The British Columbia Ferries Division has announced the awarding of the 84-foot lengthening of the Queen of Esquimalt to Burrard Dry Dock Company Limited of North Vancouver. The $2,198,225 contract includes a sewage-control system, an additional restaurant on the sun deck and a new self service cafeteria in place of the present restaurant on the promenade deck. Restaurant seating capacity has been increased from 144 persons to 238 persons.
The 84-foot increase in length, to an overall length of 426 feet 4 1/2 inches, will increase the car-carrying capacity from 138 cars to over 200 standard American cars.
Overall consultation, design, and working drawings were accomplished by Case Existological Laboratories Limited (C.E.L.L.) of Victoria, B.C. C.E.L.L. studied vibration, maneuverability, speed and power, structural and weather and wave problems associated with the route and lengthened vessel before proceeding with the detail design. Dun-Dar Design Associates of Vancouver produced the interior design for both the new self-service cafeteria on the promenade deck and the restaurant on the sun deck. The model tests to determine final speed were run by Teddington's National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom.
The lengthened vessel has approval of both the Canadian Steamship Inspection and American Bureau of Shipping. The lengthened vessel will be classed with the American Bureau of Shipping. The vessel's route will be the Tsawwasen-Swartz Bay run. The vessel is scheduled for completion by June 9, 1969.
The vessel originally cost $3.8-million when built in 1963. Replacement costs for a vessel of the lengthened version are estimated at $8.5-million.
The persons instrumental within the government for concept and coordination with C.E.L.L. are W. B. Weston, operations manager, and W. Phillips, construction supervisor.