K class ferry
Encyclopedia
The "K-Class" ferries
(often referred to as 'K-barges', due to their hull type and size) are a group of similarly designed ferries operated by both BC Ferries
and TransLink in British Columbia
, Canada
.
With the exception of MV Kuper, all of the listed K-class vessels were built for service in British Columbia's Ministry of Highways
salt water inter-island ferry fleet which was absorbed by BC Ferries
in 1985.
(formerly MV Denman Queen)
Built: 1972, Vancouver
, British Columbia
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 600 hp
Service Speed: 9 knots
Gross Tonnage: 352.58
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 195
Route: Chemainus ↔ Thetis Island ↔ Kuper Island
The Klitsa has been in BC Ferries maintenance facility, called Deas Dock, quite often during past years. It is currently services the brentwood bay- millbay route replacing the MV Mill Bay which went up for sale on February 24, 2011.
MV Kahloke
Built: 1973, Vancouver
, British Columbia
Length: 54.75 m (179'6)
Power: 640 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 466
Car Capacity: 30
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 200
Route: Denman Island ↔ Hornby Island
The Kahloke sometimes aided the Albion Ferries
, owned by TransLink when one was out of service. This was not the first ferry named Kahloke to operate on the BC coast. The 1903 built Asbury Park
served as Kahloke from 1952 to 1964 and was then renamed Langdale Queen.
MV Kwuna
Built: 1975, Victoria, British Columbia
Length: 71.64 m (235'4)
Power: 730 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 347.49
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 154
Route: Skidegate ↔ Alliford Bay
The Kwuna is different from the other K-class. It has loading ramps attached to the vessel, not to land like the others. It docks at concrete boat-launch-like ramps, then lowers the vehicle ramp down to the ground.
MV Kuper
(formerly MV John Atlantic Burr)
Built: 1985, Bullfrog, Utah
Rebuilt: 2006, Vancouver
, British Columbia
Length: 52.21 m (171'3.5)
Power: 2 x 475 hp
Service Speed: TBA
Gross Tonnage: 648
Car Capacity: 32
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 269
Route: Chemainus ↔ Thetis Island
↔ Kuper Island
The Kuper is the newest of the K-barges and started service in 2006.
The former MV John Atlantic Burr operated on Utah
's Lake Powell
as of early September 2005. The following winter, the vessel was cut into four sections, transported by truck to British Columbia
, and reassembled as MV Kuper, with significant modification and enlargement. The ship cost 200,000 and $4.5 million to refit and enlarge, which was considered quite a savings compared to the cost of building a new vessel which was estimated at $20 million.
Built: 1972, Vancouver
, British Columbia
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 650 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 355.04
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 150
Route: Albion ↔ Fort Langley
(Defunct)
MV Klatawa
Built: 1972, Vancouver
, British Columbia
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 650 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 347.58
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 150
Route: Albion ↔ Fort Langley
(Defunct)
Both the Kulleet and the Klatawa are owned and operated by Metro Vancouver's Transportation Authority, Translink, and up until July 31, 2009, they ran the Albion ↔ Fort Langley
route on the Fraser River
, between the Maple Ridge
suburb of Albion on the North, to McMillan Island in Fort Langley, to the south.
The two vessels operated the Albion Ferry route until they were replaced by the Golden Ears Bridge
.
They are now awaiting sale. TransLink has not yet specified who will be buying them, but there are rumours that at leat one ferry may be sold to the city of Prince Rupert, British Columbia
to aid their airport ferry
operations.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
(often referred to as 'K-barges', due to their hull type and size) are a group of similarly designed ferries operated by both BC Ferries
BC Ferries
British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
and TransLink in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
With the exception of MV Kuper, all of the listed K-class vessels were built for service in British Columbia's Ministry of Highways
British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is the British Columbia government ministry responsible for transport infrastructure and law in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
salt water inter-island ferry fleet which was absorbed by BC Ferries
BC Ferries
British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
in 1985.
BC Ferries
MV Klitsa(formerly MV Denman Queen)
Built: 1972, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 600 hp
Service Speed: 9 knots
Gross Tonnage: 352.58
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 195
Route: Chemainus ↔ Thetis Island ↔ Kuper Island
The Klitsa has been in BC Ferries maintenance facility, called Deas Dock, quite often during past years. It is currently services the brentwood bay- millbay route replacing the MV Mill Bay which went up for sale on February 24, 2011.
MV Kahloke
Built: 1973, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Length: 54.75 m (179'6)
Power: 640 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 466
Car Capacity: 30
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 200
Route: Denman Island ↔ Hornby Island
The Kahloke sometimes aided the Albion Ferries
Albion Ferry
The Albion Ferry, also known as the Fort Langley Ferry, was a free passenger and vehicle ferry service that was sailing across the Fraser River from June 7, 1957 to July 31, 2009...
, owned by TransLink when one was out of service. This was not the first ferry named Kahloke to operate on the BC coast. The 1903 built Asbury Park
SS Asbury Park
Asbury Park was a high-speed coastal steamer built in Philadelphia, PA, and intended to transport well-to-do persons from New York to summer homes on the New Jersey shore. This vessel was sold to West Coast interests in 1918, and later converted to an automobile ferry, serving on various routes...
served as Kahloke from 1952 to 1964 and was then renamed Langdale Queen.
MV Kwuna
Built: 1975, Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
Length: 71.64 m (235'4)
Power: 730 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 347.49
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 154
Route: Skidegate ↔ Alliford Bay
The Kwuna is different from the other K-class. It has loading ramps attached to the vessel, not to land like the others. It docks at concrete boat-launch-like ramps, then lowers the vehicle ramp down to the ground.
MV Kuper
(formerly MV John Atlantic Burr)
Built: 1985, Bullfrog, Utah
Bullfrog, Utah
Bullfrog Basin Marina is a small unincorporated community on the shores of Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area of Kane County, Utah, United States. Bullfrog is a popular place on Lake Powell for tourists, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts due to its marina and local...
Rebuilt: 2006, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Length: 52.21 m (171'3.5)
Power: 2 x 475 hp
Service Speed: TBA
Gross Tonnage: 648
Car Capacity: 32
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 269
Route: Chemainus ↔ Thetis Island
Thetis Island
Thetis Island is an island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the Gulf Islands. The island was named in 1851 after HMS Thetis, a 36-gun Royal Navy frigate commanded by Captain Augustus Leopold Kuper . The ship was named after the Nereid Thetis from Greek mythology...
↔ Kuper Island
Kuper Island
Kuper Island belongs to the Penelakut First Nation and is located in the southern Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. Kuper has a population of about 300 members of the Penelakut Band. The island has an area of 8.66 km²...
The Kuper is the newest of the K-barges and started service in 2006.
The former MV John Atlantic Burr operated on Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
's Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
as of early September 2005. The following winter, the vessel was cut into four sections, transported by truck to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and reassembled as MV Kuper, with significant modification and enlargement. The ship cost 200,000 and $4.5 million to refit and enlarge, which was considered quite a savings compared to the cost of building a new vessel which was estimated at $20 million.
TransLink
MV KulleetBuilt: 1972, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 650 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 355.04
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 150
Route: Albion ↔ Fort Langley
Albion Ferry
The Albion Ferry, also known as the Fort Langley Ferry, was a free passenger and vehicle ferry service that was sailing across the Fraser River from June 7, 1957 to July 31, 2009...
(Defunct)
MV Klatawa
Built: 1972, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Length: 47.46 m (155'8")
Power: 650 hp
Service Speed: 10 knots
Gross Tonnage: 347.58
Car Capacity: 26
Passenger & Crew Capacity: 150
Route: Albion ↔ Fort Langley
Albion Ferry
The Albion Ferry, also known as the Fort Langley Ferry, was a free passenger and vehicle ferry service that was sailing across the Fraser River from June 7, 1957 to July 31, 2009...
(Defunct)
Both the Kulleet and the Klatawa are owned and operated by Metro Vancouver's Transportation Authority, Translink, and up until July 31, 2009, they ran the Albion ↔ Fort Langley
Albion Ferry
The Albion Ferry, also known as the Fort Langley Ferry, was a free passenger and vehicle ferry service that was sailing across the Fraser River from June 7, 1957 to July 31, 2009...
route on the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
, between the Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
suburb of Albion on the North, to McMillan Island in Fort Langley, to the south.
The two vessels operated the Albion Ferry route until they were replaced by the Golden Ears Bridge
Golden Ears Bridge
The Golden Ears Bridge is a six-lane extradosed bridge in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. It spans the Fraser River, connecting Langley on the south side with Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge on the north side. The All Electronic Toll bridge, owned by TransLink, has a clearance of , and a total...
.
They are now awaiting sale. TransLink has not yet specified who will be buying them, but there are rumours that at leat one ferry may be sold to the city of Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
to aid their airport ferry
Prince Rupert Airport
Prince Rupert Airport, , is located west southwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada.The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency...
operations.