1 of 4
The "Fintry Queen"
The Fintry Queen - 1965
2 of 4
The "Fintry Queen"
M.V. Lequime - 1948
3 of 4
The "Fintry Queen"
Art Bailey
4 of 4
The "Fintry Queen"
By Andy Schwab
The Fintry Queen today lies tethered to large pilings in Sutherland Bay, waiting for the next chapter in her life story. For more than 60 years she has been a part of Kelowna's downtown waterfront, carrying more than 25,000 passengers each summer. Her old moorage slip has now made way for the new Kelowna Downtown Marina.
Originally named the "M.V. Lequime", she was built in Vancouver in 1948 and shipped by rail in sections to Kelowna, where she became one of three car and passenger ferries crossing Okanagan Lake. The smallest ferry, the Pendozi, is now the Clubhouse for the West Bank Yacht Club. The third ferry the "Lloyd Jones" was taken back to the coast by BC Ferries where she continued to work before being sold in 1998 to the Dominican Republic.
The transformation from "Lequime" to "Fintry" was the creation of Arthur Bailey in the mid 1960's, to transport travellers and tourists to his new real estate development at Fintry. "Art was a dreamer," said his wife Ingrid, "and a few years ahead of his time." Ingrid remembers housing and feeding more than 30 shipwrights for the two years it took to convert the vessel on the beach at Fintry to reflect the sternwheeler tradition on Okanagan Lake.
The original Fintry Queen had no housing. Passengers were issued with raincoats for the first few years. Accommodations were gradually improved where today she can carry 335 passengers and crew. On the Main Deck there is a indoor forward lounge that seats 70 and a rear main dining room with dance floor for another 120 guests. On the Upper Deck there is a covered outdoor area, sun deck, barbeque, snack bar and games room. Two fuel efficient turbo diesel engines power the ship at an average cruising speed of 6-8 knots. The Fintry Queen was designed as an all-season ferry with an extra thick hull for breaking through the winter ice and a unique hull shape that enables her to get close to shore to use the boarding ramp.
Between 2004 and 2008, an estimated $800,000 was spent on improvements. All the wiring, switches, electrical panels and fire control systems were replaced. The generators and main engines were rebuilt along with new stainless steel shafts and bronze propellers.
Arthur Bailey's dream is underway again. The City of Penticton has signed a lease agreement for a new moorage facility to be built adjacent to the Kiwanis Pier, at the foot of Martin and Main Streets. Design, engineering and permitting are all in place. The cost to build the pier, provide the utilities, renovate and license the ship, has been estimated at $600,000. To raise the capital, the Okanagan Lake Boat Company which owns title to the ship, has received an allocation under the BC Investment Program to grant a 30% tax credit to investors, who may hold up to 49% of the equity shares of the company for a period of five years. The tax credits (a maximum of $60,000 for individuals, unlimited for corporations) can be applied to the 2015 tax year or anytime during the following 5 years.
The business plan for the vessel would see it open dockside as a coffee shop, restaurant, museum, banquet hall or meeting place during the shoulder months, then provide daily cruises during the summer, stopping at parks, wineries and resorts. Over time, additional docking facilities could be built in Naramata, Summerland, at Okanagan Mountain Park and in Peachland, gradually extending the service northwards. Penticton to Kelowna would be a 5 hour run, under the stars at night.
Since Arthur Bailey's first vision in the 1960's, the Fintry Queen has carried more than 500,000 travellers, offering a unique glimpse of the Okanagan landscape while creating memories that last a lifetime.