Tonight, I reclicked on the Goundar website and found some good progress. They have lots of information on their site now. And, some operation and safety memos that are similar to BC Ferries. Goundar Shipping Service is like an "extension" of BC Ferries in the way they operate their ship. Rather a neat site to see:
Here's the site (excuse me for exceeding the normal height of 768). I've clicked on all the red links (they become red from blue on my browser after clicking on them). That drawing still shows the slugs and the red maple leaf at her stern. Some pages still show some missing info. They have gotten off to a good start, nevertheless, on their site so far. ENJOY!
PRINCESS MARGUERITE, OLYMPICS, PUGET SOUND, EARLY 1970S
Post by Starsteward on Apr 30, 2012 7:35:14 GMT -8
Thanks once again FerryNut, for the QPR update. Agree that George seems to know how to build a successful service with the communities Goundar Shipping aims to serve. Love to go to Fiji and do a video update on the old girl when she hits the first anniversary of service in her new home. Wonder if George would pony up the cost of a plane ticket?
On a side note, the vessel owner, George Goundar is in Canada looking to purchase another vessel to work along side with the Lomaiviti Princess. It'll be interesting to see what he purchases, especially since the ex Queen of Vancouver was auctioned off on the day this article was posted (July 4th)
On a side note, the vessel owner, George Goundar is in Canada looking to purchase another vessel to work along side with the Lomaiviti Princess. It'll be interesting to see what he purchases, especially since the ex Queen of Vancouver was auctioned off on the day this article was posted (July 4th)
On a side note, the vessel owner, George Goundar is in Canada looking to purchase another vessel to work along side with the Lomaiviti Princess. It'll be interesting to see what he purchases, especially since the ex Queen of Vancouver was auctioned off on the day this article was posted (July 4th)
I certainly hope that's the case. We'll have to keep an eye on her to see what happens over the next few months...
I'll be keeping a watch as well for any news that surface.
It would be interesting to see if the 426-foot ferry gets a new bow like the VICTORIA did before getting "Alang-ed" (one that opens up like the LP and NE, though). The upper (third) car deck can house a lot of staterooms.
It's good to see the Fiji people getting better ferry services.
PRINCESS MARGUERITE, OLYMPICS, PUGET SOUND, EARLY 1970S
:)It is quite rewarding that the ship which I served on the first B watch, way back in 1966, is still in working condition, and so many of the other vessels on which I served have been trashed or suffered worse fates! as mrdot is still ticking, so is my first ship, the QPR! mrdot.
Post by Starsteward on Jul 19, 2012 8:04:39 GMT -8
The asbestos chatter will never go away until the old girl is laid to rest in one way or another. Back in the day, we weren't aware of the hazards of asbestos, but that said, I'd go back at the drop of a hat and work for free on what I've always called my 'second home'. Sounds like a bit of "asbestos-slinging" by Mr. Goundar's shipping rivals perhaps???...just thinkin' I wait with baited breath as to George's next purchase and if the new purchase is a ship from the West Coast anywhere, I would gladly volunteer to make a crew-trip to Fiji I concur with mrdot that the QPR remains 'the only one who got away to a new life'
On a side note, the vessel owner, George Goundar is in Canada looking to purchase another vessel to work along side with the Lomaiviti Princess. It'll be interesting to see what he purchases, especially since the ex Queen of Vancouver was auctioned off on the day this article was posted (July 4th)
Thank goodness for ferrynut's continuing diligence in keeping an eye on my old ship as I haven't had time in the psat few months to keep tabs on the goings-on with Goundar Shipping. Yes, it will be very interesting to see what vessel mr. Goundar is looking at.
Post by hullnumbers on Aug 16, 2012 21:31:09 GMT -8
This is a question to all who knows, and I plan to delete this reply later.
Does anyone know where the elevator or elevators were located on the Queen of Prince Rupert and how far they went up? Including the stairways inside the ship. If you know please PM me, my plan is to draw the deck plans of the ship for future reference.
This is a question to all who knows, and I plan to delete this reply later.
Does anyone know where the elevator or elevators were located on the Queen of Prince Rupert and how far they went up? Including the stairways inside the ship. If you know please PM me, my plan is to draw the deck plans of the ship for future reference.
Hi there hullnumbers: From a spec sheet I've had buried away with all my other QPR stuff from my days working on her in the mid-60's, here's the elevator information you were looking for. "Elevator from Car Deck to Promenade Deck. No wheelchair access to Bridge Deck Cabins or Tween Deck cabins" There were 2 elevators, one port side, one starboard side. The elevators were accessed on the Car Deck just beyond the main stairway entrances on both sides of the ship. In 2009,when I took the second last round trip on the 'Rupert' I got a schematic photo of the fire and deck stations on the ship and the elevators and locations are clearly identified. I will try to get it posted or get it to you by some other means as the photo would benefit your efforts in the recreation of the deck plans of the QPR. Many former crew will remember with fondness I'm sure the total reliability, ;D of the the small, cramped steel boxes that felt like mobile ovens in the Summer -time when one had a stack of luggage and a couple of sweaty, impatient passengers trying to get to the Purser's Square to get checked in.
:)some time ago, I bequithed a set of plans of the proposed sister ship to my old QPR, which perhaps may have some details that might be useful to you! :)mrdot.
What is interesting about this picture is that it depicts the QPR as being the same as the European vessels from which its design was based. Somewhere in the back pages of this thread I posted a photo of a QPR predecessor.
Goundar Shipping, owners of the Lomaiviti Princess have threatened to close down.
This follows a dispute between the company and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji over the presence of asbestos on the Lomaiviti Princess.
Since the story first came to light on FBC News last year, George Goundar has maintained his innocence, saying the vessel is safe.
Today he claims to have been given ten days to comply with OHS requirements for an inspection.
“With the Lomaiviti Princess, they want us to send two guys on board with their air monitoring gadgets and I’m saying no I can’t let you guys onboard with your gadgets because that’s creating fear in the passengers. The vessel is laid up for four days in Suva now and you can come and do all the testing you want. What they’re saying is no, we want the vessel to be in operation at sea and them running with all their gadgets.”
When asked what he will do if MSAF insists, Goundar had this to say.
“I’m closing my business down! I’m very serious in this and I won’t take threats from anyone because for me, I came here in good faith. MSAF gave me, when it was the old MSAF, they said that the vessel was ok for Fiji. There was no issue of asbestos. Now it seems everybody is hiding behind OHS.”
MSAF Chief Executive Neal Slack has asked that questions be sent to his office and a response is expected soon.
The vessel has been berthed in Suva since yesterday – services have been put on hold until this issue is sorted.
Post by Starsteward on Apr 18, 2013 13:48:13 GMT -8
My concurr with mrdot's historical summation of life aboard the QPR many years ago and thankfully, asbestos ridden as she may have been, my message to the 'nervous-nelly' MSAF folks is: It didn't kill me and you guys are starting to sound and act like our M.O.T./D.O.T jackals that I have no time for.
Some loss of paint is our gain, in a way. The Dogwood pastel blue has been uncovered!
I think this tells us that her hull has been covered by paint coat by coat. That pastel blue coating may have been applied after her 1980 stand-in for the PRINCESS MARGUERITE on the Victoria to Seattle run. Then, the red, white, and blue scheme. Lastly, the "slug" scheme.
Picture of the full ship can be seen by clicking the image on the Sun's story, or by this link:
Post by Starsteward on May 20, 2013 8:30:01 GMT -8
The latest picture of the Lomaiviti Princess appears to have lost the black colour scheme on the lower hull......thank goodness they've lost the black paint bucket. The pastel blue colour uncovered was not, I believe from the QPR's Princess Marguerite make-over but rather part of the QPR's original colour scheme? Long live the original pastel blue colour scheme that adorned all the BC Ferry fleet...back in the day..
Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 1, 2013 15:57:20 GMT -8
Herbert McDonald's book "British Columbia: Challenge in Abundance" includes this photo of an under-construction "Queen" at Victoria Machinery Depot. - because the book was released in 1966, because of the shape of the ship's bridge and the apparent bow-visor, I'm saying that this is the Queen of Prince Rupert.
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And here's Mr. McDonald's description on the recently new entity that is BC Ferries, in 1966, with an allusion to the forum-legendary ship "Queen of Kelsey Bay"
(2 of my book-photos make up this section of the narrative)