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B.C. Ferries says it has cancelled several sailings between Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast on Saturday and several more are at risk of cancellation.
The cancellations on the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale route are due to a mechanical problem with the propeller shaft on the Queen of Surrey.
The problem cropped up Friday evening, with the vessel assisted back to dock by a tugboat.
Saturday’s 7:40 a.m. PT (departing Langdale), 8:50 a.m. PT (departing Horseshoe Bay) and 10:00 a.m. PT (departing Langdale) sailings have been scrubbed.
The Queen of Surrey, which usually serves the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale route, was launched in 1980 and entered service the following year. (Simon Little / CBC News)
The 11:10 a.m. (departing Horseshoe Bay), 12:15 p.m. (departing Langdale) and 1:20 p.m. (departing Horseshoe Bay) sailings may yet be cancelled.
B.C. Ferries said the Queen of Surrey was conducting sea trials on Saturday morning, and that the second round of cancellations may not be required if it receives approval from Transport Canada to resume service.
B.C. Ferries says it will contact customers on cancelled sailings to let them know if they can be rebooked on another vessel.
This is the latest in a series of mechanical issues to crop up on the 46-year-old vessel.
B.C. Ferries was forced to cancel multiple sailings twice in April, once due to a generator issue on the ferry, and once because of an issue with its steering panel. Last September, it cancelled multiple sailings because of a turbocharger problem.