From mechanical arms to painted numbers on the car deck, Josh Yeung’s ferry models display precision down to the smallest detail.
His latest model of the Kahloke - which provides service between Denman and Hornby islands - even has three flags at the top of the mast: a Canadian flag, a Province of B.C. flag and a BC Ferries flag.
“I did most of it with plastic and cardboard - it’s a little bit more flexible. Some of (the modeling) are from memory but I’ve also taken some pictures,” explained Yeung. “The crew know me and my camera.”
Yeung, a Grade 11 student, loves ferries. His passion for them began when he was five years old, and enjoyed taking the two-ferry trip to visit his grandfather on Denman Island when he and his family lived in the Lower Mainland.
More recently, he visited his uncle on Hornby Island where he saw the Kahloke - a ferry unlike any other he had been on. Since then, he has made the trip on that ferry about five times. He spends about two hours a day creating the models, but he doesn’t stop there.
“I pretty much just want to look at the different ferries and discover the details about each one,” explained Yeung, who was diagnosed on the autism spectrum and attends an agile learning centre in Langley. Despite travelling back to his home on Vancouver Island, he is constantly planning his next ferry trip.
Yeung recalled a special trip to Port Hardy “that was pretty much centered around ferries.” He spends as much time around ferries - taking photos, planning trips, reading books, and working on models.
He also visited Port McNeil where he met some crew members and chatted with them on how to find employment with BC Ferries.
Next year, Yeung is aiming to attend a maritime college to begin formal training, with the goal to start as a deckhand with BC Ferries.
photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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