This Week p13
Poet Nanao Sakaki
chatters with nature

AUGUST 18, 2000 Ee een eee
Sarg Back toScheot «+ 36 .
SI Classitieds a0 30

: Crossword ooo 38

‘ Inquiring Reporter eee 19

{ Lautens ooo G

i Talking Personals eve 3}

wot | ‘ Q : ert
ear

Fast, extroverted
fun in new
Audi TT roadster

Open Road p21

Se AE ea AT id 3 tl ING Om PL HOR ED Ch ane)

Strained

Mechanical failures mount

Katharine Hamer

News Reporter khamer@nsnews.com

THERE is no inimediate plan for a new SeaBus
in the next wave of transit spending for th
Lower Mainland.

As the two existing vessels continue to wear under the stain of 23 years
of service, however, there is growing concern about their long ternt per
formance capability without a major refit.

In a recent letter to the News. ScaBus master Capt. Greg Freedman
says the question is not “whether the public can attord another SeaBus”
but whether we can afford to lose the existing service.

According to Freedman, in their first (5 years of service. the vessels
missédl fess than sia scheduled trips due to mechanical filure.

So tar this year, 28 sailings have been missed.

The S:15 and 8:30 aan, sailings have been so crowded that passengers
have been left behind.

Meanwhile Terns Link and the BC Tramportianen Financing Authority
have been recommending public usage of the SeaBus during Lions Gate
Rridge construction closures,

The Burrard Bearer and Bureard € ch have a capacity of 400 pas
sengers. Operator Coast: Mountain’ Bus Company has been considering
ways Of expanding capacity. However increasing the number of sailings tor
cach ves snotan option. Ramping up the speed at which they travel
would) mean an pnacceptable level of additional wear and tear an the ay
ing boats and create a level of wake which would disrupt other vessels in
Burrard Inlet.

One solution currently being considered by Coast Mountain nian.
mentis to reconfigure Scabus seating, increasing capacity on cach vessel by
creating: standing room space to accommodate More passengers.

Freedman, who's been on the ScaBus bridge tor almost as long as the

has been running, isa great admirer of the vessels. He believes the
ferries were pertectly designed tor ube purpose they serve.

Bur he says 20 vears is a good rule of thumb tor the usetal life of a com:
mercial vehicle. He points out thar although BC Berries has a number of

sin its Hieet, che ships ar Iv taken outof the water for

refit.” said: SeaBus ofticer and CAW focal 22000 vice president Neil
Markling. “There's nothing wrong with these hulls. CA refit wouidy bring
SeaBus mite the 24st century.”
Markting said an overhaul of the electronics system and a new wheel
house would help bring the vewels ap to current standards. .
With only two vessels cunning back to back, any removal ofa boat from Tree iin e

the equation stretch the Seabus service to its limits.

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

HORSESHOE Bay's Ross Penhail is one of 12 artists participating in the Visions of the North Shore
See Third page 4 project. Penhall's latest work is inspired by the natural beauty of Carisbrooke Park. See story page 18.

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