Quadrium
Model: 1972 Alwest 370
Hull Number: 37072167
Home port: Ladysmith, B.C.
Quadrium at Glacier Bay, Alaska
Quadrium probably has more miles under her hull than any other Alcan/Alwest I can think of. She has circumnavigated Vancouver Island three times and Princess Royal Island twice, and has been to Alaska and back from Ladysmith, B.C.. Quadrium is powered by a pair of 350cu.in. V-8’s attached to Volvo 280 legs. Although there is more power than stock, she is optimized for fuel economy at a low speed cruise, mostly running on one engine.
As with all well-used mechanical devices, Quadrium experiences her share of problems, yet always manages to get through. On one Vancouver Island circumnavigation she lost an engine while in Barkley Sound, 150NM from Ladysmith, due to an exhaust manifold leaking sea water into an engine cylinder. Then about half way into Juan de Fuca Strait with about 100NM still to go, the Teleflex steering cable broke inside the control head. She made it home to Ladysmith Harbour unaided, with jury-rigged steering. There were about a dozen friends waiting at the marina to help with docking; they’d been alerted by the 2M ham radio grape-vine.