Sicamous (sternwheeler)

Last updated

Sicamous
Sicamous on beach at Penticton 02.jpg
SS Sicamous in Penticton
History
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Canada
OwnerS.S. Sicamous Restoration Society
Operator Canadian Pacific Railway
Port of registryVictoria, No. 134726:56
RoutePenticton to Okanagan Landing
Cost$180,000.00
Launched1914
Maiden voyageMay 19, 1914
In service1914-1937
Out of service1937
FateDocked and restored as a museum
Status Museum ship
General characteristics
Type Sternwheeler
Tonnage1787 tons
Length200.5 ft (61.1 m)
Decks5

SS Sicamous is a large, four-decked sternwheeler commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and was built by the Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company for Okanagan Lake service between the fruit communities of Penticton, and other towns of Kelowna and Vernon, British Columbia. The vessel launched in 1914 and operated until 1937, and it is currently beached as a part of a heritage park cared for by the S.S. Sicamous Marine Heritage Society in Penticton. The vessel today is operated both as a museum, restoration site, and a facility for special events.

Contents

Form

Built in 1914, Sicamous made daily trips around Okanagan Lake until 1936, with her last official voyage in 1937. Throughout her twenty-two years of official service, Sicamous remained an important link within the transportation system of the Okanagan. Sicamous now resides in Penticton where she continues to undergo restoration. Sicamous had the following dimensions:

Although passengers would board the ship on the cargo deck, their access was limited to the bow. After boarding they would head up either one of the two exterior staircases leading to the saloon deck. The saloon deck was home to the exquisite dining hall featuring an impressive mezzanine balcony and clerestory windows. Located at the bow was the Gentlemen’s Saloon with bar, while the stern housed the ladies' saloon complete with a beautiful bridal suite. Above the saloon deck was the observation deck or gallery deck. This was where passengers would go to admire the view of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding area. Much like the saloon deck, ladies and gentlemen each had their own separate observation area, with women observing at the bow, and men at the stern. Just beneath the pilot house was the texas deck, which served as a casual meeting place for the captain and his crew.

The combined factors of the Kettle Valley Railway, which ran along the east side of Okanagan Lake, the construction of the highway along the west side of the lake, and the influence of the Great Depression in the 1930s contributed to a decline in ridership and profitability for the Sicamous. As a result, the CPR decided to renovate Sicamous, removing the texas deck and two-thirds of the observation deck. These changes were designed to reduce wind resistance and weight, decreasing coal consumption and allowing for more cargo to be transported. Despite her decrease in size, Sicamous remained a first-class steamship with the same fine Australian mahogany and Burmese teak finishings.

Function

Sicamous was a steam-driven sternwheeler, consuming an average of fifteen to seventeen tons of coal each day, [2] depending upon weather conditions and the number of stops made along the lake. [3] Today Sicamous remains the largest steam-powered, steel-hulled sternwheeler in Canada. Twenty-three feet long and made of Carnegie flange steel, the boiler was designed to burn 1720 kilograms of coal each hour. It was important to maintain a large and very hot fire burning within the boiler. Surrounding the fire was a steel chamber containing water pulled from the lake as well as 320 hollow tubes. These tubes would heat rapidly, quickly turning the water to steam. Pressure would build and the temperature would rise. The steam pressure was constantly monitored and maintained at 160 psi by a fireman or an engineer who was responsible for manually releasing steam as needed. This steam would travel from the boiler to the engines via the bulkhead, a large tube attached to the ceiling of the bilge. Sicamous had two engines, each with a low- and high-pressure cylinder. Steam would travel from cylinder to cylinder, moving pistons which were attached to the ship's pitman arms. These pitman arms were connected to the wooden stern wheel and moved completely out of phase with one another, distributing power equally to both sides of the stern wheel.

Purpose

Built in 1914 and retired in 1936, Sicamous dedicated twenty-two years of service to the CPR, transporting people of the Okanagan and travelers alike. Although always a first-class steamship complete with luxurious staterooms and cabins, Sicamous was renovated in 1935 and became primarily a cargo vessel, reducing her total number of berths from 80 to 20. This change was made in hopes of serving the people of the valley better while increasing her profits.

Operation

Construction of Sicamous began September 1913 and continued throughout the winter, finishing in the spring of 1914. The hull, engine and boiler were fabricated beforehand in Port Arthur, Ontario (Thunder Bay) and shipped to the construction site at Okanagan Landing. It took seventeen railcars to ship the prefabricated materials to the construction site. Up to 150 men were hired to build both Sicamous and her sister ship, Naramata . The cost to build Sicamous alone was estimated to be $180,000 not including the additional $14,000 spent on fine furnishings.

Sicamous was launched May 19, 1914, at 2:15 in the afternoon, and had its first excursion on June 12, 1914. The first to pilot the ship was Captain George Estabrooks, followed by Captain Otto Estabrooks in 1915, Captain William Kirby in 1916, Captain George Robertson from 1917 to 1921 and lastly Captain Joseph Weeks from 1922 to 1935. To be captain of such a ship was considered to be one of the most prestigious careers in the Okanagan Valley and each captain was held in very high regard.

Crew Complement and Officers

While off duty, the twenty-four crew members aboard Sicamous would sleep in the crew’s quarters at the stern of the cargo deck. These rooms consisted of three single bunks and housed up to six men. Crew members would sleep in shifts, sharing bunks where need be. Their quarters were known for having bed bug and cockroach infestations while also being plagued by mosquitoes living in the valley. However, a warm place to stay overnight and three meals a day were included in the crew’s wages. Chief Engineers aboard Sicamous included:

During World War I, many of the Lake and River Service’s skilled engineers left for battle, leaving numerous steamships, including Sicamous, without a Chief Engineer. As a result, Dave Stephens (rumored to be the D. Stephens above) filled in for the younger men who had joined the army. Dave Stephens was the British Columbia Lake and River Service’s Primary Chief Engineer and oversaw operations from Nelson. Captains aboard Sicamous included:

Before he became a captain, Otto Estabrooks (at the age of fifteen) was assigned the task of relieving the night watchman. He was responsible for keeping the fire within the boiler burning strongly throughout the night. This was necessary so that Sicamous could leave on time the next morning. His recollection is included below:

"The first night I fell asleep and did not waken until 5:30 a.m., exactly in time to sound the three whistles to announce that it was a half hour before leaving time-something any kid would have loved to do all by himself. Rushing to the pilot house and pulling the cord, it didn’t whistle. There wasn’t enough steam. The engineer, a gentleman of the first water, said he forgot to tell me to keep steam up. They were kind words from a kind man, even if they were not true. [4] "

See also

Citations

  1. ↑ Turner, Robert (1995). The Sicamous & the Naramata. Victoria: Sono Nis Press. p. 35. ISBN   1-55039-057-0.
  2. ↑ Brian, Marshall. "How Steam Engines Work". How Stuff Works. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Estabrooks, Otto L. "Some Reasons for Stern Wheel Boats on Okanagan Lake". Okanagan Historical Society 32nd Annual Report: 28.
  4. ↑ Ibid, 22[ clarification needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steamboat</span> Smaller than a steamship; boat in which the primary method of marine propulsion is steam power

A steamboat is a boat that is propelled primarily by steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S or PS ; however, these designations are most often used for steamships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okanagan Lake</span> Lake in British Columbia, Canada

Okanagan Lake is a lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake is 135 km (84 mi) long, between 4 and 5 km wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2.

<i>Bonnington</i> (sternwheeler)

Bonnington was a sternwheel steamboat that ran on the Arrow Lakes in British Columbia from 1911 to 1931. Bonnington and two sisterships were the largest sternwheelers ever built in British Columbia. Bonnington was partially dismantled in the 1950s, and later sank, making the vessel the largest freshwater wreck site in British Columbia.

<i>Rossland</i> (sternwheeler)

The Rossland was a sternwheel steamboat that ran on the Arrow Lakes in British Columbia. It was named after Rossland, British Columbia, once a prosperous mining town in the region.

<i>Minto</i> (sternwheeler)

Minto was a sternwheel steamboat that ran on the Arrow Lakes in British Columbia from 1898 to 1954. In those years of service, Minto had steamed over 3.2 million kilometers serving the small communities on Arrow Lakes. Minto and her sister Moyie were the last sternwheelers to run in regularly scheduled passenger service in the Pacific Northwest. The "Minto" class of sailing dinghies is named after this vessel.

The Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard that operated at Port Arthur, Ontario, now part of Thunder Bay, on Lake Superior from 1911 to 1993. The shipyard was established in 1909 and renamed in 1916 as the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company. The yard closed in 1993. It reopened as a repair yard Lakehead Marine and Industrial, however that venture failed in 2014. As of 2016, the shipyard was purchased by Heddle Marine. It is operated by Heddle Marine in partnership with Fabmar Metals Inc, of Thunder Bay. The venture focuses on ship repair services and winter layup options.

Okanagan Landing was an unincorporated settlement and steamboat port at the north end of Okanagan Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. Located southwest of the city of Vernon, it was the terminus station for the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway and served as the port and shipyard for steamboats operating to the south, as well as a transfer barge slip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service</span>

The Canadian Pacific River Lake and River Service, also known as the British Columbia Lake and River Service, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes along British Columbia's inland waters during the late 19th century.

<i>Camosun</i> (steamship)

Camosun was a steamship built in 1904 in Paisley, Scotland, which served in British Columbia.

SS <i>Naramata</i> Steam tugboat

SS Naramata is a steam tug commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) company. She pushed barges and broke ice on Okanagan Lake from 1914 to 1967. After over 50 years of service, the boat was eventually retired and left to rest in Penticton beside her sister ship, SS Sicamous. In 2001, she was purchased by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society and is currently undergoing extensive renovations. Naramata is the only interior steam tug to be preserved in the province of British Columbia, Canada.

SS <i>Okanagan</i>

SS Okanagan was a steamship owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service. The vessel was constructed in 1906 at Okanagan Landing and launched in 1907, becoming Okanagan Lake's second steamship. She linked the transportation hubs at both the north and south ends of Okanagan Lake (Vernon and Penticton, respectively, aiding the development of interior British Columbia with other steamships of the 1900s. The ship was retired in 1934 and sold for scrap and spare parts. Only the Stern Saloon, a room in the back of the upper deck, remains. It was moved to the SS Sicamous Heritage Park in Penticton in 2002, to undergo restoration work.

SS <i>York</i>

SS York was a small steamer that was used to haul freight on Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. York was built in 1902 by Bertram Iron Works of Toronto and assembled at Okanagan Landing. She was pre-fabricated with a steel hull and was twin-screw-driven. She was a small vessel in comparison to the many other ships on the lake; York was only 88 by 16 feet. York was capable of moving 134 tons in freight and could carry up to 90 passengers.

SS <i>Aberdeen</i>

SS Aberdeen was a steamship commissioned by Canadian Pacific Railway company. It was the first CPR steamship on Okanagan Lake and carried passengers and cargo from Okanagan Landing to Penticton from 1893 to 1919. Aberdeen connected communities along Okanagan Lake for the first time, creating a new era in the Okanagan Valley and greatly aiding the economy and settlement of the interior of British Columbia.

<i>Canadian National Tug no. 6</i>

Canadian National Tug no. 6 was a diesel-powered tugboat owned and operated by the Canadian National Railway (CNR) company on Okanagan Lake, British Columbia. It was launched in 1948 and transferred railway barges between Penticton and Kelowna. It was retired in 1973, becoming the last of many tugboats to operate on Okanagan Lake. Tug 6 was moved to Penticton in 2007 to rest alongside the SS Naramata and SS Sicamous, two Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) steamboats, as part of the S.S. Sicamous Inland Marine Museum. The ships are currently being restored by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society.

MV Okanagan was a tugboat that operated on Okanagan Lake, Penticton, British Columbia, from 1947 to 1972. It was the largest and last Canadian Pacific-operated tugboat on Okanagan Lake and its retirement marked the end of Canadian Pacific’s service on B.C.’s inland lakes and rivers, as well as 80 years of service on Okanagan Lake. During service, the Okanagan pushed railway barges up and down the lake and broke ice during winter.

MV Pentowna was a motor ship that transported passengers, and later freight, on Okanagan Lake from 1926 to 1973. It was the first boat to be owned and operated by Canadian National Railway (CNR) on Okanagan Lake and the first diesel-powered boat on the lake. Pentowna served the communities between Kelowna and Penticton with two daily round trips, aiding the development of the Okanagan Valley with its modern technology and speed.

SS <i>Kootenay</i>

SS Kootenay was a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) wooden-hulled sternwheeler that serviced the Arrow Lakes in British Columbia, Canada from 1897 to 1919. She was a large freight and passenger steamship and the first in a series of CPR riverboats built for the Arrow Lakes.

SS Maude-Moore was a wood-burning screw steamer that provided a ferry service between the communities of Summerland, Naramata, and Penticton on Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada.

<i>Kuskanook</i>

Kuskanook was a wooden, stern-wheel driven steamboat that operated on Kootenay Lake, in British Columbia from 1906 to 1931. After being taken out of service, Kuskanook was sold for use as a floating hotel, finally sinking in 1936. The vessel name is also seen spelled Kooskanook.

<i>Nasookin</i> Canadian steamboat

Nasookin was a sternwheel-driven steamboat that operated on Kootenay Lake in British Columbia from 1913 to 1947. Nasookin was one of the largest inland steam vessels ever to operate in British Columbia and the Columbia River and its tributaries. Nasookin became surplus to its original owner, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and was transferred to the British Columbia Provincial government which used it as an auto ferry until 1947. Negligent mooring of the steamer in 1948 led to irreparable damage to its hull, and it was later scrapped. Portions of the upper works were salvaged and used as a house.

References

49°30′07″N119°36′40″W / 49.50184°N 119.61099°W / 49.50184; -119.61099

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.