Just 2 weeks after V-2-V Vacations announced it is launching harbour-to-harbour services between Victoria and Vancouver, Clipper vacations has announced it's doing the same thing.
Chief Operating Officer David Gudgel says the company will receive a 52-meter high-speed catamaran, called Halunder Jet, from its parent company, FRS, in the fall.
"And just to put that into perspective the vessels that we're operating between Victoria and Seattle, and have for the last 30 years are 40 metre vessels. So it's substantially larger. It has 4 engines and 4 jets which gives us great redundancy and speed."
The vessel can carry 579 passengers, about double the capacity of V-2-V 's ship, and can travel at speeds up to 36 knots. It currently operates in the North Sea in difficult sea conditions similar to the Salish Sea, and uses a motion dampening system to help ensure a comfortable ride for customers.
Gudgel says Clipper has been looking for the right vessel for the route, and the Halunder Jet is a perfect fit. The plan is to make one trip a day, leaving Vancouver in the morning, with a late afternoon departure from Victoria back to Vancouver.
As for cost -- Gudgel says the exact fares are still being set. The trip will take about 3 hours, about a half hour less than V-2-V estimates their service will take.
Gudgel says the vessel should be retrofitted and reflagged for its new operation ahead of the spring 2018 launch.