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Pilot II

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The Pilot II in Owen Sound
The Pilot II being shipped by rail to Waterways Alberta.

The Pilot II was a buoy tender operated by Canada's Ministry of Transport on Great Slave Lake and the rest of the Mackenzie River system in the Northwest Territories.[1][2]

The Pilot II draft was only 42 inches, and her twin propellers were enclosed in tunnels.[1] She was built in the Russel Brothers shipyard in Owen Sound, Ontario, then disassembled so she could be shipped by rail to Waterways, Alberta, a riverport on the Clearwater River. Her parts were shipped by barge to Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, where they were portaged around the extensive rapids there, so she could be reassembled and launched on the lower Slave River.

She was rebuilt in 1970, when her length was extended by 14 feet.[1] By 1971 the vessel's ownership had been transferred to Arctic Offshore, but continued to be chartered to perform her usual duties.[3]

Her crew of four live aboard during the short northern shipping season, where their accommodation includes a "full galley", and a "jacketed heater" for domestic hot water.[1]

Specifications[1]
Constructed 1947
Rebuilt 1971
Draft 42 inches (1.1 m)
Length in 1947 56.5 feet (17.2 m)
Length in 1971 70 feet (21 m)
Gross tonnage in 1947 51 gross tons
Gross tonnage in 1971 68 gross tons
Beam 15 feet (4.6 m)
Power 260 horsepower
Complement 4
Cargo Capacity 10 tons

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Pilot II". Russel Brothers. 1947. Archived from the original on 2012-10-31.
  2. ^ Gerry A. Ouderkirk; Robert B. Farrow; Steve Briggs. "Russel Vessel Listing". Archived from the original on 2012-04-10.
  3. ^ "Pacific Region 1971 report" (PDF). Department of the Environment. 1971. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.