Peterson boat "Americano." View of fishing boat taken on July 10, 1944, probably in Commencement Bay. Peterson Boat Building Co. was founded by George Peterson in 1942. They are a small but busy shipyard. Peterson Boat Building Company's general manager was George J. Peterson, the company's plant was located on 223 East F Street in Tacoma. View of "Americano," a tuna clipper built by Peterson Boat Building Co. TPL-8997

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The U.S. Army tug ST-472 was launched by Pacific Boat Building Co. on March 5, 1944. The wood ship is pictured above sliding down the ways.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tugboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Sea Boy launching. Sea Boy is the 10th boat built and the 9th launched from the Puget Sound Boatbuilding Corp. site. It is the fourth seine boat built at this shipyard. View of Sea Boy, an 85 ft. sardine boat being launched into City Waterway (T. Times, 7/1/44, p. 4). TPL-8865

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);

This is the newly launched Tug ST-472 on March 5, 1944. She was built by Pacific Boat Building Co. of Tacoma for the U.S. Army.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tugboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Pacific Boat Building Co. received a government contract to build four barges for the Army. All vessels were to be built with wood, diesel powered and sea-going. View of hull building progress for 88 foot self propelled cargo barge at Pacific Boat plant.

Barges--Tacoma; Structural frames--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Western Boat Building Co. was started by Martin Petrich Sr. With the help of his five sons, Harvey, Allen, Martin Jr., Jim and Jack, it became a well known and respected business in Tacoma. They built government vessels, commercial fishing vessels and pleasure boats. Allen Petrich, Sr., is pictured above in September of 1944, driving the "Patty," a modified tuna tender. The tuna tender was a small boat that could be carried aboard the large tuna clippers and used to get to a dock and back. (Additional identification and information provided by a reader)

Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Petrich, Allen;

Tacoma Boat Building Company completed the sardine seiner, North American, in 1944. This boat was said to be one of the most modern sardine boats ever to be built. Tacoma Boat Building was owned by H. Dahl and A. Strom, who were dedicated to building quality fishing vessels for North Pacific fishermen. View of two unidentified men aboard the North American. TPL-8879

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Puget Sound boat. Sea Boy is an 85 ft. sardine boat built by Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. It was built for Bill and Ted Healy. This boat is the fourth seine boat built at the Puget Sound yard. View of Sea Boy out on Puget Sound. TPL-9116

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma); Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Pacific Boat Building Co. was working on four barges for the Army in 1944 and also had other government contracts to build purse seiners. View of the U. S. Army B.S.P. 3131, an 88 foot self propelled cargo barge and Paddy_Craig boat, built by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.

Government vessels--Tacoma; Barges--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Pacific Boat Building Co. was working on four barges for the Army, they also had other government contracts to build purse seiners. View of three unidentified ship builders on board the U. S. Army B.S.P. 3131, an 88 foot self propelled cargo barge. The barge was made of wood, diesel powered and would be a sea going vessel.

Government vessels--Tacoma; Barges--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Pacific Boat Building Co. received a government contract to build four barges for the Army. View of U. S. Army B.S.P. 3131, an 88 foot self propelled cargo barge with double diesel powered engines. The B.S.P. 3131 is the second barge, of the order, to be completed and launched by Pacific Boat.

Government vessels--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Pacific Boat Building Co. received a government contract to build four barges. The U. S. Army B.S.P. 3135 was the first barge completed of the four barges ordered by the Army. Stern view of U. S. Army B.S.P. 3135, an 88 foot self propelled cargo barge with double diesel engines.

Government vessels--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Minnie (Mrs. John) Flintoff smiled at the camera above her enormous bouquet of roses after sponsoring the launch of the minesweeper YMS 244 on December 18, 1942. Her husband John was the outfitting foreman at Tacoma Boat Building Co. She posed next to her daughter Dorothy. The Flintoff family resided at 1112 So. Oakes and included John Jr. and Bentley, who was serving with the US Air Corps. (T. Times 12/23/1942, pg. 16)

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Flintoff, Minnie; Flintoff, Dorothy; Flintoff, John--Family;

Pacific Boat Building Co. completed the second of four barges ordered by the Army. The U. S. Army B.S.P. 3131, was an 88 foot self propelled cargo barge with double diesel engines. Interior view of engine room with steering wheel, compass, gauges and engine controls visible.

Helms; Engine rooms--Tacoma; Government vessels--Tacoma; Compasses; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

In September of 1944, Juanita Warnell helped christen a new ship at the Puget Sound Boatbuilding Corporation, 820 East D Street. During WWII Puget Sound Boatbuilding completed a string of ocean going tugs for the U.S. Army. Between government contracts they built purse seiners. They went out of business in the late 1950s.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma); Warnell, Juanita

Launching party. Acting mayor Val Fawcett (third from left in bow tie) was present for the christening and blessing of the tuna boat, "American Girl," built by Petrich Shipbuilding. The event occurred on Sunday, July 23, 1944, at Old Town dock. Father Henry J. Schultheis of Bellarmine High gave the blessing as requested by the ship's co-owners, Joe Alves and Joe Machado. Mr. Machado at age 23 was one of the youngest skippers in the fishing business. His wife Lucille was the ship's sponsor. Also present were representatives of Petrich Shipbuilding including Harvey Petrich and his father Martin. The fishing boat, "American Girl, " was 106-feet long, completely refrigerated and had a capacity of 180 tons of tuna. ALBUM 14. (TNT 7-24-44, p. 1-article; T.Times 7-24-44, p. 2-article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Schultheis, Henry J.; Machado, Joe; Alves, Joe; Machado, Lucille; Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Petrich, Martin;

Dignitaries pose during the launching of the Hortensia-Bertin at Tacoma Boat Building. She would contain the most modern of navigational and communication equipment with radiophone and code instruments, Northern Radio sending set and National receiver. She would also be equiped with a 181 h.p. Chrysler-powered Western "Fairliner' bait-tender which was also equipped with a radiotelephone. The two gentlemen on the left are Haldor Dahl and Arne Strom, owners of Tacoma Boat. Mrs. Arthur DeFever of San Pedro, California, is third from the right holding long-stemmed roses. She was the wife of the boat's architect and sponsor of at the launching. Ordered by C.F.A. Mann. (TNT, 1/5/1950, p.21; Pacific Fisherman, April 1950, p.26; Pacific Fisherman October 1950, p.12) TPL-9025

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Dahl, Haldor; Strom, Arne;

Launching at Western Boat. Ordered by Seattle Times by Mr. R.H. Calkins. The John N. Cobb stands in the ways ready to be formally launched. Flags are draped over the first and second decks. The boat was to becoma an exploratory vessel for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She was designed by W.C. Nickum & Sons, Seattle naval architects, and built by Western Boat. She was of very heavy wood construction, 93' in length, and powered with a 550 hp Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine. (Pacific Fisherman, March 1950, p.29)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Ships--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Tacoma Yacht Club, located at Point Defiance, was included in the tourist sightseeing tour the "Kla-How-Ya" trail. Founded in 1889, the Club relocated to Point Defiance in 1914, near what is now the ferry dock. In an effort to find a mooring spot less vulnerable to winter storms, the Club relocated southeast under the high bank near the Tacoma Smelter. The former office building of Seaborn Shipyard was moved to the site by scow to serve as the clubhouse. In 1934, a road was built along the bulkhead under the ferry landing. The Yacht Club originated the Daffodil Marine Parade and the decorated-boat Christmas parade.

Boathouses; Boats;

Puget Sound Boat Building Corporation had just launched the "Pacific Queen" into Tacoma's City Waterway (now Thea Foss Waterway) in May of 1949. She was bought by eight Puget Sound fishermen who intended to be salmon fishing by June of that year. The "Pacific Queen" sailed to Seattle and continued on to Bristol Bay (T.N.T., 5/15/49, p. B-3). TPL-8630

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);

57-foot purse seiner, interior and water shots, Birchfield Boiler, Bob Dorrer. The "Esther B." is out for her sea trials on June 14, 1949. The captain is at the helm on the upper deck.

Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Libby No. 9, 10 and 11 are tied up, side-by-side, at Birchfield Boiler. Libby, McNeill and Libby of Seattle liked these seiners because they had better capacity and lower maintenance costs than other fishing boats. One of the outstanding features of a Birchfield-built boat was the fact that the inside of the cargo hold was completely smooth. The cork insulation was covered over and there was no place for the fish to bruise or for fish oils to accumulate. Ordered by Bob Dorrim. (Marine Digest, 7/28/1951)

Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A view of the starboard side of "Libby No. 10" at Birchfield Boiler. Birchfield Boiler built five seiners, a small steel power scow and a steel gillnetter for Libby over a period of several years. This seiner has a powerful seine winch at the back. The vessels would sleep six men - two officers and 4 crewmen. Ordered by Bob Dorrim. (Marine Digest, 7/28/195l)

Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A view of the helm on "Libby No. 10" at Birchfield Boiler. The chain linking the helm with the rudder is clearly visible. Birchfield Boiler, Inc., delivered three new Libby boats to Libby, McNeill and Libby of Seattle. As of July 1951 the company built five of the steel seiners for Libby. The fishing boats were well equipped with Onan generators from the Fremont Electric Company, Seattle. They also had automatic controls and switchboards from Fremont. Ordered by Bob Dorrim. (Marine Digest, 7/28/1951)

Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ship trials--Tacoma--1950-1960; Helms;

Local Tacoma fishermen, Robert and Alfred Erickson, had a new 47 foot all steel tuna hull, built by Birchfield Boiler. Robert was married to Jean and lived at 3816 South Cushman Avenue; Alfred was married to Ragna and lived at 1221 Ridgewood Avenue. View of unidentified woman, possibly Jean or Ragna, christening the new tuna hull, Birchfield Boiler's plant and shops in background.

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishermen--Tacoma; Fishing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Erickson--Family;

Tacoma Yacht Club was hosting the International Cruiser Race, a 150 mile race between Tacoma and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Yacht clubs throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada were participating in the big event. View of "Reverie" a beautiful sailboat owned by Dr. Govnor and Barbara Teats, the Teats will be participating in the big race with their two sons, George and Bruce (T.N.T., 7/11/48, p. D-1).

Sailboat racing--Tacoma; Sailboats--Tacoma; Yachts--Tacoma; International Cruiser Race (Tacoma); Teats, Govnor--Associated objects; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma);

Skansie's Shipbuilding Company had just built their first fishing boat in April of 1949. Skansie's had built other types of vessels in the past, including a ferry boat. View of Skansie fishing boat launching party; John Cosulich (right) and Mrs. John Cosulich (third from left) are the launching sponsors; other four people are not identified (T.N.T., 4/18/49, p. 14). According to a patron the individuals in the photo are John Cosulich on the far right, Dolores (Mrs. Tony Cosulich) third from left (not Mrs. John Cosulich), and Tony Cosulich, Dolores' husband, on the far left.

Fishing boats--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor; Launchings--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Skansie's Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Cosulich, John--Family;

Western Boat Building Company has just completed and launched the "Mary E. Petrich", the largest tuna clipper ever built. The new vessel is 149-1/2 feet long, has a 34 foot beam, 1,600 horsepower submarine type diesel engine, and cost about $500,000 to build. The tuna clipper was named after Martin Petrich's late wife; view of the "Mary E. Petrich" being led out by tugboats, shortly after being christened (T. Times, 3/16/49, p. 1). TPL-8988

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Building had just completed the Yolande-Bertin of Tegucigalpa for Captain O. E. Bertin and Cargueros Panamenos. The tuna clipper measured 104 feet and 8 inches by 26 feet and 6 inches by 14 feet. View of Yolande-Bertin of Tegucigalpa, a diesel tuna clipper out on Tacoma's Commencement Bay (Pacific Fisherman Yearbook, 1950). TPL-9017

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Interior view of boat, built by Tacoma Boat, showing the engine room. Included in the view are the diesel auxiliary engines, fresh water still, ammonia compressors with control panel and distribution headers, synchronizing switchboard, power panel and motor starters topped off with a 600 h.p. heavy duty diesel propulsion engine. Tacoma Boat announced their 16-year record in February 1948 as: 104 new commercial vessels of wood and steel; and, 1,073 commercial vessels rebuilt, modernized, converted or repaired. TPL-9023

Boat engines; Control rooms--Tacoma; Engine rooms--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boats--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;