The C-Class ferries are a class of 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 ft) long, with a car capacity of 362, and a crew and passenger capacity of 1500 persons. The engines produce 11,860 HP, which provides a service speed of 22 knots.

C class vessels

The first two C-class ferries were the Queen of Coquitlam and the Queen of Cowichan, constructed in 1976. The 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.

The 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. 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 19 knots. She underwent a refit in 1999.

The Queens of Coquitlam, Cowichan, Oak Bay, and Surrey each received extensive upgrades in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively. From engine work to major modifications and improvements, the vessels were refitted to provide an additional 20 years of service.

Vessel	Launched	Length	Displacement	Car Capacity	Passengers and Crew
Queen of Coquitlam	1976	139.29 m (457 ft)	6,969 tons	362	1,500
Queen of Cowichan	1976	139.29 m (457 ft)	6,969 tons	362	1,500
Queen of Oak Bay	1981	139.29 m (457 ft)	6,969 tons	362	1,500
Queen of Surrey	1981	139.29 m (457 ft)	6,969 tons	362	1,500
Queen of Alberni	1976	139.29 m (457 ft)	5,863 tons	295	1,200

Routes

C-class ferries are double-ended; they have a separate bridge at each end, and therefore are not required to turn around during the sailing. These ferries generally run on the Duke Point-Tsawwassen, Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes. At one time these ferries operated on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route, but due to limitations placed on their speed when transiting Active Pass—after an accident they were required to operate in the more maneuverable docking mode rather than cruising mode—it is no longer feasible to run them on that route.

Incidents and accidents

On August 9, 1979, the Queen of Alberni was transiting through Active Pass when it ran aground on Galiano Island, tipping fifteen degrees to starboard. Several large commercial vehicles on board the vessel at the time were damaged. No persons were injured, but a racehorse onboard was killed.

On October 19, 1980, the Queen of Coquitlam tipped over and landed on her side in the Burrard Shipyards drydock during a maintenance layover, causing approximately CAD $3 million in damage. She also gained the distinction of being the only BC Ferries vessel to have issued a mayday from drydock.

On August 12, 1985, three people were killed when the Queen of Cowichan ran over a pleasure boat near the Horseshoe Bay terminal.

In June 1989, the Queen of Alberni collided with the loading dock at Departure Bay causing significant damage to the ship and dock. 6 people were injured including a cook who suffered a fractured cheekbone as he was walking down a set of stairs.

On March 12, 1992, at 8:08 am (16:08 UTC), the Queen of Alberni collided with the Japanese freighter Shinwa Maru southwest of Tsawwassen. The collision occurred in heavy fog, with both vessels suffering minor damage. Injuries included 2 serious and 25 minor injuries for the 260 people on the ferry, while none of the 11 people aboard the freighter received injuries.

In October 1994, the Queen of Surrey crashed into the dock at Horseshoe Bay, causing $200,000 in damage.

On October 20, 1995, the Queen of Coquitlam experienced an engine shut-down while approaching Horseshoe Bay. She crashed into a dock at the terminal resulting in light damage.

On December 15, 2001, the Queen of Alberni got caught in a heavy wind storm which turned a regular 2-hour crossing into a 7 1/2-hour ordeal.

On May 12, 2003, the Queen of Surrey was disabled as a result of an engine room fire. The Queen of Capilano was dispatched and tethered to the Queen of Surrey while tugboats were dispatched. The vessel was then towed back to shore. None of the 318 passengers were injured, but several crew members were treated for minor injuries. Some buckling of the main car deck resulted from the heat of the fire. However, no vehicles were damaged in the incident.

On July 31, 2003, the Queen of Surrey experienced a mechanical problem with one of its propellers. As a result, she was removed from service for emergency dry-docking to facilitate repairs, which took about five days.

On June 30, 2005, the Queen of Oak Bay lost power while approaching the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. After the captain gave ample warning, the ship coasted into the nearby Sewell's Marina, where it overran more than a dozen boats before running aground. No one was injured, and the ferry sustained only minor scraping to a rudder and propellor blade. See Queen of Oak Bay for extensive details on this accident.

External links

• BC Ferries: The Queens of Coquitlam, Cowichan and Oak Bay: More than a new look
• The Ferry Terminal - Ferries of British Columbia
• The Ferry Terminal - Ferries of BC: Queen of Alberni, Queen of Coquitlam, Queen of Cowichan, Queen of Oak Bay, and Queen of Surrey
• BC Ferries and Ships on the BC Coast (very extensive photo galleries)