'It took me a minute to learn': New doors on BC Ferries mystify riders

How many ferry passengers does it take to open a door?

More than usual, it seems, if you've recently boarded BC Ferries' gleaming new Salish vessels to the Southern Gulf Islands.

Its automatic doors — scattered throughout the vehicle and passenger decks — have befuddled, amused and even frightened ferry passengers, 20 of whom have submitted complaints to BC Ferries since the three vessels debuted this summer.

"This door is an experience in life," Mike Pidleseki said Sunday aboard the Salish Eagle vessel.

"It's something I've never seen before. I truly just enjoy opening and closing a door when you need to get out of somewhere."

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Waiting up to a minute

When exiting from the interior, passengers encounter a set of doors with silver knobs in the middle.

Should you push the knobs or swing the doors open? Both methods appear to work.

Next comes a small antechamber, which is blocked by a second set of doors. Look for the round green button, which you hold down until it lights up.

An orange light suddenly flashes overhead as the door begins to beep and slowly creak open.

As the signs stipulate, passengers must wait until the door is completely open.

That can take from 30 seconds to a minute — depending on where the door is in the cycle — which means people inevitably try to sneak through.

"It took me a minute to learn," said Louise Hanovan, who was waiting outside the door with her kids.

"I've never encountered a door where you have to have so many steps."

Doors a 'European design' 

BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall says the vessels — which were built in Gdansk, Poland — are a European design.

The manufacturer has helped make adjustments since BC Ferries introduced the fleet, she said. 

"What we're doing is bringing it to more North American doors, where people are more inclined to push the doors rather than wait for the automated doors to fully open." 

Tweaks to the sensors mean that pushing the door as it opens will no longer stop the cycle.

The doors will also remain open when the ship is in port, which is when passengers tend to crowd. They'll then seal shut when the ship leaves the port.

The Salish vessels replaced the aging Queen of Nanaimo and Queen of Burnaby, which were built in 1965 and 1964 respectively.

The new ferries now service the Comox-Powell and Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands routes.

"Often when you do bring a brand new vessel into service, you do have some challenges," Marshall said.

"Our crews are working very hard to work through any issues that we're having with the new ship."

Listen to the full story below.

With files from Margaret Gallagher and CBC's The Early Edition