Calling all Vancouver SeaBus Fans!

[Timmy C]

Ok yeah, this thread is going to have no participants other than myself, I'm sure

Nevertheless!

This upcoming Thursday, I will be going to the Seabus office to pick out some plans so that I can scratchbuild one of these (most likely the newest one, the Burrard Pacific Breeze, based on the phone call I got).

The Vancouver SeaBus fleet consists of three vessels - two built in 1976 called the Burrard Otter and Burrard Beaver, and one that was just delivered last year called the Burrard Pacific Breeze. Differences between the '76 and '09 versions are many, as one would expect. All three are catamarans.

Each vessel is capable of carrying 400 (well, 399) passengers. They are seating room-only. The waiting area for passengers are guarded by turnstiles that lock once they've counted the maximum amount of passengers. They run short 10-minute trips connecting the terminus of the SkyTrain (metro) line in downtown Vancouver with the main bus loop in Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver across the Burrard Inlet. The frequency ranges from every 15 minutes (2 vessels) during rush hour and daytime to 30 minutes (1 vessel) on weekends and late evenings. During the Olympics all 3 buses were in service, increasing frequency to every 10 minutes. Right now, the 3 get regularly rotated and soon the older vessels will take turns being overhauled.

Pictures!

Pacific Breeze in the foreground, the Burrard Otter in the back.

Burrard Otter.

Note the rather unique way that the Otter has its wheelhouse attached.

[Bigdaddy Mark]

That looks like a fun project! I'm going to keep a watch on this one.

[Admhawk]

Go for it Timmy! It's hard to imagine that they're that old!! It was fun traveling from Surrey by transit then taking them to North Van for a Day trip back when I was growing up.

[Timmy C]

Thanks for your support, guys! I'm thinking of 1/350 - it'll only be around 9 cm long!

Depending on how this goes, I'm also thinking of casting a few copies for Translink (the company that runs Vancouver's transit) and anyone else who may be interested for $20 or so.

[Neptune]

Looks very tiny indeed, although judging from the amount of containers on the ship, she's not that huge by today's container ship standards. I think your SeaBus is just very tiny!
What plans will you get? General Arrangement? Or any frame plans too? In that case you should seriously consider a larger scale build, this is quite interesting and would be quite unique too I think! I'm sure you'll like to scratchbuild it. Once you get started you'll have a hard time stopping as the amount of possible subjects becomes endless!
Before you know it you'll be thinking about building that container ship too!
Good luck and enjoy the build!

[Timmy C]

I will be looking for the GA plans for sure, but will be wanting the hull lines also (and anything else, in case I decide to make a bigger one in the future - but for now, I just want a nice little 9cm-long 1/350th boat that I can cast). However, from the looks of it, the twin hulls appear to have a relatively uniform cross-section, so it won't be as necessary as more complicated ships.

Each "bus" can carry 400 people - doesn't look like it would, does it?

[Timmy C]

Yay! Got copies of pages from their plans booklet! Unfortunately, no drawings of fittings and not as-built. Nevertheless, the changes should be easy enough to address via pictures. The Engineering Manager suggested I go back to them with a list of fittings of which I need drawings later if I need to.

Sorry for terrible picture quality - living room lights are terrible. This is just a preview of what I have and will be scanning them into the computer later.

[Neptune]

Wow, that's about all you need for a large scale build. Only some additional frame plans for the bow and bulbs would be required.
Odd way of propulsion, but probably very well suited for its job.

Good luck with building your own version!

[Timmy C]

Thanks Neptune - will probably start off with just a waterline version and then maybe separate lower hulls later.

Here's a scan of the body lines.

[Timmy C]

Construction thread has begun!: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=53458&p=337945

[carr]

Timmy,

What is purpose of the gap or slot beneath the bridge of the Burrard Otter?

[Timmy C]

I don't know exactly - it could be a weight/material-saving measure. Access to the control space is through the main passenger cabin via stairs inside the connecting portion.

I suppose I could email the engineering manager, but he seems to be a rather busy guy.

[Admhawk]

Timmy,

What is purpose of the gap or slot beneath the bridge of the Burrard Otter?

No purpose Bob, just style! Remember, it's public transit and I believe the original design was put out for competition. It also had to appeal to the public.

Remember when ships had nice stylish curves? Now it's all slabs and angles. These were designed near the beginning of that trend.

[Timmy C]

Burrard Beaver has recently received a new paintjob more inline with the Pacific Breeze's scheme:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassid ... otostream/

[finnfan]

Sorry to muscle in on your thread Timmy, but I guess you might be the person to ask. I am looking for drawings or aerial photos which could be used to convert plans for a trio of Union Steamships Company of B C vessels. They are Camosun (later Yukon Star), Chilcotin and Coquitlam (later Glacier Queen) which were originally built as Castle class corvettes. Also, what colour were the funnels?

Thanks

Don

[Timmy C]

Can't help much there, sadly This page indicates their funnel marking to be red with black tops: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/unionbc.htm

Possible lead: look through this document and see if the museum might be able to track something down for you: http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/ ... ompany.pdf
If they need someone to go in person to scan the item you want, I can probably do it for you.

A pic of Camosun III on Flickr, showing the distinctive Castle-class clipper bow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidindelta/5007125681/

[finnfan]

Many thanks for a prompt and helpful reply. I have managed to find several pictures of these ships on the web and they turned out to be rather attractive vessels considering that they were such major conversions from warships. I have already made the weather ship conversions from Castle class corvettes and this would nicely complete the set. I will follow up the recommendation to contact Vancouver Maritime Museum and thank you again for your offer to help.

Best wishes

Don

[Timmy C]

Finnfan, I was browsing the Vancouver Archives website today when I remembered your request - have you checked them out yet?

Here are the results from a search for those names you posted: http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/;sea ... mit=Search

[finnfan]

Timmy

Thanks once again. I have been away for a while and got sidetracked onto other projects so had not got round to following up your recommendations. Those images are really high quality and should enable me to modify some drawings to show the conversion. It has now moved up to nearly top of the priority list as I have promised to talk about warship conversions for civilian use to the local branch of the World Ship Society in October and it would be great to have a model to help illustrate this.

Best wishes

Don

[K494]

Interesting project.I took a ride on one on a visit to B.C.
back in '88.