Those Wonderful Steel Electrics - 80 Years Old

[SS Shasta]

Those revered Steel Electrics that we all enjoy discussing are 80 years old this year. For a great review of their long history, I recommend looking at Evergreen's web site which he recently update . I wonder if WSF plans any special celebrations for this anniversary?

Wouldn't it be nice if they (WSF) issued a special edition of their print series to honor these vessels? Perhaps there could be five prints, one for each vessel and a separate print featuring all four.

[EGfleet]

shasta said:

Those revered Steel Electrics that we all enjoy discussing are 80 years old this year. For a great review of their long history, I recommend looking at Evergreen's web site which he recently update . I wonder if WSF plans any special celebrations for this anniversary?

Wouldn't it be nice if they (WSF) issued a special edition of their print series to honor these vessels? Perhaps there could be five prints, one for each vessel and a separate print featuring all four.

I actually thing WSF is trying to play down that they've got such ancient boats in service, particularly after the recent incident with the Klickitat.

[Barnacle]

I would suspect that, if the posters are still happening when the time comes, the Steel-Electrics will receive a commemorative poster for their retirement (much as the VASHON did in 1981).

The posters, by the way, have been around since 1980; that poster featured a Steel-Electric, as did 1985, 1989, 2001, 2005, and 2006. The Illahee was the poster girl for '85, '05, and '06, I think.

[zman]

Those boats are absolutely incredible...I just took the QUINAULT for another trip at Kingston.
I noticed that in order to get the feel for how old the boats are, you need to go to the car deck, where you can see how she was put together before the days of welding. It is amazing to see all of the places that have been modified over the years.

[Brassman]

Well, it was a sad birthday for the Klickitat; being all the bad press she got for a stress crack.

The Klickitat is arguably the hardest working ferry that WSF has. Consider that, because of the numerous heavy trucks that she routinely carries, she runs with heaviest vehicle weight per cardeck area on the roughest waters into the most treachorous landing in the ferry system.

The old Klickitat deserves an accolade, along with the always capable Todd Shipyard.

Happy Birthday--M/V Klickitat.

[gene]

I am looking for some genealogy information on the ss shasta crew. I'm not sure if it s the same ss shasta as this one is showing up with crew in 1920 docked in Oregon. Anyway, does anyone know where Ican get crew information for the 20s-40s? (in general for west coast ships and even longshoreman probably)

thanks!

[Barnacle]

Gene--the S.S. Shasta that is discussed, however infrequently, on this board was built in 1922 for service on San Francisco Bay for the Six Minute Ferry Company (which went bankrupt during the vessel's construction). It was purchased by Southern Pacific, and when ferry operations largely ceased on San Francisco Bay in 1940, it was retired and sold to Puget Sound's Black Ball Line the following year, and again to Washington State Ferries in 1951. Are we speaking of the same boat?

[SS Shasta]

I was looking over the old Fleet List of WSF recently and noticed that all 4 Steel Electrics had higher auto deck clearance after their 1958 rebuilds than they do today. The clearance for all 4 vessels was 13'10". The lower clearances and the different clearances must have been the result of their rebuilds during the 1980's. Hmmmmm Does anyone know why these clearances were lowered during their most recent rebuilds?

[Brassman]

The Klickitat has the highest auto deck clearance, and that is why she is indispensable on the PT/Keystone run.

When the other boats were rebuilt in the '80's, they eliminated the first set set of stanchions; bridging the width with a steel truss. That is the cause of the limited overhead.

[Barnacle]

You know, I'd always wondered that and never gotten around to ask anyone.

SS Shasta, you'll notice that virtually all our vessels seem to lose clearance over time--the Kaleetan is a prime example. They may list the clearance as 15'6", but in actuality it's about 15'3" down the center lane... um, I want to say 14'9" down the construction-starboard lane, and 14'5" down the construction-port lane in the tunnel.

[SS Shasta]

Hmmm. Some interesting points by Brassman and Barnicle. I was wondering if there were more "add-ons" like fire fighting equipment, etc. that lowered the clearance? Also do the new cabin decks weigh more than the wood structures they replaced? I have never checked to see how the latest rebuilds of these vessels impacted their over all net tons and draft.

BTW Barnicle: Great point, ferry vessels loose clearance as they reach old age!!

[Barnacle]

shasta said:

Hmmm. Some interesting points by Brassman and Barnicle. I was wondering if there were more "add-ons" like fire fighting equipment, etc. that lowered the clearance? Also do the new cabin decks weigh more than the wood structures they replaced? I have never checked to see how the latest rebuilds of these vessels impacted their over all net tons and draft.

BTW Barnicle: Great point, ferry vessels loose clearance as they reach old age!!

The steel probably weighs more than the wood it replaces, and probably has some sort of impact on draft; however, I have to say it--"net tons" and "gross tons" are volumetric measurements, not weight. That would be "deadweight tons."

In the case of the Kaleetan, I know part of the restriction on the port side is the exhaust line from the emergency generator. Couldn't tell you what the starboard side is up to.

(I know I'm sagging more as I get older... )

[zman]

I noticed that some vessels have had wiring added along one side of the car deck, which reduces the clearance. If you look, alot of the boats have lower clearance in one of the lanes that are in the middle section...it is rather interesting.

[Barnacle]

Interesting? We've always regarded it more as a pain in the... well, pick something. It probably qualifies. But yes, the 'lower clearance' is usually right along the bulkhead and thence unlikely to be a problem. Not always, though. Modular homes are the biggest bugaboo... I've denied passage before because someone got erroneous information as to the height clearance. I had to explain myself to the port captain over that one... once I explained to him about the large potential for damaging the modular and the ship's plumbing, he acquiesced, with a request that I measure the gap and let him know what the actual clearance is. ;D

[SS San Mateo]

Brassman said:

The Klickitat has the highest auto deck clearance, and that is why she is indispensable on the PT/Keystone run.

I thought the Nisqually had the highest at 13'9", or did that get reduced further?

[Barnacle]

Klick's still rated at 13'10" as far as I know; the other three are at 13'4".

[SS San Mateo]

barnacle said:

Klick's still rated at 13'10" as far as I know; the other three are at 13'4".

Hmmmm.... according to the fleet guide on the WSF website:

Klickitat is 13' 4"
Nisqually is 13' 9"
Illahee is 12' 7"
Quinault is 13' 2"

[Brassman]

Klickitat's cardeck clearance is 13' 10". I saw it stenciled on the ends of the boat just the other day. The Nisqually's cardeck clearance is most definitly not 13' 9".

[SS San Mateo]

I created this today:



The photo was taken last year at Thanksgiving.

[Political Incorrectness]

Cool pic, where is that from btw?

[SS San Mateo]

ferrymaniac101 said:

Cool pic, where is that from btw?

The Quinault is approaching Tahlequah in that picture. It was a rather yucky day weatherwise which probably explains why the pic quality wasn't as good as it could be.