233067
Kelowna  

Fintry Queen moving south

The Fintry Queen appears to be heading to the south end of Okanagan Lake.

The iconic vessel, which for years transported locals and tourists alike from its dock near the Sails in Kelowna, appears set to hoist anchor and relocate to Penticton.

Penticton Council announced Monday it would enter into a sub-licence agreement with Okanagan Lake Boat Company for a portion of water west of Kiwanis Pier for the Fintry Queen's moorage and operations.

The rates will increase from $5,000 to $15,000 in the first three years, and $20,000 for years four and five. The agreement will be signed off once the conditions precedent are satisfied.

Owner Andy Schwab expressed his gratitude to council and staff from both Penticton and Kelowna.

He says Penticton is a perfect fit with its natural beaches, active downtown and paddlewheel history.

Schwab expects to start small before building the operation.

"In our first year, we'll likely offer circle cruises of the shoreline, then over time, develop additional docks to safely access Naramata, Summerland and many other communities on the lake," says Schwab who hopes to raise about $500,000 to get the Fintry Queen back up and running.

"Every wire, light switch, all the panels, pumps, fire systems, shafts and propellers, were new or re-built. Most of the improvements we will make will be cosmetic.  The main engines were rebuilt and are very economical to run."

He says $300,000 will be needed to build a new dock in Penticton with another $100,000 for renovations.

The Fintry Queen is the largest commercial ship on Okanagan Lake.  The earliest version was all open deck and passengers were issued raincoats.  Today the ship can carry up to 325 passengers in comfort, year round. 

COMMENTS WELCOME

Comments are pre-moderated to ensure they meet our guidelines. Approval times will vary. Keep it civil, and stay on topic. If you see an inappropriate comment, please use the ‘flag’ feature. Comments are the opinions of the comment writer, not of Castanet. Comments remain open for one day after a story is published and are closed on weekends. Visit Castanet’s Forums to start or join a discussion about this story.



More Kelowna News