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:
Subclasses:
Built: 1962–1963
In service: 1962–2008
Planned: 7
Completed: 7
Active: 1
Lost: 1
Retired: 5

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

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

The transfer of Queen of 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 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 refit was the installation of ramps and platform car decks, the second refit saw the ships sliced in half vertically across the beam for the insertion of a new 84-foot (25.6 m) midsection, which dramatically increased their capacity.

Later, four of the seven ships were cut horizontally from bow to stern to have a new vehicle deck inserted. These rebuilt ships retained the V-class designation. Queen of Burnaby, and Queen of Nanaimo were two original ships without the new car deck, they received a new designation as Burnaby-class vessels. The Queen of Burnaby retired in May 2017 (Replaced by the MV Salish Orca) and the MV Queen of Nanaimo is set to be retired in September 2017 (to be replaced by the MV Salish Eagle).

The last of the seven ships, Queen of New Westminster was lifted in 1991, she was fit with new engines to travel at speeds comparable to the newer C-class ferries. Queen of New Westminster was also dropped from the V-class designation, and is now officially unclassed. She had a major refit of her passenger areas completed in 2009, preparing her for another ten to fifteen years of service and will be the sole survivor of the original seven ships.

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. Scrapped in 2012 at Ensenada, Mexico.[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.[3]
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		 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. 1 2 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
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