KENNEWICK

CLASS: Kwa-di-tabil

BUILT: 2011, Seattle, WA.

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 1229902 CALL SIGN: WDF6991

L/B/D: 274 x 64 x 11 GROSS/NET TONS:  4623/1887 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 750/64

PROPULSION: Diesel SPEED: 16 knots

NAME TRANSLATION:  Native American for “winter paradise, winter haven; grassy place, grassy slope”

FINAL DISPOSITION: In service, 2024.

HISTORY

In January of 2012, the Kennewick went into service on the Port Townsend-Keystone run. In a somewhat controversial move, the ferry did not go to south Vashon Island as had been announced, the state and lawmakers making questionable claims about keeping consistency on the routes by having the identical sisters Kennewick and Salish on the route, so crews did not have to switch to the Chetzemoka with its different propulsion set up. The notion that crews don’t regularly change vessels that are completely different from one another is totally idiotic with as much as the fleet moves around throughout the year.

The Chetzemoka was moved (ostensibly) because the Salish and Kennewick, with the variable pitch propellers, handle the conditions at Keystone better. It was pretty much decided before the other two ferries went into service that the Chetzemoka would be shifted to south Vashon where her fixed-blade propeller wouldn’t be as much of an issue.