SS Prince George (1947)
SS Prince George was a passenger ship built in 1947 for the Canadian National Steamship Company, to ply the route from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Southeast Alaska.
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Prince George |
| Owner: | Canadian National |
| Route: | Inside Passage |
| Builder: | Yarrows Ltd, Esquimalt, BC |
| Launched: | October 6, 1947 |
| In service: | June 1948 |
| Out of service: | 1995 |
| Fate: | Burned in Britannia Beach, BC and later towed to scrappers in China, but sank on the way. |
| Status: | Dismantled |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | coastal liner |
| Tonnage: | 5,812 gross tons |
| Length: | 350 ft (107 m) |
| Beam: | 52.1 ft (15.9 m) |
| Depth: | 17.7 ft (5.4 m) |
| Decks: | 7 |
| Installed power: | twin steam engines, six cylinder, bore of 23 in (580 mm) and stroke of 26 in (660 mm) |
| Propulsion: | propeller |
| Speed: | 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Capacity: | 322 passengers, 50,000 cu ft (1,400 m3) freight |
She replaced the 1910 SS Prince George of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway which sank under tow in Unimak Pass, Alaska, en route to China on October 25, 1945.[1]
Construction
Prince George was built at Yarrows Ltd. at Esquimalt, British Columbia.[2] The vessel cost $3,000,000 to build.[2] It was then the largest private commercial vessel ever constructed in Canada.[2]
Specifications
Prince George was 350 feet (107 m) long, with a beam of 52.1 feet (15.9 m) and a depth of hold of 17.7 feet (5.4 m).[2] The overall size of the vessel was 5,812 tons.[2] Prince George had accommodations for 322 passengers, all but 28 of which were considered first class.[2] Each stateroom had fold-away bunks to allow it to be converted into a sitting room.[2] There were several deluxe suites and also a children's playroom.[2]
There were seven decks.[2] The steamer had a moderately streamlined appearance.[2] The ship also had space for 50,000 cubic feet (1,400 m3) of cargo, including 5,000 cubic feet (140 m3) of refrigerated space.[2] An elevator allowed ready transfer of automobiles from storage on the orlop deck to the main deck for loading and unloading.[2]
Engineering
The ship was powered by two six-cylinder (23 inches or 580 millimetres bore by 26 inches or 660 millimetres stroke) uniflow steam engines, using steam at 240 pounds-force (1.1 kN) generated by four Yarrow naval boilers, each with four oil burners.[2] Prince George maintained a service speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).[2]
Career
In September 1950, Prince George collided with the Canadian Pacific coastal liner SS Princess Kathleen.[3] The collision occurred 27 nautical miles (50 km; 31 mi) northwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia.[3] Both ships were equipped with radar.[3] Damage to Princess Kathleen was about $250,000.[3] Damage to Prince George was about $100,000.[3] Both ships made it to port under their own power.[3] Between them, the two ships were carrying 450 passengers at the time of the collision.[3]
On October 18, 1953, Prince George, operating in a heavy fog with its radar nonfunctional, ran aground at Ripple Point, in Johnstone Strait.[4] Captain E.B. Caldwell, then the senior Canadian National master, was in the bridge navigating by whistle and echo at the time of the grounding.[4] Captain Caldwell saw the point shortly before striking it, and ordered the helm over, which spared the steamer from a head on strike on the point.[4] As a result the hull sustained only minor damage.[4] Prince George was assisted to port with tugs, with one of its own engines still in operation.[4] There were no casualties.[4]
In 1959, Prince George, departing from British Columbia ports, was employed on summer cruises to Alaska.[5]
Disposition
The ship was sold in 1976 for use as a floating restaurant, and passed through the hands of several different owners until October 1995, when it caught fire at Britannia Beach, BC, and was sold for scrap.
References
- Dave Kiffer. "The Burning of the S.S. Prince George". sitnews.us, Stories In The News. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- Newell, Gordon R., ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: Superior Pub. Co. p. 553. LCCN 66025424.
- Newell, Gordon R., ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: Superior Pub. Co. p. 577. LCCN 66025424.
- Newell, Gordon R., ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: Superior Pub. Co. p. 591. LCCN 66025424.
- Newell, Gordon R., ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: Superior Pub. Co. p. 634. LCCN 66025424.
