The Queen of Chilliwack is one of the few ships in the BCFC fleet that were not built in BC.  Basto 1 was Launched in January of 1978 by AS Framnaes MeK. Vaerksted of Norway.  IN 1991 she was bought by BCFS and renamed the Queen of Chilliwack.  She was originally placed on Route 9 (Southern Gulf Islands - Tsawwassen) and was refurbished and transferred to the new route 40 (Discovery Coast) where she has been running during the summers ever since and transferring to Route 7 (Earls Cove - Saltery Bay) during the Winter.  She has become one of the most hated vessels in the fleet and deserves that title.

When you are riding the Chilliwack it feels like a small earthquake.  This is in part due to her sturdy Hull.  The Chilliwack Is a class 1 Ice breaker, and her RAD's don't allow for good vibration control.  This combination makes her hull almost three times thicker than any other vessel and the ship almost twice the weight of the Queen of Tsawwassen witch is only 39' shorter.  The Chilliwack has had one accident in the last years, in august of 2007 she had a power failure and bumped the dock at 2 knots causing two people to be injured.

Ordered - January 1977
Keel laid - unknown
Launched - January 1978
Delivered - June 1978
Construction cost - unknown

Names

(a) Basto 1 - Norway (1991)
(b) Queen of Chilliwack - Canada

Ship type - Passenger & vehicle ferry
Gross tonnage - 2,476
Net tonnage - 938
Deadweight tonnage - 1,129
L.O.A. - 114.58 meters (375'7")
L.B.P. - 92.31 meters (302'7")
Width overall - 18.30 meters (60'0")
Width moulded - 17.84 meters (58'6")
Draught - 4.601 meters (15'1")
Depth - 5.35 meters (17'6")
Loading doors - 1 bow & 1 stern
Loading ramps - 1 bow & 1 stern
Ramp dimensions - unknown
Maximum vehicle width - unknown

Maximum vehicle height - 4.40 meters (14'5")
Total length of lanes - 360 meters (1,180'1")
Automobile capacity - 115
Trailer capacity - none
Passenger capacity - 700

Strengthened for light ice navigation

Builder - AS Framnaes MeK. Vaerksted
Country - Sandefjord, Norway
Hull number - 190
Engine builder - Bergens MeK. Verksteder
Country - Bergen, Norway
Number of engines - 4
Engine type - Normo (model LDMB-6) 6-cyl diesels
Horsepower - 4,601 bhp or 3,384 kW
Fuel - Diesel oil
Diesel oil capacity - 450.0 tonnes
Rate of consumption - 6.5 tonnes/day
Speed - 15.0 knots
Propellers - 4 directional props (2 fore & aft)
Directional thrust propellers - 4 (2 fore & aft)
Steering gear - propellers
Generators - 3 x 172kW 230V 50Hz a.c.

Information Listed above from TC