Coronado 1929

Diesel-electric powered, propeller drives, steel hull. Built in 1929 by Moore Drydock Co. At Oakland, CA Length:178 ft. Width: 43.6 Draft: 14.9 Gross Tons-502 2 eight cylinder engines, 550 Horse Power each. Drawing courtesy of Johan Iversen.

The first car hits the water in a still from the film What's Up Doc? where the Coronado had a breif scene at the end.  For the film the stuck the nameplate "San Francisco" on her wheel house..  Author's collection.

The second Coronado to work for the company, the ferry was built in 1929 by the Moore Dry Dock Company in Oakland, California.  She had been designed and built specifically for service with the San Diego-Coronado Ferry Company.      Similar in design to the Steel Electric ferries that worked in San Francisco and on Puget Sound, the Coronado and her near sister San Diego would have one major noticeable difference--large open ports on the car deck that allowed the warm air to flow freely through the vessel.      Still at work in 1969 when the bridge finally  put her out of work, the Coronado was sold in 1973 to a ferry company in  Nicaragua.  At some point the Coronado became wrecked on the beach and was abandonded.  Her sad remains can still be seen on the beach at Cosiguina.

The Coronado in her heyday, crossing the Bay under the fun sun in the 1950's. Courtesy of Brandon Moser.

The remains of the Coronado on the beach at Cosiguina, Nicaragua.

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Flying the Nicaraguan flag, the  Coronado leaves US water for the final time.  Author's collection.