Baynes Sound Connector is a car ferry owned and operated by B.C. Ferries that runs between Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island and Denman Island. It is the first and only cable ferry in the BC Ferries fleet and replaced the self-propelled MV Quinitsa in February 2016. Red and green transit lights are installed at both Buckley Bay and Denman West terminals facing oncoming marine traffic in each direction. It is illegal to cross the channel while the red light is on, signifying the ferry is in transit. The crossing with a length of 1,961.48 metres (6,435.3 ft) is the longest cable ferry crossing in the world. It uses two guide cables and a third driving cable.
 MV Baynes Sound Connector en route to the Denman Island West Ferry Terminal
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 Canada | |
|---|---|
| Name | Baynes Sound Connector |
| Owner | British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. |
| Operator | BC Ferries |
| Route | Buckley Bay ↔ Denman Island |
| Launched | 2015 |
| Christened | 2015 |
| In service | February 2016 |
| Identification |
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| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Unclassed ferry |
| Displacement | 750 t (740 long tons) |
| Length | 78.5 m (257 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power | 998 hp (744 kW) |
| Speed | 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) |
| Capacity |
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Design and description
editBaynes Sound Connector is a 78.5-metre (257 ft 7 in)-long car ferry designed for 150 passengers and 45 vehicles.[1] The vessel has a maximum displacement of 750 metric tons (740 long tons) and an engine capable of creating 744 kilowatts (998 hp). Baynes Sound Connector has a maximum speed of 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) and a passenger and crew capacity of 200 people max.[2] It services the route between Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island and Denman Island. Red and green transit lights are installed at both Buckley Bay and Denman West terminals facing oncoming marine traffic in each direction. It is illegal to cross the channel while the red light is on, signifying the ferry is in transit.[3] The ferry uses two guide cables and a third driving cable to cross the water between the two terminals. In the case of a cable break, the ferry is designed to be towed by a tugboat to the closest terminal.[4]
Construction and career
editIn 2013 BC Ferries, Dynamic Systems Analysis and E.Y.E. Marine Consultants presented a paper at the SNAME Annual Meeting showing design elements and numerical simulations of the proposed ferry, in particular the hydraulically driven bull wheels operating on a single traction cable and two guide cables - 1.625-inch cables to be pre-tensioned with 200 kilonewtons - and pontoon docking.[5]
The ferry was built by Seaspan[6] at its Vancouver Shipyards at a cost of CAD$15 million.[7] Its construction suffered delays and trial mishaps and the project has been drawing heavy criticism for using more fuel than the previous ship and for a lower service reliability notably caused by the downtime during excessive wind speed. BC Ferries denied the allegations.[6][7][8] The ship was launched in 2015.[2] Baynes Sound Connector replaced the self-propelled MV Quinitsa on the Buckley Bay–Denman Island route in February 2016.[9] Upon entering service, the crossing with a length of 1,961.48 metres (6,435.3 ft), became the longest cable ferry crossing in the world.[10]
In 2019 the Baynes Sound Connector in the three years since launch surpassed 30,000 sailings and saved more than 415,000 litres (91,000 imp gal; 110,000 US gal) of fuel on route.[11] In the same year it was criticized for shedding plastic from the cables.[12] In 2020, the original plastic-covered cables were replaced with regular steel cables. In 2021, the vessel underwent a refit that upgraded the bull wheel drive system that governs the cables.[13]
A BC Ferries review of 16 February 2023 identified persisting problems with "overheating of the hydraulic motors, bolt cracking on the bull-wheel and hull fouling". "The broad community continues to be unsupportive of the vessel and reactions to potential increased investment remain highly negative." The review recommended to meet increasing demand with an additional smaller conventional ferry at peak times and to repower and expand Baynes Sound Connector by 2034.[14]
References
edit- ^ Wilson, Carla (20 November 2015). "Denman cable ferry joins fleet; will begin service in February". Times Colonist. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Baynes Sound Connector". BC Ferries. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "New Transit Light Operations". BC Ferries. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016.
- ^ "New Cable Ferry for Buckley Bay-Denman Island Service". BC Ferries. Archived from the original on April 20, 2015.
- ^ Steinke, Dean M.; Nicoll, Ryan; Thompson, Tony; Paterson, Bruce (6 November 2013). "Design methodology and numerical analysis of a cable ferry". SNAME Maritime Convention. doi:10.5957/SMC-2013-T35. Retrieved 25 December 2023 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ a b Soltz, Dean (5 October 2015). "Critics say Denman Island cable ferry failing sea trials". CHEK News. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015.
- ^ a b Azpiri, Jon (27 October 2015). "Critics warn of problems with B.C. cable ferry project". Global News. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Laanela, Mike (20 November 2015). "Denman Island cable ferry to start service in 2016". CBC News. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "New Denman Island cable ferry officially in service". CBC News. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Longest cable ferry". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Baynes Sound Connector surpasses 30,000 sailings in three years". Comox Valley Record. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Haluschak, Erin (30 July 2019). "Denman Island cable ferry shedding plastic into the ocean". Comox Valley Record. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Haluschak, Erin (15 April 2021). "Baynes Sound Connector undergoing upgrades". Comox Valley Record. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Review of Baynes Sound Connector Released". BC Ferries. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2024.