Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2014 22:06:46 GMT -8
I never liked the Chilliwack. Slow and ugly as sin, she looks like a miniature Alberni. Yuck! They would make a good duo as the #1 vessels on route 1! WOOO!!!
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Apr 12, 2014 20:26:55 GMT -8
When is the Chilliwack going to actually be off route 7??
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Mayne
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I come from a long line of sinners like me
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Post by Mayne on Apr 12, 2014 20:58:30 GMT -8
When is the Chilliwack going to actually be off route 7?? Well not till April 30th as of now
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Apr 12, 2014 21:28:14 GMT -8
So is the Nanaimo being delayed coming back or is the Island Sky going out for maintenance or is the Burnaby not going back till April 30th now??? It would be cool if the Burnaby was still back on the 15th and the Chlliwack was still on route 7 cause I could still try and get up there.
Edit: just looked at the reservation page and the Burnaby is back on route 17 on the 15th so that means if the Chilliwack is still on route 7 the Island Sky must be going for maintenance. Interesting.
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Apr 15, 2014 8:42:46 GMT -8
So is the Nanaimo being delayed coming back or is the Island Sky going out for maintenance or is the Burnaby not going back till April 30th now??? It would be cool if the Burnaby was still back on the 15th and the Chlliwack was still on route 7 cause I could still try and get up there. Edit: just looked at the reservation page and the Burnaby is back on route 17 on the 15th so that means if the Chilliwack is still on route 7 the Island Sky must be going for maintenance. Interesting. Instead of constantly talking about doing a Queen of Chilliwack trip, maybe you should just go do one? You've had several months to do a trip
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Apr 15, 2014 20:46:39 GMT -8
lol maybe I will. Maybe I will do two round trips on the Chilliwack cause now I can go via Comox on the Burnaby and dont have to deal with the Island Sky again on that route!
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Post by Curtis on Apr 18, 2014 10:46:54 GMT -8
The Queen of Chilliwack sounding off.
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Post by northwesterner on Jul 17, 2014 18:05:35 GMT -8
So... its mid-summer, where is the Queen of Chilliwack these days? Tied firm to a berth at Deas?
Anyone heard anything from BCF about her future? It's been mentioned that with the investment they made in her a few years back, she'll be hard to retire even though the route she was best suited for is no longer operating.
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 17, 2014 19:33:48 GMT -8
If BC Ferries' current management group and the current Government Philosophy holds true to dismal form, I suspect that the 'Wack', costly upgrades and all, will be peddled off before a) the next election b) before the 3 new ferries arrive, or c) before her Certificate expires, thus leaving us without a very serviceable relief vessel. Anyone want to give Mr. Goundar in Fiji a phone call?
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Post by princessofvanfan on Jul 17, 2014 21:35:31 GMT -8
Get rid o' the 'Wack and refurbish the Nanny for relief work!
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Post by Curtis on Jul 18, 2014 23:45:25 GMT -8
I guarantee that we definitely haven't seen the last of our Norwegian Wønderbøat. We'll likely be seeing refit work done on the Nanaimo and Burnaby yet again this winter and perhaps one last time in 2015/16 and it's highly likely she'll see service on Route 7 again (*shudders) or if they dare, try her on Route 17 again. (*violently shudders) I imagine the current plan is to keep her around as relief to vessels on the routes I previously mentioned until the time the third ICF enters service at which time she would be out of a job and afterwards put on the market. (Will she go to Fiji?... Or Ensenada?)
Truth be told, the Wack should be up North right now despite the decision to axe service on Route 40. Realistically, they really should have delayed the cuts to Route 40 by a year or two and looked at ways to run this service going forward cause the way it's being operated now is like putting a band-aid on an axe wound. Personally like many of us here, I'd like them to take a look at the Tenaka. Now that she is freed up from Route 24, I personally think they should go ahead with a life extension similar to that of the Tachek and QQII's. Once finished, she could operate Route 40 in tandem with the Nimpkish during the summer months. Since she is still useful down south though, once the off-season rolls around, they could bring her south so she could act as a relief vessel for her Raised-Hull cousins. This is how I feel they could operate Route 40 until a permanent replacement (Northern Discovery or whatever?) is thought up.
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 23, 2014 9:25:31 GMT -8
For what its worth, I was told by a crew member aboard the NorEx that BCFS is actively trying to sell the Wack, and recover some of that money they sunk into improvements made to her in recent years, such as the MacGregor doors on the car deck. Perhaps she will soon join the ex-QPR and end her days in that tropical ocean paradise around the Fijian Islands...
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 23, 2014 10:00:01 GMT -8
For what its worth, I was told by a crew member aboard the NorEx that BCFS is actively trying to sell the Wack, and recover some of that money they sunk into improvements made to her in recent years, such as the MacGregor doors on the car deck. It makes sense to me that BCFS is looking for a buyer for her. She's obviously surplus now, and various recent planning documents have included brief references to the poor decision of buying her in the first place. She's not loved and not needed by BCFS under their current route contracts. I'll be following this as close as I can, although with these items there are usually rumours galore, until an actual sale is confirmed. ------------ Forum Lesson-learned from last time we observed this, with QPR to Goundar: - Various people will post various "I've heard this from a good source" items. As of right now, it is plausible to us that BCFS would be selling the Chilliwack, and so we don't need to blow-off peoples' posts and discredit them as rumour-spreaders. ie. we recognize that Chilliwack's fate is now in sale-rumour territory. - Unless people are inside the management offices of Mike Corrigan, no one will know "for-sure" until a sale is confirmed by BCFS. - So those posting and responding to sale-rumours need to keep this in mind, to keep the discussion in context. - It's ok to speculate here, as long as we all understand that nothing is known until BCFS announces something. But we can have lots of fun with the speculation.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2014 10:58:58 GMT -8
I would be very surprised if she is up for immediate sale. Currently the Chilliwack is the only intermediate replacement vessel. The Bowen Queen can do route 7 in the dead of winter, but there's no shortage of work for her elsewhere, not to mention refits on the Bowen Queen itself. I am guessing that if it is indeed for sale, there would be a "take possession" date of 2016-17, when one or all ICFs have entered service. Anyways, just my two cents of speculation for today.
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 23, 2014 11:13:09 GMT -8
It makes sense to me that BCFS is looking for a buyer for her. She's obviously surplus now, and various recent planning documents have included brief references to the poor decision of buying her in the first place. She's not loved and not needed by BCFS under their current route contracts. I'll be following this as close as I can, although with these items there are usually rumours galore, until an actual sale is confirmed. ------------ Forum Lesson-learned from last time we observed this, with QPR to Goundar: - Various people will post various "I've heard this from a good source" items. As of right now, it is plausible to us that BCFS would be selling the Chilliwack, and so we don't need to blow-off peoples' posts and discredit them as rumour-spreaders. ie. we recognize that Chilliwack's fate is now in sale-rumour territory. - Unless people are inside the management offices of Mike Corrigan, no one will know "for-sure" until a sale is confirmed by BCFS. - So those posting and responding to sale-rumours need to keep this in mind, to keep the discussion in context. - It's ok to speculate here, as long as we all understand that nothing is known until BCFS announces something. But we can have lots of fun with the speculation. Two points: 1 - I began my post with the phrase 'for what its worth', meaning that this is in the category of 'rumour', and we do remember a checkered history of being told by crew members (or others that are possibly 'in the know') about what is coming in the future. Sometimes the rumours prove to be true, but mostly, not! 2- So BCFS is now trying to discredit the original 1990 purchase of the Wack? That is interesting. BCFC & government documents of the time indicate clearly that they thought they were making a good purchase decision. I understand they were looking seriously at buying a second vessel from Norway. Rita Johnson, then the Minister of Transportation & Highways in Bill Vander Zalm's government (& his successor as Premier) had this to say 1: 1 The Dolphin, 1990Now I wonder whether BCFS just might be willing to critique their purchase decision to buy the Sonia (NorAd) in 2006?
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 23, 2014 11:50:05 GMT -8
So BCFS is now trying to discredit the original 1990 purchase of the Wack? That is interesting. BCFC & government documents of the time indicate clearly that they thought they were making a good purchase decision. Here's what BCFS said, in September 2014, as part of a report on the viability of doing the Spirit MLU: from page 44 of THIS DOCUMENT
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Post by Mike C on Oct 23, 2014 19:03:13 GMT -8
2- So BCFS is now trying to discredit the original 1990 purchase of the Wack? That is interesting. BCFC & government documents of the time indicate clearly that they thought they were making a good purchase decision. I understand they were looking seriously at buying a second vessel from Norway. Rita Johnson, then the Minister of Transportation & Highways in Bill Vander Zalm's government (& his successor as Premier) had this to say 1: 1 The Dolphin, 1990Now I wonder whether BCFS just might be willing to critique their purchase decision to buy the Sonia (NorAd) in 2006? I don't think they are trying to discredit anything, so much as they are evaluating the purchase from a "hindsight 20/20" perspective. At the time, I can understand why the government and BCFC would feel the Queen of Chilliwack would be a good addition to capacity with a lot of flexibility (southern and northern capability), and therefore a good investment. 24 years later, BC Ferries is taking a step back and evaluating all of the money that has been invested into this one particular ship, and it is quite substantial (the latest MLU for the Chilliwack, of which it has received several major overhauls during it's time at BCF, came at a cost of $16 million to extend it's life by a pathetic four years). When enough time has past, I feel that BCFS will likely look back at it's purchase of the Sonia as not the ideal choice, given the alternatives available at the time. Though, they were purchased in different contexts - BCF and the government had time on their side in 1990, able to do a thorough decision making process - a luxury that BCFS did not have in 2006. BCFS has stated that their intent is to retire the Northern Misadventure (as it is called here in Northern BC) in 2056, so I am sure we have plenty of time for some heavy investments and critiquing...
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 23, 2014 19:42:18 GMT -8
If I was led astray it was by this wording:
I have underlined the words 'poor decision' as the document in question's actual wording has a much different intonation:
I believe we have here on the WCFF done a sort of evaluation of BC Ferries used vessel purchases (both historical & recent) and rated some as smart moves and others, not so much. You could do the same sort of evaluation with new builds, too. I think the Chilliwack purchase would have turned out better if they had kept it on southern services such as routes 5 & 9. Most of the money sunk into her in recent years has been spent to improve her suitability (or to comply with changing regulations) re her role in northern service. With the stroke of a pen this past spring, the BC government ended the Chilliwack's northern service days thus making all that money sunk into improvements to her worthless.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 23, 2014 20:18:47 GMT -8
If I was led astray it was by this wording: I have underlined the words 'poor decision' as the document in question's actual wording has a much different intonation: I believe we have here on the WCFF done a sort of evaluation of BC Ferries used vessel purchases (both historical & recent) and rated some as smart moves and others, not so much. You could do the same sort of evaluation with new builds, too. I think the Chilliwack purchase would have turned out better if they had kept it on southern services such as routes 5 & 9. Most of the money sunk into her in recent years has been spent to improve her suitability (or to comply with changing regulations) re her role in northern service. With the stroke of a pen this past spring, the BC government ended the Chilliwack's northern service days thus making all that money sunk into improvements to her worthless. That it, I'm probably going to get a pay-cut from that mistake.... LOL Hey, I was going by memory, and then it took me a good 30-minutes to find the report and to post the quote. I should at least get some points for follow-through. Chances are, I might lead you astray a few more times. ...but not on purpose.
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 23, 2014 20:29:17 GMT -8
I certainly am often guilty of inadvertently wording posts in a way that misleads; remember that trip I didn't take on RMRT Whistler Mountaineer this past spring...
It is fair comment, with the aid of hindsight, to question the Q. of Chilliwack purchase decision made almost 25 years ago, now. Has BCFS been any better at making purchase decisions (or for that matter, new build decisions) then the old BC Ferries was, pre-quasi-privatization?
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Post by Starsteward on Oct 24, 2014 7:26:46 GMT -8
I certainly am often guilty of inadvertently wording posts in a way that misleads; remember that trip I didn't take on RMRT Whistler Mountaineer this past spring... It is fair comment, with the aid of hindsight, to question the Q. of Chilliwack purchase decision made almost 25 years ago, now. Has BCFS been any better at making purchase decisions (or for that matter, new build decisions) then the old BC Ferries was, pre-quasi-privatization? At first glance, your latest posting on this thread 'almost' got by be as a trivial admission of guilt of 'misleading' us poor members until I had a second look at what you had tucked in between the ()'s,namely 'new build decisions'. at which time my soggy old brain set off a 'can of worms' alert. Not biting on that one this rainy miserable morning Mr. Wett Coast , but I might just add a bit to your original theme of purchasing ships from wherever, that the purchase of the Pere Nouvelle wasn't exactly the most prudent decision ever made by BCF, in light of the fact that we hardly needed an ice-breaker vessel for the run on which the poor old Suzie Q was exhiled.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 10, 2015 17:13:24 GMT -8
The upcoming late January 2015 week when the Queen of Burnaby is to be pulled from service has got me thinking of the Queen of Chilliwack. For a 1-week situation, the best replacement situation is to move NIP to Jervis Inlet, and have Island Sky do double duty on a Route 17/18 triangle.
Nowhere is the Queen of Chilliwack possibly helpful in this January 19-25th situation. She's likely in quasi-mothballs at Deas, she requires too much crew to operate (and all those crew need to be re-familiarized on the ship). And she's too slow and too uncomfortable to ride.
So, this begs the questions: - Will the Queen of Chilliwack ever be used on a BCF route again?
- When was the last time she was used in-service? Was it late April 2014 on Jervis Inlet?
8 months is a long time for a ship to be idle. For a minor seldom-needed ship, I'm thinking that we'll never see her in-service as a BCF ship again.
For us forum members, it's time to look back and remember what your last Q'Chilliwack trip was, because it likely was your last one ever.
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For me, I think my last Q'Chilliwack ride was July 2011 on Route-40. That is now 3.5 years ago.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 17:28:13 GMT -8
I doubt it has to do with crew familiarization. I'm pretty sure crew clearances last a year. But I could be wrong.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 10, 2015 17:32:53 GMT -8
My last trip was on route 17 before they wasted money coastalizing her then retiring her like 2 years later! I think she is a lot more comfortable than the NIP! The NIP is not comfortable at all and it smells horrible inside the last time I was on her!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2015 9:07:01 GMT -8
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