Wonderful idea "SS Shasta"!
I have copied from the "MV Nisqually" thread and pasted my posting of the VASHON into this new thread on the MV VASHON (with added notes).
My original intent was to include the VASHON in the previous thread as she was a workmate of the NISQUALLY in the San Juans for a number of years.
I first saw the VASHON in the spring of 1973 as my family was casing out the route my bus would take to Anacortes on my first trip to Camp Orkila that summer (I had just completed my fifth grade year in School). She was a small looking old ferry tied up at the ferry dock there. After asking the toll collector a few questions, we went to Deception Pass and Whidbey Island. Just as we were leaving, the big new WALLA WALLA was arriving. She dwarfed the VASHON as she is more than double the length of the 200 foot Lake Washington wooden masterpiece. Back then, I would never realize that the VASHON would be part of my life in the 1970's and 1980's.
Sooner than later, the VASHON was on our Mukilteo run. Yes, she would be part of my life after all! My first ride on her was at night. There is something that brings the magic out of a classic wooden ferry at night. The light bulbs, et al. I fell in love with her and hoped this wasn't a guest appearance in place of the OLYMPIC. As soon as I learned that the OLYMPIC was to inaugurate WSF's presence on the Keystone run, I knew the VASHON was ours for a good while! She would be third vessel behind the RHODODENDRON and KULSHAN.
I loved her wooden cabin, her horseshoe shaped serving counter with wooden coaster swivel stools, and the antique galley equipment. Then, I went to the open hatch to the engine room and could not believe what I saw. A beautiful engine with exposed rocker arms and flywheel clutches, all within view! This created a great habit for me every time I took this vessel on this run. I would stand at the engine room hatch at the dock end. The gate would come down. Then the clanging on the telegraph and the constant ringing of the wrong way alarm. The fun part came as I saw the clutch engage (the other end is disengaged for the trip) and away we went! I loved the beat the engine made. The service generator was noisy and its exhaust was constant popping from her stack (you could hear this about a mile away). I then enjoyed the rest of the trips on the Saloon Deck. The galley end touched Mukilteo. The galley was a static antique museum and was not to serve as there were no galley service on the third vessel on this run (the OLYMPIC's galley was closed on this run from 1970-1972 as she was third vessel then). This didn't keep me from looking through the screen and the neat galley equipment (and to imagine what my grandparents used for cooking long time ago). I had wished I had taken pics of this galley then!
This illustration shows both sides of the MV VASHON and her Saloon Deck layout (until 1978).
The VASHON had 29 wooden benches in her main cabin. All varnished stained wood. The Clinton end had the heads, an office, a miscellaneous room with steel screen "windows" (possibly a cleaning gear locker or something), and the engine uptake. The Mukilteo end had the serving counter. Kids had fun rotating the wooden seat coasters. The flooring was painted red in the public areas.
The ends were shelters. There were six benches, two life preserver boxes, a steering rope casing, and the telegraph cable tube. Just in case you were wondering, the heads' windows were painted black inside (privy rules on this one!).
WSF put three horizontal wood pieces on the Main Deck windows. I omitted the framed glass as these were eventually removed or neglected.
As what the ILLAHEE, KLICKITAT, and NISQUALLY had, the VASHON had makeshift international rules navigation lights (as you can see the aft masthead light resting above the galley) and used when required.
Programs changed in 1978. Everyone wanted more auto space on ferries. The VASHON would get a badly new paint job. A new pantry was installed in the galley and the coasters were gone (some orange paint was applied). The RHODODENDRON went to Keystone, the OLYMPIC returned to Mukilteo, the VASHON went back to the San Juans (new express runs on large vessels were begun there as the VASHON was an islands shuttle), the San Juan NISQUALLY went to Kingston, and the Kingston ILLAHEE got a full time job on the Mukilteo run (no more guest appearances as she was there to stay until 1982). We got two food ferries on the Mukilteo run in 1978 as the OLYMPIC's galley was dusted off and serving hot dogs and drinks (the ILLAHEE's galley was open as well). The VASHON was retired at the end of 1980.
Also included in the 1978 update: Plywood sheets were screwed into the galley screen (for whatever purpose I don't know), and the screens in the miscellaneous room were replaced with plywood.
In 1985, a retired master mariner turned hosteler and tavern operator purchased the VASHON. A lot of scraping and painting was done. 10 of 29 benches were removed and bunk beds were installed accommodating 20 men at one side and 20 ladies on the other. Seats were installed at the serving counter and the orange paint covered over. Sofas were added to each side of the galley and a display case replaced the vending machines. Blinds were installed and a table replaced a bench in the number two shelter. A successful trial run was performed after five years of inactivity. She began her hostel business with live press coverage at Pier 70 and soon took a trip to Port Townsend for a two month stay. The VASHON's exterior was painted there and the two side green trims below the Saloon Deck windows were restored. One night there, she was sold out as a bike group stayed the night aboard her (tours were given in the engine room). At the end of July of that year, she went to Ballard and was a viewing platform for the hydro races on Lake Washington for a company (a shuttle took the guests to the vessel from Mercer Island).
During the winter, a new forced air oil furnace was installed in the miscellaneous room.
After looking for permanent moorage in Seattle, it was decided to go to Alaska in 1986. She would have been a sports fishing lodge in Moira Sound and moored next to an outdated facility. MV VASHON LODGE was to be her name. Float planes would have taken her guests to and from Ketchikan. Fishing rods graced her cabin as well as a restored serving counter (the 1978 pantry was gone). A new AC generator was installed in the Engine Room. The trip north to Ketchikan was successful. A fatal mistake was made when it was decided to sit outside the final berthing on Moira Sound for a meal break before the final berthing after the crossing from Ketchikan. A gust of wind shoved her ashore and this concludes this writing as it is too painful for me to write about her ending.
Just one question..........For some strange reason I thought the door to the men's washroom was located on the outside rather than inside the main cabin. This differed from the lady's room door which was inside. Was this possible or is it my fuzzy thinking 
?
