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The story
Ferry service on False Creek was established in 1981 by Brian and Laura Beesley from Granville Island using four electric ferries. The ferries were 18 feet long and powered by 36 volt electric motors. Six, 6 volt rechargeable deep cycle batteries supplied the fuel. They were originally named after the Beesley's relatives: Alice May, Iris Maud, Nora Eileen and Juanita Dee. Although the original fleet has since been removed from regular service, three have found new life in differing capacities. The Alice May was renamed the Shelagh Mary and remains in the False Creek Ferries fleet as a crew launch. The Juanita Dee was sold & now operates out of the Ganges Marina on Saltspring Island as "The Queen of De Nile". The Iris Maud has been completely rebuilt and is now the private steam launch "Crouton" in Kelowna, BC.
In 1982, False Creek Ferry Ltd was sold to George McInnis and George Pratt who incorporated the company as Granville Island Ferries Ltd and operated it as False Creek Ferries. The company began operations at the Aquatic Centre dock in the West End on August 1, 1983 with two newly commissioned 12-passenger ferries, "Spirit of False Creek 1" and "Spirit of False Creek 2", which were built using designs by Jay Benford. These were the first two vessels of Benford's Spirit class. In 1984 the "Tymac II" was leased by False Creek Ferries for the newly created Maritime Museum run to Kitsilano pending completion of the remaining three Spirit class ferries, "Spirit of False Creek 3", "Spirit of False Creek 4" and "Spirit of False Creek 5".
Granville Island Ferries Ltd. was founded by George McInnis, with George Pratt as a partner. In the winter of 1985, Pratt left the company. Following that departure, his son Geoff Pratt incorporated a competing company, Aquabus Ferries Ltd, in June of 1985 using the same False Creek Ferry design.
From Wikipedia’s article on False Creek Ferries, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4