Sicamous (sternwheeler) facts for kids
The SS Sicamous is a big, five-decked sternwheeler ship. It was built for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to sail on Okanagan Lake. The Sicamous connected towns like Penticton, Kelowna, and Vernon, British Columbia. It was launched in 1914 and helped link train lines and different areas. The ship ran until 1937. Today, the Sicamous is beached in Penticton. It is part of a heritage shipyard run by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society. You can visit it as a museum, and it's also used for events.
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Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada |
|
| Owner | S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society |
| Operator | Canadian Pacific Railway |
| Port of registry | Victoria, No. 134726:56 |
| Route | Penticton to Okanagan Landing |
| Cost | $180,000.00 |
| Launched | 1914 |
| Maiden voyage | May 19, 1914 |
| In service | 1914-1937 |
| Out of service | 1937 |
| Fate | Docked and restored as a museum |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Sternwheeler |
| Tonnage | 1787 tons |
| Length | 200.5 ft (61.1 m) |
| Decks | 5 |
The Sicamous: A Historic Ship's Design
The Sicamous was built in 1914. It made daily trips on Okanagan Lake until 1936. Its last official trip was in 1937. For 22 years, the Sicamous was a key part of transportation in the Okanagan area. Today, it is in Penticton and is still being restored.
Ship's Size and Layout
The Sicamous was a large ship. It was 200.5 feet long (registered) and 228 feet long overall. It was 40 feet wide. From the main deck to the pilot house, it stood 53 feet tall. Its total weight was 1786.65 tons.
Passengers would get on the ship at the cargo deck. They could only access the front part of this deck. From there, two outside staircases led up to the saloon deck. This deck had a beautiful dining hall. It featured a high balcony and special windows. The front of the ship had the Gentlemen’s Saloon with a bar. The back had the Ladies Saloon, which even included a bridal suite.
Above the saloon deck was the observation deck. This was where passengers went to see the amazing views of Okanagan Lake. Like the saloon deck, there were separate areas for women and men. Women observed from the front, and men from the back. Just below the Pilot House was the Texas Deck. This was a casual meeting spot for the captain and his crew.
Changes to the Ship's Design
Over time, the Sicamous started losing money for the CPR. This happened because of the new Kettle Valley Railway. A new highway was also built along the lake. The Great Depression in the 1930s also played a part.
So, the CPR decided to change the Sicamous. They removed the Texas Deck and two-thirds of the observation deck. These changes helped the ship use less coal. They also allowed it to carry more cargo. Even with these changes, the Sicamous remained a first-class steamship. It still had its beautiful Australian mahogany and Burmese teak wood finishes.
How the Sicamous Worked: Steam Power
The Sicamous was a steam-powered sternwheeler. It used a lot of coal, about 15 to 17 tons every day. The amount of coal depended on the weather and how many stops it made. Today, the Sicamous is the biggest steam-powered, steel-hulled sternwheeler still in Canada.
The Boiler and Engines
The ship's boiler was 23 feet long and made of strong steel. It was designed to burn 1720 kilograms of coal every hour. It was very important to keep a large, hot fire burning in the boiler. Around the fire was a steel chamber filled with water from the lake. There were also 320 hollow tubes inside. These tubes would heat up fast, turning the water into steam quickly.
Pressure would build up, and the temperature would rise. A fireman or engineer constantly watched the steam pressure. They kept it at 160 psi. They would release steam manually when needed. This steam traveled from the boiler to the engines through a large tube.
The Sicamous had two engines. Each engine had a low-pressure and a high-pressure cylinder. Steam would move from one cylinder to the next. This pushed pistons, which were connected to the ship's pitman arms. These arms were linked to the large wooden stern wheel at the back of the ship. They moved out of sync with each other. This made sure power was spread evenly to both sides of the stern wheel.
The Sicamous's Service and Construction
The Sicamous served the CPR and the people of Okanagan for 22 years. It was built in 1914 and retired in 1936. At first, it was a luxurious steamship with fancy staterooms and cabins. But in 1935, it was changed to mainly carry cargo. The number of beds for passengers dropped from 80 to 20. This change was meant to help the valley's people more and increase the ship's earnings.
Building the Ship
Building the Sicamous started in September 1913 and finished in the spring of 1914. The main parts like the hull, engine, and boiler were made in Port Arthur, Ontario (now Thunder Bay). Then, they were shipped to the building site at Okanagan Landing. It took 17 train cars to move all the parts out West. Up to 150 men were hired to build both the Sicamous and another ship called the Naramata. The Sicamous alone cost about $180,000 to build. Another $14,000 was spent on its beautiful furnishings.
The Sicamous was launched on May 19, 1914, at 2:15 in the afternoon. Its first trip was on June 12, 1914.
Captains of the Sicamous
Being a captain of such a ship was a very respected job in the Okanagan Valley.
- Captain George Estabrooks (1914)
- Captain Otto Estabrooks (1915)
- Captain William Kirby (1916)
- Captain George Robertson (1917-1921)
- Captain Joseph Weeks (1922-1935)
Life Aboard: Crew and Officers
The Sicamous had 24 crew members. When they were not working, they slept in the crew's quarters. These were at the back of the cargo deck. The rooms had three single beds and could house up to six men. Crew members would sleep in shifts, sometimes sharing beds. Their quarters were known for having some insect issues, and many mosquitoes from the valley. However, the crew's pay included a warm place to sleep and three meals a day.
Chief Engineers
Some of the Chief Engineers on the Sicamous included:
- William Jacobs
- D. Stephens
- D.H. Biggam
- John F. McRae
- P.H. Pearce
During World War One, many skilled engineers left to fight. This meant many steamships, including the Sicamous, were left without a Chief Engineer. Dave Stephens (thought to be the D. Stephens listed above) stepped in for the younger men who joined the army. Dave Stephens was the main Chief Engineer for the British Columbia Lake and River Services. He oversaw operations from Nelson.
A Captain's Early Memory
Before he became a captain, Otto Estabrooks had an important job at age fifteen. He had to relieve the night watchman. His task was to keep the fire in the boiler burning strong all night. This was crucial so the Sicamous could leave on time the next morning. Here is what he remembered:
"The first night I fell asleep and did not waken until 5:30 a.m., exactly in time to sound the three whistles to announce that it was a half hour before leaving time-something any kid would have loved to do all by himself. Rushing to the pilot house and pulling the cord, it didn’t whistle. There wasn’t enough steam. The engineer, a gentleman of the first water, said he forgot to tell me to keep steam up. They were kind words from a kind man, even if they were not true."
Why the Sicamous Lasted So Long
The Sicamous was the biggest sternwheeler to ever sail on Okanagan Lake. It is now the only steam-powered, steel-hulled sternwheeler left in Canada. Its long life is mostly because of its strong steel hull. Many other steamboats on the Okanagan were built with cheaper wooden hulls. But these wooden ships did not last as long. Many were destroyed by fires or their hulls rotted away.
