Built in 1998 and 1999 by Dakota Creek Shipyards of Anacortes, the vessels were comfortable and very fast, capable of doing over 30 knots. The commute time to Bremerton dropped to 30 minutes, and things looked good for an expanding fleet of similar ferries across Puget Sound.
Trouble arose almost at once. After a short time on the route it transpired that at the narrowest point of Rich Passage the wake cast from the ferries didn't have enough time to flatten out, resulting in erosion of the beach. WSF tried correcting the problem, but it didn't help. After a court injuction was issued the ferries were slowed. Nine months later the injunction was lifted, but WSF continued to slow the ferries at the narrowest point of the passage to prevent any further damage, and negating the shortened commute time. (Super Class Ferries, which, because of their narrow hull design, cast practically no wake, can make the run in about 45 minutes.)
Even slowed the vessels found no lack of passengers. However, when I-695 passed, a significant portion of the budget for WSF was cut. Although the initative was later thrown out as being unconstitutional, the legislature caved to politcal pressure and kept the reduction in place, never bothering to restore proper funding for the ferry system.
Forced to make cuts to service, it was determined that the pasenger only ferries from Seattle to Bremerton should be withdrawn as they simply could not be run cost effectively. Fares would have had to have been raised so high that it was doubtful commuters would have paid for the trip that was running only 15-20 minutes faster than the auto ferries.
The vessels were withdrawn from service in the fall of 2003. The vessels were then mothballed in Eagle Harbor, at the WSF repair yard. After three years of wrangling with what to do with the last remaining passenger-only route from Vashon Island to down town Seattle, the legislature decided that the vessels should be sold, the proceeds of which could be tapped for another operator to take over the Vashon route, which WSF is scheduled to discontinue operations of in 2008.
The ferries were to be listed on Ebay in November 2007, but with the sudden closure of the Port Townsend auto ferry run, the Snohomish was pressed into service between Port Townsend and Keystone. With the retirement of the Steel Electrics and the loss of business in Port Townsend, the Snohomish started a Seattle-Port Townsend run on 13 December, 2007. She continued on the route until replaced by the car ferry Steilacoom II which is currently being borrowed for the Port Townsend-Keystone run.
Due to "at ready" status, the Snohomish was being kept as a reserve vessel. The Chinook, however was not considered for reserve status and was listed twice on eBay at the price of 4.5 million. There were no bids on the ferry either time it was listed.
Finally in the pair was sold for just over 2 million apiece to Golden Gate Ferries in San Francisco. After being readied for the trip at Dakota Creek, the Snohomish made an uneventful trip to the Bay area. Rechristened Napa, she will be joined by her sister Chinook at some point in the summer.
Both ferries will be going in for extensive rebuilds, which will include adding a snack bar, more seating and more fuel efficient engines. With any luck Golden Gate will have far better luck with the pair than WSF did.
Drawings courtesy of Johan Iversen.
Nisqually
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