View source for T-class ferry

{|{{Infobox ship begin |sclass=2}} <!-- commercial vessel classes -->
|+T-class ferry
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= Ferry of BC Ferries serving Quadra and Cortes islands.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=''Tachek'' sailing the [[Discovery Passage]]
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Builders=Allied Shipbuilders
|Operators=*[[British Columbia Ministry of Transportation]] (1969–1985)
*[[BC Ferries]] (1985–)
|Class before=
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|Subclasses=
|Built range=1969
|In service range=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=MV ''Tachek''
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage={{GT|797.0}}
|Ship displacement=807 tonnes
|Ship length={{convert|49.53|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|14.63|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
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|Ship power={{convert|1700|hp|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn}}
|Ship capacity=*30 vehicles
*143 passengers
|Ship crew=7
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=MV ''Quadra Queen II''
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage={{GT|865.32}}
|Ship displacement=819 tonnes
|Ship length={{convert|49.61|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|14.63|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=
|Ship depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship power={{convert|1700|hp|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn}}
|Ship capacity=*30 vehicles
*143 passengers
|Ship crew=7
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

[[BC Ferries]] operates two '''T-class ferries''' for use on small inter-island routes. They have raised [[Bow (ship)|bows]], which make it easier for the ships to travel in the rough seas often found on [[British Columbia]]'s central coast.  The ferries carry 30 cars and 150 passengers.  Both were built in 1969.  They were originally owned and operated by the [[British Columbia Ministry of Transportation]] until 1985, when the Ministry's saltwater ferries and routes were transferred to [[BC Ferries]], including the T class.  The two T-class ferries are ''Tachek'' and ''Quadra Queen II''.<ref name="Tachek history">{{cite web |last=Hammersmark |first=John |title=Tachek - BC Ferries |url=http://www.westcoastferries.ca/ferries/bcferries/tachek.html |website=West Coast Ferries |accessdate=6 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="Quadra Queen II history" />

== Ships in class ==
MV ''Tachek'' was built in 1969 in Vancouver, British Columbia by Allied Shipbuilders.<ref name="Tachek history"/><ref name="Tachek_BCF">{{cite web |url=http://www.bcferries.com/onboard-experiences/fleet/profile-tachek.html |title=MV Tachek |website=[[BC Ferries]] |accessdate=6 April 2013}}</ref> She was originally named ''Texada Queen'' and was used on the [[Powell River, British Columbia|Powell River]]-[[Blubber Bay]] route, serving her namesake [[Texada Island]]. She was renamed ''Tachek'' in 1977, and continued serving Texada Island until 1979 when the larger ''North Island Princess'' replaced her.  Since then, she has served as an auxiliary vessel, providing additional capacity where demand is needed and serving as a backup ferry when other ferries are out of service.  On 15 December 2012, ''Tachek'' was removed from service to undergo a nine-month life-extension project.<ref name="Tachek life extension project"> Since then, ''Tachek''has been used on the Heriot Bay (Quadra) to Whaletown (Cortes).{{cite web |date=17 December 2012 |title=Service Notice - MV Tachek - Vessel Replacement |url=http://www.bcferries.com/bcfservicenotice?id=758274 |website=[[BC Ferries]]}}</ref> In 2016, she took over the [[Heriot Bay, British Columbia|Heriot Bay]]-[[Whaletown]] route from [[MV Tenaka]], upon her retirement. As of 2023, the ferry continues to service this route.  

MV ''Quadra Queen II'' was built in 1969, also by Allied Shipbuilders in Vancouver, British Columbia.  She replaced the original ''Quadra Queen'' on the [[Campbell River, British Columbia|Campbell River]]–[[Quathiaski Cove, British Columbia|Quathiaski Cove]] ([[Quadra Island]]) route. ''Quadra Queen'' was renamed ''Cortes Queen'' and later {{MV|Nicola|1960|6}}. In the late-1980s or early-1990s, ''Quadra Queen II'' was relocated to the [[Port McNeill]]-[[Alert Bay]]-[[Sointula, British Columbia|Sointula]] route.<ref name="Quadra Queen II history">{{cite web |last=Hammersmark |first=John |title=M.V. Quadra Queen II - BC Ferries |url=http://www.westcoastferries.ca/ferries/bcferries/quadraqueen2.html |website=West Coast Ferries |accessdate=19 April 2013}}</ref> As of 2021, the ferry still serves this route, however she is likely to be retired after her replacement by the new [[Island-class ferry|MV Island Aurora]], and has been serving as an auxiliary vessel on the [[Buckley Bay, British Columbia|Buckley Bay]]-[[Denman Island]] route during her trial period.<ref name="Quadra Queen II_BCF">{{cite web |title=Quadra Queen II |url=http://www.bcferries.com/onboard-experiences/fleet/profile-quadra_queen_ii.html |website=[[BC Ferries]] |accessdate=6 April 2013}}</ref> From April 2010 to May 2011, ''Quadra Queen II'' underwent a {{CAD|$15 million}} life extension project meant to prepare the vessel for another 20 years of service.<ref name="Quadra Queen II life extension">{{cite press release |title=MV Quadra Queen II Returns to Service Following $15 Million Upgrade |date=16 March 2011 |website=British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. |location=Victoria, BC |url=http://www.bcferries.com/bcferries/faces/attachments?id=380615 |format=pdf}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{T class ferry}}
{{BC Ferry Classes}}

[[Category:T-class ferries| ]]
[[Category:Ferry classes]]