The pilot boat Arrow 2 disappeared from the Astoria waterfront in 2012 and has been greatly missed by the seamen who admired its unique traditional hull shape and general low-tech appearance. There was much speculation about its final disposition: would it become a reserve boat for Foss, be converted into a pleasure boat, or rust… Continue reading 2017: Old Astoria Pilot Boat Arrow 2 Returns
Category: Commercial craft
Astoria Yard’s WW II YMS Minesweepers
AMCCO Shipyard’s Minesweeper (YMS) Production Remembered The 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor last December gives us a chance to review the incredible history of the “war at home” in Astoria—a time when thousands of ordinary women performed extraordinary feats in many traditionally male-dominated jobs. Every aspect of their daily life was affected… Continue reading Astoria Yard’s WW II YMS Minesweepers
The Flettner Rotor Makes a Comeback!
The new hybrid ship designs were pioneered in Scandinavia where ecological hydro-power has long been the standard for utilities. The public demand for more clean power use has led to the introduction of hybrid propulsion in several new ferries and short-haul cargo vessels. So I expected this to be the “gold standard” for green shipping… Continue reading The Flettner Rotor Makes a Comeback!
2015: Western Towboat Builds Seventh Titan-Class Tug
When Western Towboat of Seattle started building its first Titan ASD long-haul tug at their base on the Seattle Ship Canal in 1995, owners Ric and Bob Shrewsbury were simply responding to the growth of barge service to SE Alaska. They could hardly have imagined that this demand for more powerful tugs would continue unabated… Continue reading 2015: Western Towboat Builds Seventh Titan-Class Tug
North America’s First Hybrid LNG/Battery Ferry
This story is about hybrid boats, a subject that I have been following for many years. However, when I see the word “hybrid” I still think first of a really efficient, low-emission passenger car like the Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. This breakthrough design happens to be 20 years old this year, and… Continue reading North America’s First Hybrid LNG/Battery Ferry
2015: Coastal Transportation Sets a New STANDARD
Coastal Transportation Pioneers TTS sideport loading system in USA After more than 30 years of weekly liner service to Western Alaska with a fleet of five or six small fish tender vessels specifically designed for service between Seattle and the ports of Western Alaska, Coastal Transportation’s president Peter Strong decided that the time was right… Continue reading 2015: Coastal Transportation Sets a New STANDARD
An Introduction to Collecting Early Tools
An Assignment for the National Fisherman Yearbook in 1989 “If I only had the right tool for the job”- this is often the do-it-yourselfer’s lament. When you have áll the tools you need, another problem may threaten your workspace – where to put them all! If you have ever found your tool collection expanding beyond… Continue reading An Introduction to Collecting Early Tools
The Salvage Chief-Still Going Strong at 70
When an empty fuel barge went on the rocks of North Head last month, the US Coast Guard and Washington State Department of Ecology were in charge of a salvage effort led by Sause Brothers (owners of the barge) and Foss Maritime (owners of the tug). They in turn called in two oil-spill response organizations… Continue reading The Salvage Chief-Still Going Strong at 70
2015: Fremont Tug’ 100 Years Service on Lake Union
1915 was a big year on Lake Union. The Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Chittenden Locks were about to connect the lakes and northern Seattle with Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. Activity on and around the lake had increased in anticipation of the opening of the waterway: the Fishermen’s Terminal was open for… Continue reading 2015: Fremont Tug’ 100 Years Service on Lake Union
2014: “Work is Our Joy” at the Hanthorn Cannery Museum
The Story Of The Columbia River Gillnetter The Columbia River salmon is in trouble, and it’s going to be a long struggle to save any of the remaining runs from extinction. Nowhere is the pinch felt more than in Astoria where many families have fished the river for generations. Visitors here are met by a… Continue reading 2014: “Work is Our Joy” at the Hanthorn Cannery Museum