M.V. Uchuck III - photo & discussion thread

[bcfcbccsscollector]

Here is a postcard of the Uchuck III I currently have up for auction on ebay......

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&item=110041400361&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Low Light Mike]

Here are a couple of YouTube videos re the Uchuck III, and it's service area:

[Low Light Mike]

I'm reading the book Coasters, by Rob Morris.

In his story of the Uchuck-III, he mentions that the Uchuck-III's engine-telegraph came from the SS Princess Victoria (by way of storage at Capital-Iron store).

I thought that was a neat connection between eras, and I'm happy that part of the old Princess Victoria is still in use today.

I'm also having my interest whetted re taking a Uchuck-III trip sometime in summer 2009.

[Scott]

I'll put this here so as not to have two threads for this ferry:

I was just checking out their website and found this "special" trip, from Gold River to Victoria and another trip from Victoria to Gold River. The two weeks between the trips, I assume is for maintenance at Point Hope Shipyards. I can't make it, but it sounds like an interesting and unique journey.

www.mvuchuck.com/west-coast-adventure-cruise.php

[Northern Exploration]

In the 2009 HelloBC tourist book for Vancouver Island from BC Tourism, an oblique reference is made to the Uchuck but they don't even bother to properly name the ship. It is refered to as "a day trip on a WWII mine sweeper." There is no phone number or way of sourcing that trip though so tourists may have to do a bit of digging/googling to track it down. I thought tourist guides were supposed to make it easy . Maybe because they didn't buy an ad, the got the second class commentary .

BTW I wonder how many forum members have take the ferry out of Campbell River on the MV Aurora Explorer. I had totally forgotten about it until I saw its ad in the same guide. www.marinelinktours.com Looks like it mostly delivers construction equipment etc. to the various islands but they talk about modern staterooms and the ferry carries 12 passengers and 6 crew.

[Low Light Mike]

Mar 22, 2009 8:19:19 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

BTW I wonder how many forum members have take the ferry out of Campbell River on the MV Aurora Explorer. I had totally forgotten about it until I saw its ad in the same guide. www.marinelinktours.com Looks like it mostly delivers construction equipment etc. to the various islands but they talk about modern staterooms and the ferry carries 12 passengers and 6 crew.

I haven't taken it, but I've seen it promoted in (Beautiful)BC-magazine and on the Knowledge-Network. It appears to be a high-end niche for tourists that sells out quickly, even at a high end price.

[Low Light Mike]

I took the Saturday day-trip to/from Friendly Cove (Yuquot) today, on the MV Uchuck III. What a beautiful ship, beautiful weather day, beautiful trip and beautiful destination.

Here's a photo of the Uchuck III at Friendly Cove on Nootka Island, today:



I will be posting many photos and commentary, in the days ahead.

[Low Light Mike]

Some comparisons of the Uchuck-III to other ships:
- her measurements are 136ft length and 24ft beam.


The closest comparable Union Steamship was the Capilano II (1920-1949 service), which was 135ft length & 27ft beam.
- For comparison, Lady Rose was smaller at 105ft length & 21ft beam.
- Cardena was much larger at 227ft length & 37ft beam.

For the BCCS Princesses, the closest match was the old 1898 Willapa at 136ft length & 22ft beam.
- For comparison, the west coast's Princess Maquinna was much larger at 233ft length & 38ft beam.

The MV Frances Barkley measures at 128ft length & 24ft beam. So she is a close match to the Uchuck-III, although a bit shorter.

================

The Uchuck-III's website is:
www.mvuchuck.com

- Just like with Lady Rose Marine, the Nootka Sound Service Ltd. company is friendly, approachable and has a fun on-board experience for those wanting to enjoy a ride on a working ship.

The Uchuck-III has 1/2 the heads of the Frances Barkley, and far less inside lounge space. So on a rainy / cold day (even in summer), I wonder where all the people would find shelter on the Uchuck-III?


Here is a photo of the ship's newspaper:



And here's a builder's plaque for the 2nd Uchuck ship, the Uchuck-I.


=============

....and one more bit of U-III trivia:
- the white "racing-stripe" on her hull as shown in earlier photos on this thread has now disappeared.

[WettCoast]

Fluge,

What sort of exposé are you going to give us re the Uchuck III's wheelhouse windows? Is it true that these windows were the inspiration for the forward lounge windows on the NorAd?

PS: That is an excellent photo that you have there of the U III at Friendly Giant Cove.

[mrdot]

patently unfair to compare Uchuck 111 to Norad, as that greek beauty will never last sixty-seventy years! mr.dot.

[Low Light Mike]

Aug 30, 2010 17:57:13 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Fluge,

What sort of exposé are you going to give us re the Uchuck III's wheelhouse windows? Is it true that these windows were the inspiration for the forward lounge windows on the NorAd?

PS: That is an excellent photo that you have there of the U III at Friendly Giant Cove.

Thanks. Friendly Giant Cove is a nice place to sit and relax in the rocking-chair in the middle or in the arm chair that's ok for 2 more to curl up in. I tried to get pictures of the ship's side that wasn't rusty.

-----------------

I have some bridge-window photos, including a stitch to show you what the skipper sees from inside. I asked the skipper about it being a sight-obstruction, and he said that if you're used to it, you're ok. He said that the new guys need a while to adapt.

The whole wheelhouse is like a reinforced conning-tower on a submarine or in this case on a minesweeper. The tiny windows are super-strength in order to withstand a mine explosion. Some of the windows have a windshield-wiper, and 2 have visors to help keep the rain/snow off the glass.

So the number of windows in close proximity (I think 8, or so) is better than the NorAd's widely-spaced 4 windows.

I'll have more pictures and comments, in the days to come.

[Northern Exploration]

Aug 30, 2010 20:50:44 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Aug 30, 2010 17:57:13 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Fluge,

What sort of exposé are you going to give us re the Uchuck III's wheelhouse windows? Is it true that these windows were the inspiration for the forward lounge windows on the NorAd?

PS: That is an excellent photo that you have there of the U III at Friendly Giant Cove.

Thanks. Friendly Giant Cove is a nice place to sit and relax in the rocking-chair in the middle or in the arm chair that's ok for 2 more to curl up in. I tried to get pictures of the ship's side that wasn't rusty.

-----------------

I have some bridge-window photos, including a stitch to show you what the skipper sees from inside. I asked the skipper about it being a sight-obstruction, and he said that if you're used to it, you're ok. He said that the new guys need a while to adapt.

The whole wheelhouse is like a reinforced conning-tower on a submarine or in this case on a minesweeper. The tiny windows are super-strength in order to withstand a mine explosion. Some of the windows have a windshield-wiper, and 2 have visors to help keep the rain/snow off the glass.

So the number of windows in close proximity (I think 8, or so) is better than the NorAd's widely-spaced 4 windows.

I'll have more pictures and comments, in the days to come.

I enjoy it when you are "ger-roaming" around wayyyy wayyyy up on the Island or Inside Passage. Have you taken up recorder playing in addition the Frugal Horn?

And let me go on record WetCoast, that if there is any exposing by Flug or anyone else, in the windows of the Uchuck I am out of here.

[mrdot]

here goes another memory from long ago when I worked the Rupert in 66, talking peeping toms! and the Uchuck 3 vieu windows, I was doing seaman's cleaning on the boat deck and one of the passengers with a vue window looking out on the boat deck was exposing herself to several of us curious young sailors! those were the days! those windows on Uchuck kind of bring to mind Capt, Nemo on the nautalus of 20,000 leagues under the seas fame. mr.dot.

[Low Light Mike]

Nootka Sound Service Ltd. also owns & operates a landing-craft style of freighter, the A.G. Ford. This ship is also based out of Gold River wharf, and operates regular freight routes. The ship even has it's own fuel-truck on it.

Here are some of my 8/28/2010 pictures of the 'Ford, as she approaches the Gold River wharf.









--------------------

Info on the ship:
forms.cta-otc.gc.ca/sins-cvis/navire-ship_eng.cfm?ShipID=809209

[Low Light Mike]

It's time for a tour of the Uchuck-III. Using the below photo as a guide (U-III at Friendly Cove on 8/28/2010), here are her decks:



Deck 1)
- engine room midships & aft
- cargo hold forward
- possibly some sleeping quarters at bow.

Deck 2)
- outside stairs & smoking-area aft
- seating lounge midships (bench style booths) and then heads and galley forward of that.
- crew-mess at forward end of the structure.
- open cargo deck & hatch to the cargo hold.
- storage rooms & possibly crew-bunks under the forecastle.
- from midships to aft on either side is a covered outside promenade deck. The best part of the ship !

Deck 3)
- Uncovered seating area aft of funnel.
- enclosed staircase down to galley.
- uncovered seating area forward of bridge.
- forecastle

Deck 4)
- Bridge is midships, and boom-cranes forward.

----------------

Sound of her horn (just sound, with lens-cap on).
www.facebook.com/v/429648763646

- and a picture of those horns.

[Northern Exploration]

Lovely, just lovely.

[Low Light Mike]

Here are my photos of the Uchuck-III's bridge, taken on 8/28/2010.

The view of the explosion-proof wheel-house from outside:

- looking up from the sitting area forward of the bridge.



- the bridge-wing is really just the stairway to the bridge by the door.


- the view forward from the bridge wing (pardon the pano-stitch errors)



- the visor over one of the middle windows. The 3 middle windows are used most often: the middle has a wiper, and the outside-middle-2 have these visors.


-----------

A look inside, at some beautiful equipment which used to be in the basement of the Capital Iron store in Victoria.



(pardon the warped-wheel from my pano-stitch)



View out the 3 middle windows:


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3 items of treasure: The engine-telegraph (from BCCS's Princess Victoria), the compass/binnacle, and the wheel.





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Close-ups of some of the treasures:

The plate on the wheel:
(it was upside-down)



The plate is attached perpendicular to the back of the wheel. Does someone know what it's for, or is it just decorative?



The compass/binnacle:




The telegraph face:






Wow !

[Deleted]

Great pictures and interesting information! The brass 'plate' perpendicular and forward of the wheel looks like a helm indicator ( rudder angle ) showing almost full starboard wheel. Useful but attached to another big piece of brass . ( 2 reasons why deckhands get tickets .... brass polishing and cleaning the heads! )

[Low Light Mike]

Uchuck-III forecastle and cargo-hold. Photos taken at Gold River wharf on 8/28/2010:

Forecastle:





--------------

If looks like the cargo hatch cover is simply a bunch of planks that are fitted across the gap.









- there's a freezer down there.

[Low Light Mike]

Some exterior shots of the Uchuck-III taken from shore-based vantage points (Gold River wharf and Friendly Cove), on 8/28/2010. I wanted to capture different angles or areas of emphasis that interested me.
---------------

I'll start with what you see when boarding.
- the gangway isn't pulled-out to the wharf yet, but that's where you get on. In the back of the wheel-house structure is a staircase that leads down to the galley.
- you also get to see the funnel & exhaust pipe, and a nice shadow on the funnel.
- the area behind monkey-island is used to store luggage. I wonder what they do when it's raining?



A view of the wheelhouse and the front of the galley/mess area below the bridge.
- for the 3 middle bridge-windows, you can see the 2 visors and the 1 wiper.
- along the concrete wharf wall, you can see the wood-plank bumper.



Close to a head-on view at the bow, showing how narrow she is.



Lightened-up photo to see some of the hull detail.



The port-side of the bow.



Starboard profile.
- the checker-pattern on the side is from the gaps in the cargo-deck rail.



Port-side seen from above at the lighthouse @ Friendly Cove.
- this gives a good idea of the proportions of cargo vs passenger space.



Lovely view of the passenger decks.
- you can see her rescue-boat and her 2 canned lifeboats.
- directly astern of her is a fishing-boat.



Another view of the passenger areas.
- gotta love that covered promenade deck !


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This is the closest that I had of a corner view.


A comparison to her days as a mine-sweeper.
- her bridge was moved aft when she was converted to a freighter.

(photo is displayed in Uchuck-III's bridge.

[Low Light Mike]

Some interior shots of the Uchuck-III:

Her passenger seating lounge.

- looking aft into the lounge, from the area by the galley.



Starboard side of the lounge.



- Nice touch with the maps on each table.



- I like the fine detail of the brass hooks and the air vents. The crescent-shaped air-vents were plentiful in this lounge.


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In the foyer area between galley and passenger lounge. The heads are in this area, along with the staircase to the upper sundeck.
- the access from the LPD (lovely promenade deck) is from both sides of the ship, making this a nice shortcut route to get from one outside-side to the other.

- Yes, from this vantage point you can watch the head. ;D



Display on one of the walls in this foyer area.


Close-up of the plaque, commemorating some Barkley Sound history:
- pardon the reflection of me, in my usual ship-kid red shirt.

[Low Light Mike]

Uchuck-III has 2 licenses from Transport Canada, because some trips have open-water and others stay in protected waters.

100 pax limit and 6 crew for protected waters of Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet:



43 pax limit and 5 crew for open-water trips across open Kyuquot Sound:



Here's the map showing these places:



Some of the place-names near Friendly Cove are right from the history books:
- Bligh Island
- Resolution Cove
- Discovery Point

[Low Light Mike]

Some more on-board pictures of the Uchuck III, taken by me on 8/28/2010:

If you put a picture of a cougar in the middle, you might have the Victoria Cougars hockey team logo.



No kayak rack, just a spot on the deck for storage.
- the chain was just to restrict access during cargo-loading times.



Stern area of the promenade deck. Just like on a BC Ferry, the life-jacket locker is a good place to sit.



This scene reminds me of a ship during Captain Cook's time. (but maybe not as many female sunbathers)



On port side of promenade deck, looking aft (better than looking daft, I suppose).

[Low Light Mike]

A photo posted in a banner-thread contest, in April, 2009.

Apr 8, 2009 8:01:08 GMT -8 CFG said:

This one taken in mid July, 2008 of the M/V Uchuck-III approaching Hoiss Point Lodge in Nootka Sound.

[Low Light Mike]

I've got some pictures of the LPD (lovely promenade deck) to share, from my 8/28/2010 trip. It really was my favourite part of the ship.

I'm also really happy with this thread, which will hopefully be a resource to people who want to see what this ship is like, inside and out. If you Google the word "Uchuck", this thread shows up on the first page of results; and that's what I was hoping for.

- Once I get through posting these next pictures, I still have some scenic photos of the Gold River wharf area, Friendly Cove and the points between on Muchalat Inlet, Nootka Sound and our circumnavigation of Blight Island (sounds impressive, huh?).

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Here's the LPD:

- At the stern, with the locker seating (and real chairs too). I also like how they have maps to see, right where you need them!



- Port side, at the Gold River wharf.



- ....and port-side, underway.



Lightened-up, to see a bit more detail.



Finally, the starboard side. In the evening sun, back at the Gold River wharf.



I was really floored by the beauty of this deck.