The Rosario: Shortest Career in the Fleet

M/V ROSARIO Official Number: 223051 Radio Call Letters: none  Built: Dockton, WA 1923/1931  Length: 155' 8"   Beam: 40' 8"  Draft: 8' 9" Auto Deck Clearance: 11' 5"  Speed: 10 knots  Horsepower: 560    Propulsion: Diesel Electric (DC) Autos: 33 Passengers: 312  Gross Tonnage: 290 Name Translation: taken from the Spanish "rosary" A strait  in the San Juan Islands also has the name,  which is where the ferry got its name. Drawings courtesy of Johan Iversen.

The newly rebuilt Rosario was a comfortable, smart looking little boat that would prove to be popular with customers.  Curtis photo, author's collection.  Color by Nevermore images.

Washington State Ferries policy of selling off  ferries that were too costly to maintain when it would be cheaper to build a new boat began almost at once.  Sailing the shortest time of any ferry for Washington State Ferries was the wood ferry Rosario.       Puget Sound Navigation had built the Rosario in 1923 for the route from Everett to Whidbey Island.  Built at the shipyard at Docton, Vashon Island, the ferry emerged as single-ended vessel with the name Whidby. For eight years she worked on that run, when PSN took another look at the boat and sent her into the yard for a rebuilt.

As late as 1947 Black Ball was heavily promoting the luxurious accomodations of the Rosario. This scenes take from an original brochure, present the Rosario as a sytlized line drawning traveling under the shawdow of Mt. Baker. Author's collection

The ferry was extended an aditional 41 feet.  The passenger cabin was extended, and her inefficient steam plant was removed and replaced with a 600 horsepower Sumner diesel.  She emerged a virtually new vessel--and with a new name: Rosario taken from Rosario Strait in the San Juans, which is where the rebuilt ferry was sent to work.  From 1931 until 1941 the Rosario sailed from Anacortes through San Juans and up to Sidney, British Columbia.  She held the route until traffic began to out-pace her, and PSN sent up the Vashon.  She was then moved to the Port Townsend-Keystone route until Black Ball abandonded the route in 1943, and then to the Seattle-Manchester route, not settling into a routine until the mid 1940's when she started on the Point White-Bremerton route.      In 1945 she was repowered again, this time with the diesel engines from the old Kitsap County Transportation ferry Ballard.  When Washington State Ferries took over the Puget Sound Navigation Company in 1951, they discontinued the Point White-Bremerton run.      Now under state owner ship, the Rosario was moved to the Suquamish-Indianola-Seattle run while the Agate Pass Bridge, linking Bainbridge Island to the mainland Kitsap Peninsula, was being completed.      Retired immediately after the bridge was built, the Rosario was mothballed .  She  was sold in June of 1953, having only actually sailed for Washington State Ferries for about 5 months.  Converted into a cannery, she was moved up to Everett, where she worked for a number of years.  Eventually  the Rosario became silted in, but was still in use as of the late 1970's.  In the mid 1980's  she was bulldozed down and the hull filled in.  Today the site of the Rosario  is covered over with a building.

Chugging through the San Juan Islands, the Rosario heads for Friday Harbor.  Author's collection.

Throughout the 30's and 40's the Rosario was a common sight approaching the Anacortes  ferrydock.  She was the international ferry for a number of years.  Author's collection.

The large windows and comfortable furnishing made the Rosario ideal for the long trip from Anacortes to Sidney.  The ferry also boasted a full service dining room.  Author's collection.

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The photo never to be.  The Rosario was actually never had  been painted in WSF livery.  Here is how she would have looked had she remained in service.  Courtesy of Tom Sanislo, color by Nevermore Images.