BENSON BROS. SHIPBUILDING

Vancouver BC

Most recent update: July 16, 2021.
This famous shipyard was started in False Creek in 1919, by Charlie Benson, who had come to Vancouver from Australia in 1907.  Charlie's sons, A. C. and R. H. Benson, took over in 1923 but in 1925, A. C. took control and it became the A. C. Benson Shipyard.  In 1938 he moved it to a much larger facility in Coal Harbour, the former Menchions Shipyard: this was at 1705 West Georgia Street, roughly where the Bayview Drive condos are now - see it from the air on Google here.  In 1942 they became Benson Bros. Shipbuilding again.  In 1974, they bought the former Star Shipyard, in New Westminster, and consolidated there in 1979, after the Coal Harbour yard was acquired for redevelopment, but only lasted another five years, closing in 1984.    If anyone can add any data to the table below, please send it to me at timcolton@aol.com 
Hull #
 O.N. Original Name Original Owner Vessel Type GT Built Disposition
Built in the False Creek Shipyard
  154975 Grey Swan       1928 Suspended
  156629 Rotona       1930 Suspended
  156901 C.F. Co. 55       1930 Suspended
  157231 Green Point       1932 Suspended
  158283 G.P.L. No. 1       1932 Suspended
  158293 Lucky VII       1933 Closed
  158302 Tipella       1933 Suspended
  158566 Dean C.       1934 Suspended
  158927 Joe Drinkwater III       1936 Closed
  822669 Olympic Rainbow   Passenger 5 1936 Active
  170395 Kwatna   Tug 26 1937 Active
  170419 Monique Marie No. 1       1937 Closed
  170434 Maranatha II   Tug 35 1937 Now Why-Ack Brave
  170780 Tuya       1937 Closed
Built in the Coal Harbour Shipyard
    San Thomas Jimmy Detwellar Fish Packer   1938  
    Sea Foam No. 1 Harbour Towing Tug   1938  
  170939 Sea Foam V       1938 Closed
    Passing Cloud Johnson Bros. Seiner   1939  
    Tyee No. 1 Great West Towing Tug   1939  
      Coast Guard Survey Vessel   1939  
  171780 Qualicum       1939 Suspended
  171784 Q. B. No. 1 George O'Brian Tug   1939  
  172322 Surf Point       1940 Suspended
  172323 Pursuit II       1940 Closed
    Combat Nels Nielsen Fishing   1940  
    Herring Point Canadian Fish Fishing   1940  
    Lake Queen   Water Taxi   1940  
    Reef Point Canadian Fish Fishing   1940  
    Sea Spray Barney Beldickson Tug   1940  
    M-11 R.C.A.F. Torpedo Retriever   1941  
    M-12 R.C.A.F. Torpedo Retriever   1941  
    Q 68 R.C.N. Sub Chaser   1941  
    Q 69 R.C.N. Sub Chaser   1941  
      R.C.A.F. Crash Boat   1941  
      R.C.A.F. Crash Boat   1941  
      R.C.A.F. Crash Boat   1941  
      R.C.A.F. Crash Boat   1941  
      R.C.A.F. Refueling Barge   1942  
      R.C.A.F. Refueling Barge   1942  
      R.C.A.F. Refueling Barge   1942  
  173923 Redonda Bay       1942 Closed
  176879 Earl Roy   Fishing 14 1942 Now Dementia
  177614 Allyssa Bay   Passenger 47 1942 Now High Seas Drifter
    Aleutian Queen   Fishing   1942  
    River Ace   Tug   1942  
  509495 Gannet   Recreational 58 1942 Sold to US owners, active
      R.C.N. Landing Barges   1943 Quantity unknown
  176230 Miss Linda       1943 Suspended
  176281 Hughie Mac       1943 Suspended
  177372 Forest Surveyor   Recreational 54 1944 Sold to US owners (US ON 1090372), active
    Kalamalka (J 395) R.C.N. Minesweeper 228 1944 Sold 1947 as Kalamalka, sank 1968
    Lavallee (J 371) R.C.N. Minesweeper 228 1944 Sold 1947 as Lavallee, burnt 1967
  177409 Pitt Lake Express Pitt Lake Water Taxi   1945  
  179604 Taku Princess       1945 Closed
    Arrogant Gordon Gibbon Fishing   1945 Lost 1945
    Pacific Sunrise Nookta Packing Fishing 115 1945  
    Rosalie III Norman Ryall Fishing   1945  
    Unimak Johnson Bros. Seiner   1945  
  177985 Pacific Rover   Fishing 77 1946 Now Iron Wind, a floating B & B in Richmond BC
  178065 River Chief       1946 Closed
  193763 Shy Ann   Fishing 12 1946 Active
    Clayhurt Dept. of Highways Tug   1946  
    Red Fir 1 River Towing Tug   1946  
    Red Fir 2 River Towing Tug   1946  
    Red Fir 3 River Towing Tug   1946  
  179058 Safari II       1947 Closed
  179094 Chelsea Lake       1947 Closed
    BC Rover Helge Skarpness Fishing   1947  
    Great Northern III  Francis Millard Fishing   1947  
    Venetta Prince Adolph Prince Fishing   1947  
  179592 Gracie L. II       1948 Suspended
  189281 Quadra Isle       1948 Closed
  190293 Silver Harvester       1948 Suspended
  190599 Comalong       1948 Closed
  190795 Strady V Strady Bros. Tug 15 1948  
  190821 Deep Sea   Fishing 19 1948  
  311219 Kaymar   Recreational 21 1948 Now Nesika II
    Grace Jack Lippon Fishing   1948  
    River Dee No. 1   Tug   1948  
    Sport No. 2 Julius Sorensen Fishing   1948  
    Western Price Harold Fem Fishing   1948  
  192036 Symphony II       1949 Suspended
  192043 Miss Helen Nick Juring Fishing 63 1949  
  192484 Gremlin II       1950 Closed
  192882 Waldero Walter Carr Fishing   1950  
    Mount Cheam   Water Taxi   1950  
  194231 Belina Louis Benedet Fishing 138 1951  
    Allegra   Recreational 40 1951  
  195241 Reliant Vancouver Tug Tug 57 1952 Active
  195259 Albatross II       1952 Closed
    Alaska Queen Lar Solaway Fishing   1952  
    River Dee No. 2   Tug   1952  
  197407 Cul-De-Sac   Recreational 29 1954 Now Seven Fathoms
  198912 Estric Johnny Gron Fishing 27 1955  
  198972 Tugger Yorke F. M. Yorke Tug 14 1955 Later Curtis K, later Merry Sea II, now Tugger G
  188330 Silver Viking Melvin Muir Fishing   1956 Later A.P. Knight, Arrow Post, 1991-03, I. F. Mariner, now Ocean Viking (US-flag)
  188647 Vigorous II   Tug 38 1956 Active
    Paul Jack Bill Vivian Recreational   1956  
  189291 Renown Jack Parker Fishing 104 1957 Active
  189952 Black Tusk   Tug 8 1957 Active
    Gail Bernice Hank McBride Fishing   1957  
    Howe Sound IV   Fishing   1957  
  819426 Sidney R.C.M.P. Patrol Boat 30 1958 Sold
    Brennines III Bob Osborne Recreational   1959  
    Brennines IV Bob Osborne Recreational 33 1959  
    Kaymar Joe Perro Recreational   1959  
    Papoose   Recreational   1959  
  311215 Tug-O-War       1960 Closed
  312844 Pacific Harvester   Fishing 146 1960  
  313719 Breezin Thru Jack McDonald Recreational 33 1960 Later Sequoia Park, now Breezin Thru
  313722 Anita G.       1960 Closed
    14th of March   Fishing   1960  
    Dominator Bill Logan Fishing   1960  
  952311     Recreational 25 1960 Active
  313729 Dorlen Len Swell Recreational 33 1961 Now Escalante
  314010 Lady Diane ? Elworthy Recreational 33 1961 Suspended 2008
    Nordic Dick Alexander Recreational   1961  
  314887 Wee Fir       1962 Closed
  314935 Full Circle       1962 Suspended 2008
  319374 Points North       1962 Suspended 2008
  320183 Hutow Queen   Tug 15 1963 Now Jervis Queen
  320191 Milbanke Sound Pattison Ent. Fishing 181 1963 Active
  320211 Moya Rosa   Recreational 20 1963 Later Halmia, now Pacific Hustler
  320258 Chieftain III Pacific Cachalot Tug 65 1963 Active
    Scotch Fir   Tug   1963  
  322343 Dauntless II Pacific Towing Tug 66 1963 Active
  322411 Western King Roberts Fishing Fishing 178 1964 Active
  323225 Canadian No. 1 Radil Bros. Fishing Fishing 190 1964 Active
  320898 Silver Dolphin Percy Pierce Fishing 190 1965 Now Frederick K
  326478 F.D.J.V. No. 4 Foundation Dravo Tug 27 1965 Now Forest Engineer
    F.D.J.V. No. 5 Foundation Dravo Tug 27 1965  
  326511 Arctic Walrus   Crane Barge 35 1965 Later C. F. W. Vagg, now Northwest Rogue
  325595 Actress Pass       1965 Closed
    Provider Brajcich Bros. Fishing   1965 Sold to Trinidad owners
    Quaddy Bay Ivan Matthews Fishing   1965  
  326520 Kaien Yarder       1966 Suspended 2007
  327265 Eastern King Roberts Fishing Fishing 6 1966 Active
  327223 Sharlene K. Seamaid Fishing Fishing 147 1967 Active
  327905 Lady Noreen Guptil & Sons Fishing 223 1967 Active
  329396 W.W. XII   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  329447 Sky VIII   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  329461 Tahsis No. 32   Scaler Boat   1967 Suspended 2008
  345140 Tahsis No. 33   Scaler Boat   1967  
  330436 Tahsis No. 34   Scaler Boat   1967 Suspended 2008
    Martin G. Martin Scotty Martin Fishing   1968 Sank off the Magdalens 1968
  328939 Canada 100 KCR Fisheries Fishing 219 1968 Active
  329469 W.W. XIII   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  329470 W.W. XIV   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  329483 Goodson XIV   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  329501 Sandy Ann Sandy Ann Fishing Fishing 72 1968 Active
  329515 Sandy L. XII   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  330327 M.K.   Tug 2 1968 Active
  330328 M.K. II   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330329 M.K. III   Tug 2 1968 Registered
  330330 M.K. IV   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330331 M.K. V   Tug 2 1968 Registered
  330332 M.K. VI   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330333 M.K. VII   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330334 M.K. VIII   Tug 2 1968 Registered
  330335 M.K. IX   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330336 M.K. X   Tug 2 1968 Deleted
  330357 M.K. XI   Tug 2 1968 Registered
  330381 Sky VIII   Tug 2 1968 Suspended 2008
  330382 LA XIV   Tug 2 1968 Active
  330383 Ogden Prince   Tug 2 1968 Suspended 2008
  330402 M.D. III   Tug 2 1968 Suspended 2003
  330429 M.D. IV   Tug 2 1968 Closed
  330435 SD II   Tug 2 1968 Suspended 2008
  330446 Quatam   Tug 2 1968 Closed
    Atlantic Gardner Atlantic Sugar Power Skiff 2 1968  
    Atlantic Ginnis Atlantic Sugar Power Skiff 2 1968  
  1081736   Harry Gamlen Recreational 87 1968 Now Tango
  330447 B. 211 Weyerhaeuser Co. Tug 2 1969 Active
  330467 Southgate   Tug 2 1969 Suspended 2008
  330780 Seymour Charger Victoria Plywood Tug 2 1969 Active
  330784 Sandy L. XIV   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  330785 N.W.D. 3   Tug 2 1969 Suspended 2008
  330790 B. 215 Weyerhaeuser Co. Tug 2 1969 Closed
  330828 Sandy L. XV   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  330838 Wolco V   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  330848 B. 217 Weyerhaeuser Co. Tug 2 1969 Suspended 2007
  330877 Tahsis No. 37   Tug 2 1969 Suspended 2008
  331172 B. 216 Weyerhaeuser Co. Tug 2 1969 Suspended 2002
  331173 B. 219 Weyerhaeuser Co. Tug 2 1969 Active
  331194 Peace Boomer No. 1   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  331211 Vic Ply   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  331233 T. 735   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  331235 M.K. XXI   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331236 MD 51   Tug 2 1969 Closed
  331240 Dallas Prince S. & R. Sawmills Tug 2 1969 Active
  331248 M.K. XXII   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331252 SD 76   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331301 Mayo No. 2   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2008
  331821 1992-06         Suspended 2008
  331825 Winder 4152         Closed
  331836 Jose Narvaez   Tug 150 1969 Active
  331855 SD 88   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331856 SD 82   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331857 SD 78   Tug 2 1969 Active
  331871 W.W. XVI   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2003
  331877 MD 89   Tug 2 1970 Closed
  331899 SD 83   Tug 2 1970 Active
  331909 MD 81   Tug 2 1970 Closed
  331920 SD 92   Tug 2 1970 Active
  331941 SD 93   Tug 2 1970 Active
  331942 MD 101   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2003
  331958 MD 98   Tug 2 1970 Closed
  344563 Celkraft VII   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2008
  344564 MD 105   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2008
  344621 SD 103   Tug 2 1970 Active
  344703 SD 104   Tug 2 1970 Active
  344704 SD 106   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2003
  344705 SD 107   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2003
  344706 SD 108   Tug 2 1970 Active
  344714 Island Champion Island Tug & Barge  Tug 150 1970 Now Seaspan Champion
  344718 MD 113   Tug 2 1970 Active
  345090 Crown Forest 72-44   Tug 2 1972 Suspended
  345091 MD 114   Tug 2 1970 Closed
  345186 MD 117   Tug 2 1970 Suspended 2008
  345221 Nelbro 101 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1970 Closed
  345222 Nelbro 102 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1970 Closed
  345223 Nelbro 103 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1970 Active
  345224 Nelbro 104 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1970 Active
  345225 Nelbro 105 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1970 Active
31 345522 Arctic Harvester Karliner Fisheries Fishing 339 1972 Sold to Venezuelan owners
  345692 Crown Forest 72-40   Tug 2 1972 Closed
  346304 Nelbro 108 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1971 Active
  346305 Nelbro 107 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1971 Active
  346306 Nelbro 106 Pattison Ent. Fishing 4 1971 Active
    Abashag Lee Donavent Recreational   1971  
  346330 MD 122   Tug 2 1971 Suspended 2007
  346349 Nalos Dozer   Tug 2 1971 Closed
  534676 Swan   Recreational 73 1971 Active
  346644 Crown Forest 72-41   Tug 2 1972 Active
  346645 Crown Forest 72-42   Tug 2 1972 Later CZ-72-42
  815279 First Light II   Recreational 28 1972 Active
    Southward Ho Longline Fishing Fishing 339 1972 Sold to Philippines owners
  347892 Storm Queen Egmont Towing Tug 93 1973 Later Island Brave, now North Arm Victor
  347992 F. & F. XVIII   Tug 2 1973 Active
  348010 F. & F. XIX   Tug 2 1973 Now Sanjay Prince
  348380 W.C.       1973 Closed
  348394 W.W. XXXI   Tug 2 1973 Active
  348420 Nelbro 158 Pattison Ent. Fishing   1974 Closed
  348511 Caledonian Ingram Fishing Fishing 260 1974 Sank 2015
  369103 Nemesis Vigo Mark Fishing 237 1974 Active
  370331 Stormforce Egmont Towing Tug 136 1974 Active
  393375 Nelbro 139 Pattison Ent. Fishing   1974 Suspended 2008
  369689 Swiftsure II Canadian F.P. Tug 192 1975 Now Pacific Ranger II
Built in the New Westminster Shipyard
    Jandix Dept. of Enviro. Research   1976  
40 384000 Neekis Medanic Fisheries Fishing 131 1978 Active
41 800025 Simstar Hank McBride Fishing 246 1981 Later Gail Bernice, now Viking Storm
  803655 Castlefinn II   Recreational 46 1983 Later Magdalene
  817596 Adriane's Rainbow         Closed
Small Boats
  C02107BC           Suspended
  C10311BC     Workboat 5   Active
  C11501BC     Fishing 7   Active
  C15243BC           Suspended
  C19668BC     Workboat 2   Active