Question. With the addition of another "northern" vessel for BC Ferries, I was wondering if there is a specific "class" of vessel named for the Northern Adventure, Northern Expedition, and potentially this new vessel. Checking wiki fleet details returns "none" for the northern vessels.
I guess my real question is, are vessel classes arbitrary names (like "Salish" class), or is there some specific rhyme or reason to it. Should the northern vessels have a class? What should we rename the new vessel?
My vote is Northern Navigator or Northern Explorer for the new vessel.
Also, if we were able to name a class for the northern vessels, I guess "Northern" class would work, but how about "Great Bear" class? Good for marketing.
Classes for BC Ferries are based on common hull and engine type. Sometimes the passage of time makes ships of a class very different though.
There's no Northern "class" designation because the two current, and third forthcoming, ships are very different from one another.
Classes right now off the top of my head are:
Salish
Spirit
Cowichan (includes Cow, Coquitlam, Oak Bay, Surrey, Alberni)
Powell River
Capilano
Burnaby (Nanaimo, Burnaby, and once upon a time the New West)
Coastal
K
... I think that's it or close. The Skeena Queen was supposed to be the first of five identical boats but that money was reallocated to Fast Cat cost overruns.