"The Fintry Queen"

Welcome aboard the "MV Fintry Queen", a 326 passenger ship on Okanagan Lake. Today the ship lies at anchor waiting for the next chapter in her life story. For more than 60 years she was part of Kelowna's downtown waterfront, carrying more than 25,000 passengers during the summer months. A new plan is underway to have the ship operate in the South Okanagan between the lakefront communities of Penticton, Naramata and Summerland, while also visiting parks, wineries and resorts situated along the shoreline, similar to the services provided by the historic CPR paddlewheelers many years ago.

Originally named the "M.V. Lequime", the Fintry Queen was built in Vancouver in 1948 and shipped by rail in sections to Kelowna, where she became one of three car and passenger ferries crossing Okanagan Lake. The smallest ferry, the Pendozi, is now the Clubhouse for the Westbank Yacht Club. The third ferry the "Lloyd Jones" was taken back to the coast by BC Ferries where she continued to work for many years before being sold in 1998 to the Dominican Republic.

In the wake of Arthur Bailey’s vision in the 1960’s, the "Lequime" was transformed into the "Fintry Queen" to transport travelers and tourists to the new development of Fintry Estates. "Art was a dreamer" said his wife Ingrid, "and a few years ahead of his time." The ship was built as a paddlewheeler to reflect the sternwheeler tradition on Okanagan Lake. Ingrid remembers housing and feeding more than 30 shipwrights for two years while they converted the vessel on the beach at Fintry - complete with multi-colored paddlewheel.

The original Fintry Queen was all open deck. Passengers were issued with raincoats for the first few years. Fortunately times have changed and today the ship can carry 325 passengers in comfort with over 9000 sq ft on 3 decks and 5 distinct function areas to host multiple events at the same time.

The enclosed Main Deck is both heated and air conditioned, featuring a commercial galley, an indoor Forward Lounge that seats 80 and a rear Main Dining Room with bar and dance floor for another 120 seated guests. On the Upper Deck, there is a sheltered outdoor seating area, open Sun Deck, barbeque, snack bar and kids playroom.

The ship has hosted conferences, banquets and weddings for up to 325 guests, formerly holding a food liquor license for 280 patrons and a pub license for 225 passengers, where minors were permitted. Two fuel efficient turbo diesel engines power the ship at an average cruising speed of 6-8 knots. The ship was designed as an all-season ferry with an extra thick hull for breaking through the ice and a unique bow shape that enables her to get close to shore for landing passengers using the bow boarding ramp.

Current development plans call for the construction of new landing sites in the south end of Okanagan Lake, in the City of Penticton adjacent to the Kiwanis Pier at the foot of Main St., in the community of Summerland beside the Heritage Pier and in Naramata at the old CNR Wharf. Leases, design, engineering and environmental permits are proceeding. Costs to build shore side facilities, license and renovate the ship has been estimated at $600,000.

To initiate the current plan, the Fintry Queen is looking for qualified partners or investors interested to take advantage of a $600,000 BC tax credit allocation through the BC Investment Program. Investors can receive a 30% BC tax credit to a maximum of $60,000 (unlimited for corporations) which can be applied anytime over the 5 following years. The sign up deadline for the 2016 tax year is March 1st, 2017.