C class ferry
Queen of Oak Bay departs the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal in August 2006.
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| Class overview | |
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| Operators: | BC Ferries |
| Preceded by: | Victoria class |
| Succeeded by: | Coastal class |
| Built: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Double-ended, roll-on/roll-off ferry |
| Tonnage: | 6,968.91 tons (5,863.22 tons for Queen of Alberni) |
| Length: | 139.29 m (457.0 ft) |
| Beam: | 27 m (88.6 ft) |
| Draft: | 6 m (19.7 ft) |
| Installed power: | 11,860 hp (8.84 MW) via 2 × 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) each maximum |
| Propulsion: | Two MaK 12M551AK |
| Speed: | 19 to 22 knots (35 to 41 km/h; 22 to 25 mph) |
| Capacity: |
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The C-class ferries (also known as Cowichan class) are a class of five double-ended roll-on/roll-off ferries operated by BC Ferries in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia, all constructed between 1976 and 1981. When the vessels were first built, they were the largest ships of their kind in the world. The C-class ferries are 139.29 m (457.0 ft) long, with a car capacity of 362, and a crew and passenger capacity of 1500 persons. Each vessel's two MaK 12M551AK engines produce 11,860 HP, which provides a service speed of 22 knots.
The first two C-class ferries were Queen of Coquitlam and Queen of Cowichan, constructed in 1976. Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Surrey were built in 1981. There are some minor modifications to the design of these two ships compared to the earlier C-class ships; most noticeably, Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Surrey both have longer passenger decks than their older sisters. The C-class vessels were designed by Philip F. Spaulding and are similar to the Jumbo-class ferries he designed for Washington State Ferries several years earlier.
Queen of Alberni was also constructed in 1976 along with the first two C-class vessels. Although this ferry is considered to be a C-class vessel, it is significantly different in layout. It was originally designed to carry only overheight (truck) traffic but in 1984, an upper car deck was installed for 150 non-overheight vehicles. This ferry has a capacity of 292 cars and 800 passengers and crew, and has a maximum service speed of Template:Conver.
Queen of Coquitlam, Queen of Cowichan, Queen of Oak Bay, and Queen of Surrey each received extensive mid-life upgrades in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively. Queen of Alberni also received a similar upgrade in 2007. From engine work to major modifications and improvements, the vessels were refitted to provide an additional 20 years of service.
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Wikipedia