Queen of Chilliwack - Esquimalt Graving Dock

Trip: Tour of the Queen of Chilliwack at Esquimalt Graving Dock

Date: October 3rd 2007

Objective of Trip: To see the Queen of Chilliwack for the first time

Recap:

Well, earlier this week I was awarded the privilege of visiting the Queen of Chilliwack While in Drydock in Esquimalt. So, Wednesday afternoon Donella and myself went over to the Esquimalt Graving Dock and were given a tour of the ship while she was high and dry.

The trip started with me catching the 1:00pm sailing to Swartz Bay, witch was boring. Then I picked up Donella at a Tim Horton's in Esquimalt. We then went over to EGD where the guard couldn't find my name and had a hard time letting me in. Eventually he let us in and we drove over to the BCF trailer.

After meeting Paul, he took use down into the dock, where we saw her in an awkward position, high and dry.



Paul took us over to the EGD's plaques and we took a look at those.

We then boarded the ship via an overhead walkway that lead from the yard surface right onto deck 4 above the main passenger deck.



From there we walked through the ship and down to the car deck. Paul took us up another stair about half way up where there is a small hatch that allows access to the chain locker.



Then we headed through the open bow doors and then down some scaffolding onto the drydock work surface. About half way down we started to realize how big her hull was.



Once down there I turned around and realized just how much bigger she is when you can see all of her.



While she is in drydock they pull out all the anchor chain to see what condition it is in and repaint the length links.

And the anchors at the end of the chain.


 

There was a portie-pottie on the work surface as well.



we then started to work our way around the hull in a counter clockwise direction.



The No. 1 end Starboard RAD.

Donella got this one and it later turned out it looks like I am marking my territory.



Feeling her up.



I am the incredible hulk.



New anodes to be installed.



At some point this year they hit the wing wall quite hard at Saltery Bay and smashed up the starboard stabilizing fin. So they were replacing it.

They were also replacing the pressure seals between the RAD and the Propellers.



Some of the Propellers had been removed.



These are skewed blades, she has one set of these.



And these are cupped blades, shes had 4 sets of these.



Working our way around.



Opening to a sea chest.



After looking around below the hull we went looking around below decks in the machinery space, Paul showed us around. I didn't take many pictures as I had already seen most of this before.



He then asked if we would like to meet the new chief engineer. So we walked into the control room and it turns out that it was harry from the Queen of Tsawwassen. So we ended up down there for almost an hour chatting and I showed them the videos of my model RADs and they were very impressed.

We then made our way all the way to the top to the top of the funnel. You have to go outside to get to it and climb up a bunch of ladders.  It isn't as easy as the Spaulding ships.


 

She has Airchime Horns



The Nerds.

We then made our way down and up to the parking lot.
 

Donella took more pictures than me.

Turned out to be a great trip, and they were doing quite a bit of work to her. They were superchlorinating the freshwater tanks, they completely sandblasted the hull and are refinishing it with epoxy paints and anti fowling paint, they are repainting the bilges, adding a new structure to the bow and stern so she can dock in European berths and touching up her paint all over.

It was very nice too meet a bunch of the guys from Deas and the engineering crew. Thanks a lot guys for a memorable afternoon.

Cheers,