|
Post by WettCoast on Aug 24, 2008 14:36:32 GMT -8
I have added many pictures of the Kootenay Lake ferries to my BC Fresh Water album on photobucket. These were all taken on my recent vacation in that part of BC. This is the first time I have seen and been aboard the Osprey 2000. She is a rather nice small ferry, and I dare say, the price is right... A few selections from there are shown below; for more go to s90.photobucket.com/albums/k268/wetcoastkidjst/BC%20Fresh%20Water%20Ferries/see first 23 photos Boarding the Osprey 2000 at Kootenay Bay - 9 Aug 2008 Rescue boat, Osprey 2000Osprey 2000 en route eastward across Kootenay Lake from the west arm near Balfour MV Balfour approaching Balfour Landing in west arm of Kootenay Lake - 11 Aug 2008 All photos by JST ©
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 24, 2008 15:11:24 GMT -8
Osprey-2000 question:
Is the ship a "single-ender"? Or does she operate as a back&forth true double-ender?
I ask this, because her superstructure does not appear to be symmetrical re various items being equidistant from either end of the ship.
Just wondering.
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Aug 24, 2008 21:33:15 GMT -8
Osprey-2000 question: Is the ship a "single-ender"? Or does she operate as a back&forth true double-ender? I ask this, because her superstructure does not appear to be symmetrical re various items being equidistant from either end of the ship. Just wondering. I can confirm that she is a single-ender. I remember back in 2006 backing out of Kootenay Bay.
|
|
Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
|
Post by Mill Bay on Aug 24, 2008 21:45:17 GMT -8
Osprey-2000 question: Is the ship a "single-ender"? Or does she operate as a back&forth true double-ender? I ask this, because her superstructure does not appear to be symmetrical re various items being equidistant from either end of the ship. Just wondering. I can confirm that she is a single-ender. I remember back in 2006 backing out of Kootenay Bay. Just looking at the pictures, and noting the fact that there are four (4) exhaust housings--one at each corner, this would lead me to believe that the Osprey 2000 would in fact have four engines: one at each corner, making her a truly bi-directional vessel like any of our K-Class. The Balfour is most definitely single ended, however. My question that I've been trying to find an answer for is, what kind of propulsion system the Osprey uses. Perhaps Wet Coast Kid can provide some insight seeming he has recently sailed on her. And, given the fits and starts that the Island Sky has gone through: I'm wondering once again why we did not simply go with a tried and tested design for our new vessels and maybe have used the Osprey 2000 as a template.
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Aug 24, 2008 22:01:48 GMT -8
Osprey-2000 question: Is the ship a "single-ender"? Or does she operate as a back&forth true double-ender? I ask this, because her superstructure does not appear to be symmetrical re various items being equidistant from either end of the ship. Just wondering. Interesting question - I have been wondering myself... I am fairly sure that she is a true double ender, and is equipped with RAD's, or similar, propulsion. Nevertheless, she is not symmetrical 'fore & aft', so looks like a single ender, and that is okay with me. She also has one wheelhouse which (like the Cumberland & Capilano) is set up equally well for travel in either direction. Furthermore, it seems as if they may operate her as if she is single ended, at least some of the time. The Balfour dock is well set up for single enders, in that the ferry needs only to glide past it just a bit, and them 'back in', similar to the Duke point arrangement. My feeling is that being a true double ender on this route is not really an advantage. I watched her twice take on a load of cars in Balfour and head out for her journey across the lake. On the first occasion she 'backed out' of the dock and then went 'forward' such that the cars on board were now parked backward to the direction of travel. Two days later I saw the reverse, as she headed straight out , did a U turn and then proceeded to the east across the lake with the cars on board pointed in the direction of travel. There is plenty of padding in the schedule. The crossing can be done in about 30 minutes and the total 'port time' for unloading/ loading would not require more than 10 minutes. Typically, however, they spend about 35 minutes to make the crossing and have 15 minutes for 'port time', meaning a complete 'tour' requires 1 hour and forty minutes.
|
|
Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
|
Post by Nick on Aug 24, 2008 22:30:15 GMT -8
TC's vessel registration has this to say: Engine Description DIESEL Number of Engines 4 Propulsion Type SELF-PROPELLED Speed (knots) 12.0 Propulsion Method QUAD. SCREW Propulsion Power 3820 Unit of Power KILOWATTS According to this, she has 4 engines, with 4 screws. Judging by the arrangement of the engines as visible in WCK's photos above and looking at her exhaust pipes, I would say that she has RADs. I have never been on her, so I can't say from experience. Also, I never heard of any ships, particularly in that size, that have 2 screws on each end using traditional shafts. I don't think it's a requirement that a double ender be symmetrical, as one only has to look at BCF's fleet to see that. The Island Sky is far from symmetrical both for-aft and port-starboard. Also, the Skeena Queen is not symmetrical fore-aft if you look carefully. The bridge is actually slightly more forward than midships. I just glanced at her schedule, here, and agree with WCK that there is a lot of extra room in the schedule that allows the captain to use his discretion as to how to operate the ship. I am curious, however, why they bothered to build a double ender for docks and a route that aren't all that suited to double enders. Obviously, the Osprey 2000 is not going to be moved to another route anytime soon, so I wonder what their reasoning was. The only reason I can think of is that they wanted interoperability with the nearby Harrop ferry.
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Aug 24, 2008 23:49:55 GMT -8
Osprey-2000 question: Is the ship a "single-ender"? Or does she operate as a back&forth true double-ender? I ask this, because her superstructure does not appear to be symmetrical re various items being equidistant from either end of the ship. Just wondering. I can confirm that she is a single-ender. I remember back in 2006 backing out of Kootenay Bay. Excuse me while I express my emotion right now... D'oh! Wrong Ferry!
|
|
|
Post by Dane2 on Aug 25, 2008 0:40:45 GMT -8
I have no idea how I got logged out... ... but anyways ...
Obviously seeing her in person is required for accurate judgement, but isn't her bridge located in or very near the centre of the vessel? It just appears the highest level of superstructure is only on one end of the vessel?
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2009 16:22:35 GMT -8
I was talking to my sister today and she mentioned that she's been making some prints for me of some ferry pictures. These are from the collection of my Dad's old black-and-white negatives that my sister has.
She mentioned that there are some more pictures of the Queen of Surrey (mid 70's), from the same roll that had some pictures that I posted a couple of years ago (Queen of Surrey in berth at Horseshoe Bay).
She also mentioned some other ferry pictures of us when we were young, back when my Dad had his Volvo car. That would be pre-1974, so I'm very curious what ferry that might be.
She's sending the prints to me in the next week or so, and I'll scan & post them once I get them. Hopefully there's something that we find interesting and maybe even historic. Or maybe just nostalgia for me.
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 28, 2009 17:38:32 GMT -8
From my Dad's collection. This is sometime between 1969 and 1974 (based on our car and my sister in the 1st photo). I'm thinking this is in Saanich Inlet. Are we on the MV Brentwood? I tried a scan zoom on the life-ring: - too blury. But when I view the print, it looks like a "B" word.
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Sept 28, 2009 17:57:54 GMT -8
Your boat, Fluge is still in part time service, and not on Saanich Inlet. Think fresh water and far inland...
|
|
Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
|
Post by Mill Bay on Sept 28, 2009 20:18:42 GMT -8
Your boat, Fluge is still in part time service, and not on Saanich Inlet. Think fresh water and far inland... Ha-ha! Flugel has a very odd sense of geography. Seems like everything always ends up being on the island, even if it's from somewhere else in BC.
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 28, 2009 21:32:52 GMT -8
Thanks for sorting out the picture date, for the MV Balfour picture, Paul.
That means I'm 1 year old, so I'm likely sitting in the car having a nap. Too bad, I missed asking for a bridge-tour.
(wow, it's still a year before the Canucks joined the NHL, Nixon was in the white-house and Trudeau was PM. The Beatles were still together, sort of).
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2009 14:41:25 GMT -8
I know we don't have any discussion of the Kootenay Lake ferry so we can use this thread for that... In the meantime, here are some photos from this past Thursday while I was driving from Calgary to Nelson. To start, here's a photo of her docking at Kootenay Bay: Here's one of the outside decks... Here's one of the lounges A look at her car deck She even has a little coffee shop And as a bonus I'll throw in the MV Balfour passing us It's a beautiful crossing on a ferry much like the Skeena Queen but better and best of all, it's free!
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 4, 2009 12:53:15 GMT -8
From my Dad's collection. The MV Balfour on Kootenay Lake, in 1969. I tried a scan zoom on the life-ring: - too blury. But when I view the print, it looks like a "B" word. Still in summer service, as of 2009....
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Dec 7, 2009 19:44:04 GMT -8
Balfour. Walter Lanz photo. with the now retired and sunken Anscomb. E. Anderson photo.
|
|
Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
|
Post by Mill Bay on Dec 7, 2009 20:30:43 GMT -8
Very interesting views of the Kootenay Lake ferries. The Balfour sure had one very tall mast back then. I wonder if they ever thought of rigging sails to it on a windy day?
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Dec 17, 2009 15:27:19 GMT -8
Announcement of the Osprey 2000, and some interior ferries history, from Harbour & Shipping. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
Post by NMcKay on Dec 22, 2009 19:12:39 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by fargowolf on Dec 27, 2009 10:03:27 GMT -8
Were there any other ferries besides the Balfour and the Anscomb on that run? The sole time I rode that route, I remember riding a larger version of the Anscomb. I'll have to look through my old Beutiful BC mags from the 60s, as I know there's a pic in there and scan it for you guys. As a matter of fact, I think I have a photo I can scan of the mystery ferry.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Dec 27, 2009 11:49:32 GMT -8
Were there any other ferries besides the Balfour and the Anscomb on that run? The sole time I rode that route, I remember riding a larger version of the Anscomb. I'll have to look through my old Beutiful BC mags from the 60s, as I know there's a pic in there and scan it for you guys. As a matter of fact, I think I have a photo I can scan of the mystery ferry. Everything's relative. There was no larger version of the Anscomb, but there was a smaller version of you.
|
|
|
Post by lmtengs on May 28, 2010 14:48:08 GMT -8
MV Balfour... is she basically a Nimpkish with a longer vehicle deck?
Oh, and Koastal Karl: I believe you are talking about either the McLure Ferry or the Little Fort Ferry. The former is closer to Kamloops than the latter, which is located about 30 minutes south of Blue River on Hwy 5.
|
|
|
Post by plansea on Oct 22, 2010 23:50:16 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Dec 5, 2010 22:04:04 GMT -8
I don't remember this being mentioned anywhere yet. It seems Western Pacific Marine has improved their website to now give more detailed and up-to-date information regarding the ferry routes they operate on the (mostly) inland waters of BC. So they've got dedicated pages to all their routes on the Arrow Lakes, Kootenay Lakes, and to Barnston Island and Lasqueti Island. It's not a whole lot more than what is available on the BC Ministry of Transportation website, but as far as I know, it's a fairly recenet upgrade. www.wpm-1.com/
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 8, 2010 21:26:37 GMT -8
Video of the launch of the Osprey 2000.
|
|