CLASS: Passenger-Only Fast Ferry
BUILT: 1998, Dakota Creek Industries, Anacortes, WA.
PREVIOUS/LATER NAMES: a. Chinook, b. Golden Gate
OFFICIAL NUMBER: 1063252 CALL SIGN: WDF7183
L/B/D: 143 x 39 x 5 GROSS/NET TONS: 99/67 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 450/0
PROPULSION: Diesel waterjet SPEED: 36 knots
NAME TRANSLATION: Named for the first vessel of the same name; a warm wind.
FINAL DISPOSITION: In service at San Francisco as the Golden Gate, 2019.

HISTORY
Two former members of the Washington State Ferry fleet were, at the time of their retirement, two of the newest vessels in the fleet, built at a time when optimism was high for a new fleet of quick passenger-only ferry service from Vashon Island, Bremerton and Kingston.

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 injunction 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.

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 later thrown out as being unconstitutional, the legislature caved to political pressure and kept the reduction in place, never bothering to restore proper funding for the ferry system—a situation that remains to this day.

Forced to make cuts to service, it was determined that the passenger only ferries from Seattle to Bremerton should be withdrawn as they simply could not be run cost effectively.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The vessels were withdrawn from service in the fall of 2003. They 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 was set 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. The potential loss of holiday business in Port Townsend due to the sudden withdrawal of the Steel Electrics prompted the state to run the Snohomish between Seattle and Port Townsend starting on 13 December 2007. She continued on the route until replaced by the car ferry Steilacoom II which was borrowed to restore auto ferry service between Port Townsend and Keystone on Whidbey Island.

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, 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. Both ferries were extensively rebuilt, upping their passenger capacity. In addition, a snack bar was added, and more fuel-efficient engines installed. The pair, now under the names Golden Gate and Napa, have proven themselves to be very success in San Francisco and are utilized by thousands of commuters each year.