COMPANY: CLOUTIER'S MACHINE SHOP LIMITED

PROJECT TITLE: RECONSTRUCTION OF CABLE FERRY, CASSIOPEIA IV.

In January of 1996, Cloutier's Machine Shop Limited was contracted by the Ministry of Transportation to reconstruct the center section of the Cable Ferry known as Cassiopeia IV. This ferry was built in 1957 and is operated at Gardiner, 32 kilometres north of Cochrane, Ontario on Highway 579. The ferry operates approximately 9 months of the year. During winter freeze up, the ferry is replaced by an ice bridge. The length of the ferry is 15.2m, 26.2m with ramps in place and has a width of 7.3m. The carrying capacity is 35 tonnes.

The scope of work for this project was as follows:

  1. Remove and discard existing main hull mid-body section including deck houses.
  2. Transport existing end sections to reconstruction site for joining.
  3. Remove and retain existing outfit, machinery, electrical and control items in way of the existing mid-body sections.
  4. Supply and install new mid-body section.
  5. Supply and install new deckhouses and supporting platforms.
  6. Re-install existing outfit, machinery, electrical and control items to the new mid-body section including deckhouses.
  7. Supply and install new heating furnace and ducting system.
  8. Prepare completed ferry for lauching.

The decision was made to reconstruct the center section in our shop, located in Kapuskasing, Ontario. All reuseable items were transported to our shop and the balance of the ferry was scrapped and removed from the Gardiner Site. Upon competion of the reconstruction in the shop, the ferry was transported by float, complete with police escort, back to the Gardiner Site. On April 12th, 1996, the ferry channel was blasted open. The ferry was launched and a Lightship Survey was conducted in the presence of the Canadian Coast Guard.

Blasting of the ferry channel.

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