Skeena Queen Engine No. 3

While photographing a rusty pipe on the BC Ferry Skeena Queen this afternoon, a BCF employee inquired if I was from the engineering department. After assuring him I was only an amateur photographer, he invited me belowdecks to see the engine room, because he wanted to demonstrate that the boat was not all rusty. Indeed, I was quite impressed by the clean, orderly machine room. Wearing ear protectors because of the noise, my guide pointed out, amongst other pumps, computers, valves, and sundry items: the four Mitsubishi engines; the RADs (right-angle drives) that transfer the 900rpm thrust to the propellers; and the fuel tank and potable- and non-potable tanks (these tanks are huge, think cube-van-size).

All four engines run during the voyage. The rear ones (depending on the direction of travel) provide thrust, and the front ones help in steering. On the other side of the pictured engine is a 9-metre long drive shaft, which connects to the RAD and thence to the screws.