Wednesday, June 24. 1998 — Narth Shore News - 3

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NEWS photo Paut McGrath/Inset Jan Pos
A crowd gathered at Lonsdale Quay iast Sunday to witness the launch of the first fast ferry. Inset: Catamaran Ferry International board chairman Jack Munro is flanked
by Dallas Cowboys standout Herschel Walker (left) and Kyle Washington, president of Seaspan shortly after Saturday's ceremonial bottle was broken on the vessel’s bow.

NV cheers cat

FAST FACTS

THE yet-to-be-named
Pacificat features a vari-

Robert Gaister ., ; h ety of belis and whistles
TT Us go t : : ‘ -

News Reporter reat.” ing toe aimed at improving effi-

robert@nsnews.com David Laundy ciency and increasing

IN the wake of four years of
relentless criticism, the fast

said he wanied to see
the event because he

comfort for its passen-
gers. The following is a

: remembers the - r
ferry program finally had its taanching of numer, run-down of some of
Ly y jaunching of numer these and other facts
day in the sun. cus ferries in and fi .
. Actually, it was five days. Victoria. and figures:

Catamaran Ferries International
(CFI), a subsidiary of B.C. Ferries,
started the launch process of its first
Pacificat. fast ferry last Wednesday
when the vessel was wheeled out of
its North Vancouver assembly shed.

ene aoe]

“T haven’r seen 2
launching in quite
some time.” said
Taundy. “You don’t
sec a launching every
day.”

@ Anticipated travel time on
the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo
route: 65 minutes {currents |
hour 40 minutes);

@ Capacity: 250 cars (including
up to four buses), 1,000. pas-

By Saturday, the 123-metre (400- John Fournari sengers;
foot) aluminum ship had been joked abour the awo- B Size: 122.5 metres Jong,
mounted on to a drydock and posi- By vear delay in the ves- 23.8 metres wide — the sec-

tioned at the shoreline of the assem-
bly facility. Shortly before noon a
partisan crowd of abour 600 ship-
workers and their families had gath-
ered to witness the ceremenial break-
ing of a bortle across the ship’s bow.

With brilliant sunshine streaming
into the facility, the North Vancouver
Youth Band played Canada’s nation-
al anthem before Premier Glen Clark
took the podium in the shadow of
the ship.

“There have been a lot of arm-
chair critics of this program,” said
Clark to the jubilant crowd before him. “They said
we couldn't do it and here’s the proof right here.”

He urged his listeners to have pride in B.C. and
the craftsmanship of its workforce before giving
way to Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible
for B.C, Ferries Dan Miller.

CFI board chairman) and perhaps the
staunchest defender of the fast ferry program Jack
Munro was the last to speak.

“I seem to have gotten the reputation unfairly
of using too many four- and _five-letter words,”
said Munro, adding that the only words fitting chat
description he'll be using at the family event will be
“fast” and “speed.”

Next up, the event everyone had gathered tor:
the ceremonial bottle-breaking across the ship's
bow, The premier’s wite, Dale, assumed her posi-
tion and with a clean, clean swat managed to sce to
it that a bortle’s-worth of B.C. sparkling wine was
running down the side of the vessel.

The crowd broke into a cheer and retired into
the backyard barbecue atmosphere complete with
hamburgers and refreshments.

Among the revelers, a tight-knit group chatted
easily amidst the activity. Tt included Dennis
Washington, the American billionaire who owns

DALE Clark broke the ceremonial bottle across the
ship’s bow to loud cheers from an audience of 600
as husband and B.C. Premier Glen looked on.

NEWS photo Grad Ledwidge

North Vancouver's Seaspan International and
Vancouver Shipyards, which participated in the fast
ferry construction project, and his two sons Kyle
and Kevin.

Along for the show was family friend Herschel
Walker of National Football League fame.

“Iv’s (the ferry) something special for the peo-
ple of Vancouver,” said Kyle Washington, who is
also the president of Seaspan.

Meanwhile Walker, the 36-year-old veteran of
numerous football campaigns, appeared to be
enjoying the spectacle 2-7 the launch as he gets set
to attend the July 18 opening of the Dallas
Cowboys training camp.

The actual launch of the vessel was scheduled
for Sunday morning which drew a crowd of cur:
ous onlookers to Lonsdale Quay. While the launch
itseif appeared somewhat anti-climactic, a loud
roar of approval and clapping was heard when the
drvdock holding the vessel sank deep enough for
the ferry to float free.

Don Mossop, an accountant, said it was impor:
tant for him to witness the event in person as the
proceedings moved along shipgishly before him.

“Wm here to see a launch of a new ship, a great
ship,” said Mossop, “e's gonna cost us plenty but

7

sel’s launch but was
likewise — impressed
with the ship.

“Tr’s great,”
sununed up Fournari.
“Whatever happens
on time in this lite?”

Anne Carneron
found the whole
spectacle Jess than
specracular but didn't
let it ruin her week-
end.

“It's a pleasant
way to spend a
Sunday morning but
it’s hardly breathtak-
ing,” said Cameron.
“Ir would have been
exciting if they had
done it quickly the
way they used to with
a big rush.”

Notwirhstanding
the muted criticism
of those watching on
Sunday, B.C. Ferries
spokesman Clay
Suddaby gave the
launch = process an
excellent review,

“Perfect.” said Suddaby. “Ie was a clockwork
event.”

In the coming weeks, the vessel will be under-
going interior fitting. Sea trials are scheduled to
start sometime in August. The ferry is expected to
be in service, plying the Horseshoe Bay to
Nanaimo route sometime atter Labour Day.

Meanwhile the second of three planned fast fer-
nies is already 40% complete.

JOHN: FOURNARI

a] :

ond-largest catamaran ferry in

the world;

HB Cost: first vessel, S86 mil- |
lion; second, high $760 million-

range; third, low $70 million-

range (anticipated },

@ Service speed: 37 knots (68

km/h or 42 miup.h.);

@ Stopping distance from
vice speed: 1.5 times vessel's
length;

® Power: four MTU diesel
engines driving four waterjets;
installed power is 23,500
horsepower;

® Designers: Incat Designs of
Sydnev, Australia and Robert
Allan Ltd. of Vancouver;

#® Direct jobs created: more
than 600 at six B.C. shipyards;
@ = Participating — shipyards:
Vancouver Shipyards, Allied
Shipbuilders, Point Hope
Shipyard, Ramsay Machine
Works, AXF — Aluminum
Catamarans, Alberni: Engineer:
ing;

@ lndireet jobs: estimated at
over 500 with related B.C. sup-
pliers andl marine indus* rigs;

M Features: restaurant, cap:
puccino bar, snack bar, kids’
play area, gift shop, Hoor-to-
ceiling windows, work cubic!
with electrical outlets, ene ele-
vator verving all decks, five
washrooms, one sheltered out:
door passenger deck at rear of
vessel;

— Robert Galster