Elwha to From Sidney to Anacortes.

[NMcKay]

the elwhas outta service after the sealth ran aground, and the clippers going out for CSI.

[Koastal Karl]

The Elwha never went out of service on the international run because the Sealth ran aground. They announced the cancellation before christmas, the Sealth running aground came after. They were planning on the run being cancelled until March.

[NMcKay]

yeah...i thought they hauled the elwha outta service to continue the run the sealth ran on....but i think the walla walla's doing that now...right?

[Koastal Karl]

Actually I dont think the Walla Wall is in the Saun Juans. Last time I checked the Evergreen State was doing the sailings. That's odd because I have never seen the Elwha and the Evergreen State on the same routes out of Anacortes.

[clay]

Regarding the Coho, the reason she's still doing the Victoria-Port Angeles route after all this time is because of the design of her bow and the fact that she's been so well maintained by Black Ball. You never, ever see any rust streaking on her hull, she's drydocked for two weeks annually for maintainance, and she's re-engined every 15-20 years. As for her bow, I've sailed on her during some pretty hairy crossings, which makes it obvious as to why there isn't a big opening there with a lip (sponson) to scoop up water and flood the car deck. A "Burnaby" class ship on this run would shovel the sea into her belly faster than greased whale crap in an ice flow. Period. ;D

[clay]

Also, the Coho is a mighty fine looking ferry, especially compared to most of the others in these parts. She actually looks like a ship, not some scow that's had half a dozen modifications done to it ( Queen of the North and Spirit class ships notwithstanding ). Does anyone remember the C.P.R ferry Princess of Vancouver which used to sail between Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver? Now there was a handsome ship. I remember going on her as a kid and thinking it seemed more like a cruise ship than a ferry. It even had a bar on board! A CAR ferry with a BAR!! Well, they were pre-counter attack times. Incredible.

[NMcKay]

yeah....Starting the 3Q of this year. they are supposed to start serving drinks aboard the MV Harbourlynx too. and well....shes no scow. shes a racing ship. doing 30 - 35 knots from vancouver to nanaimo

[Low Light Mike]

Hey Clay, I fondly remember the Princess of Vancouver, too. We only travelled her when the BC Ferries were on strike.....it must have been sometime in the mid 70's.

I remember thinking that the upper car deck was so neat, how you entered the ship from the side, and drove in a circle.

I remember running down the stairs to the bottom truck deck, and seeing the really big rail cars on the bottom deck.

I remember a forward lounge, that you accessed by walking thru the upper car deck, and also an upstairs seating lounge too.

I also remember the docking-process at Nanaimo, how she'd come in beside the dock, and throw the rope to shore, and then back into her berth (probably that's how all the ferries back-in, but I remember thinking that was pretty neat.....I was a kid).

[clay]

Yep, the P of V was a fine old boat, and I too remember accessing the forward lounge through the car deck. It took me ages to figure out how to get there, and I remember the trippy psychedelic upholstery on the chairs. That boat was like a maze to get around in, very strange interior design. The 2 and 1/2 hour crossing time was what really killed this service. It did seem like it took half a day to get across the strait, especially when you were used to B.C.F.'s 95 minute service with the C-Class. The old Queen of Tswassen and Nanaimo, which were also on Dep. Bay-H. Bay in those days took about 110 minutes. Remember the Queen of the North on this run (Queen of Surrey in those days)?

[Ian]

Wow that pre-dates me!

[NMcKay]

it definitly predates me. i dont think i was even a sparkle in my daddys eye back then

[clay]

Yeah, the Queen of the North was purchased in 1975, I think, when the N.D.P. was in power in the 70's. They rushed her into service right away to deal with the summer season without much more than a new paint job, so what we had was a cruise style ferry with a disco on board (unused, of course) on Dep. Bay-H. Bay! Of course, she was totally unsuitable for this route (N.D.P, remember), and languished at Deas Dock until put on the northern run in 1980.

[midnightrider]

I just had to add my thoughts to this board. WSF did operate the Victoria - Port Angeles run for a time. In the period between Black Ball Line's withdrawal of MV Chinook and the arrival of Black ball Transport's Coho. WSF placed the one true flagship, the Kalakala on the run.

[Koastal Karl]

I was just reading this, thought it might be interesting to share.

www.victoriaharbour.org/news/Final%20Report%20on%20VHIFT.pdf

About plans for a new ferry terminal for the Coho.

[Curtis]

Nice! I just read all of it

[Balfour]

Interesting.

[Dane]

It makes reference to a potential for a larger than 120 car car ferry... wishful thinking or is the Coho to be replaced?