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The Canadian National No. 5
by John MacFarlane 2015
Canadian National No. 5 (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
The Canadian National No. 5 was built in 1930 by Prince Rupert Dry Dock & Shipyards Co. (hull #31) with the dimensions 67.3’ x 17.3’ x 8.8’ A Steel–hulled vessel of 68gt 15hp engine. Later in 1930 she was assembled at Kelowna BC.
Canadian National No. 5 (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
In 1930–1960 she was owned by Canadian Northern Steamships Ltd., Toronto ON. In 1961–1966 she was owned by Canadian National Railway Company, Montreal QC. In 1966–1973 she was owned by the Lawrence Equipment Co. Ltd., Nanaimo BC. She was laid up in 1973 while she was owned by Standard Enterprises Ltd., Vancouver BC. In 1975–1987 she was owned by Joseph C. Wilson, Langley BC. In 1987–1990 she was owned by Harold Lennox, Powell River BC.
Mast Winch Canadian National No. 5 (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
In 1966 she was carried out to the Pacific coast (and salt water) on railway flat cars.
Canadian National No. 5 (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
On February 11th, 1990 she was tragically lost in a snow storm in Georgia Strait. The four crew members were lost.
View of the bridge of Canadian National No. 5 (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
William Audette (a member of the British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group) recalled that "It was on it’s way to Bellingham WA with a load of dogfish. It was snowing and the radar wasn’t working and she got caught between a tug and tow." Lonnie Edward Berrow (also member of the British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group) recalled that "She sank in a storm, while loaded with fish, I think a guy from Surrey owned it who was friends with my grandfather.The boat came from an interior lake, it was cut in two and transported to the coast then welded back together again. I remember my grandfather speculating that the boat may have sprung a leak or split open as a result of the iron hull being welded together. Whatever happened, it was quick, and she went down fast with all aboard in southern Georgia Straits."
To quote from this article please cite:
MacFarlane, John M. (2015) Canadian National No. 5 Nauticapedia.ca 2015. http://nauticapedia.ca/Articles/CN_Number5.php
Site News: November 2, 2024
The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 94,538 vessel histories (with 16,140 images and 13,887 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters). The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,599 entries (with 3989 images). Vessel records are currently being reviewed and updated with more than 35,000 processed so far this year.
Thanks to contributor Mike Rydqvist McCammon for the hundreds of photos he has contributed to illustrate British Columbia's floating heritage.
My very special thanks to our volunteer IT adviser, John Eyre, who (since 2021) has modernized, simplified and improved the update process for the databases into semi–automated processes. His participation has been vital to keeping the Nauticapedia available to our netizens.
Also my special thanks to my volunteer content accuracy checker, John Spivey of Irvine CA USA, who continues (almost every day) to proof read thousands of Nauticapedia vessel histories and provided input to improve more than 14,000 entries. His attention to detail has been a huge unexpected bonus in improving and updating the vessel detail content.