V-class ferry

Queen of Vancouver in Active Pass, on the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route
Class overview
Name: V class (Victoria class)
Builders: Vancouver, BC & Victoria, BC
Operators: BC Ferries
Preceded by: Sidney Class
Succeeded by: C Class, Spirit Class, Coastal Class
Subclasses: Burnaby Class, New Westminster Class
Built: 1962–1963
In service: 1962–2008
Planned: 4
Completed: 4
Active: 0
Retired: 4

The V Class Ferries, also known as Victoria-class, includes BC Ferries ships built between 1962 and 1963. These vessels were the backbone of service on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route prior to the arrival of the MV Spirit of British Columbia in 1993. Some of these vessels underwent vehicle capacity increases three times.

The vessels were slated to be retired and sold in 2008.[1]

The transfer of the Esquimalt was halted and she was broken up in Ensenada, Mexico.[2]

History and sub-classes

Queen of Victoria in 1964, showing how the V-class ferries looked as built
A drawing showing what the Queen of Vancouver looked like when she was built (bottom), after being stretched (center), and after the upper car deck was added (top).

When the Victoria-class ferries were constructed, a total of seven were constructed.

The seven ships constructed were soon modified to increase vehicle capacity twice. The first was the installation of platform decks or ramps, the seconds saw the ships sliced in half vertically across the beam for the insertion of an 84 foot midsection, which dramatically increased the capacity of the seven ships.

Later, five of the seven ships (excluding Queen of Burnaby, and Queen of Nanaimo) were cut horizontally from bow to stern to have a new vehicle deck inserted. As a result, the two ships left without the new car deck were removed from the V class designation to become Burnaby class vessels.

When the Queen of New Westminster was lifted in 1991, she was fit with new engines to make it travel at a speed comparable to the newer C class ferries. Queen of New Westminster was then also dropped from the V class designation, and is now officially unclassed.

Former V class vessels

Queen of Vancouver

Queen of Vancouver (scrapped)
Former MV City of Vancouver
Built: Vancouver, British Columbia, 1962
Retired: April 15, 2009 - Sold to Coast Marine, moored at Woodfibre until 2012, sent for scrapping to Ensenada, Mexico[3]
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,357.22
Car capacity: 338
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay

Queen of Saanich

Queen of Saanich (scrapped)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia, 1963
Retired: November 18, 2008 - Sold. Renamed Owen Belle. Used as a logging camp on the coast of the Vancouver Island. Later moved to be moored on west side of Anvil Island in Howe Sound, it has been towed to Mexico on September 8, 2012 to be scrapped.[4][5]
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,941 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,301.65
Car capacity: 360
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen

Queen of Esquimalt in Howe Sound, sailing from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay

Queen of Esquimalt (scrapped)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia, 1963
Retired: May 25, 2008 - Sold to Dalian Golden Sun I/E Co., Ltd. Docked in Port Alberni and renamed Princess Jacqueline. In 2011 the vessel was scrapped in Ensenada, Mexico.[6]
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,500 hp (6.3 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,304
Car capacity: 376
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,656
Route: Langdale - Horseshoe Bay (summer), spare ship in all other seasons.

Queen of Victoria

Queen of Victoria (scrapped)
Former MV City of Victoria
Built: Victoria, British Columbia, 1962
Retired: 2001 - sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic. Renamed Queen of Ocoa. Scrapped in 2006 at Alang.[1]
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,294
Car capacity: 286
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,360
Route: Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay

Preceded by
Sidney Class ferries		 BC Ferries Flagship
1962 - 1985 		Succeeded by
MV Queen of the North

References

  1. 1 2 Aging Queen of Esquimalt ferry sold to buyer in China
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/163950086.html
  4. ↑ Retired ferry towed to Mexico - Coast Reporter, September 29th 2012
  5. ↑ Success! Queen of Sannich to be Scrapped - The Future of Howe Sound Society
  6. ↑ http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/163950086.html

External Links

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