Foss Launch crew involved in the raising of the sunken 80-ton steamer, "Rubaiyat," which had foundered on September 29, 1923. The 65-foot vessel had left Municipal Dock at 6 p.m. on her way to Seattle. She was heavily loaded with hundreds of cases of canned goods and capsized in Commencement Bay. Four persons died including one woman. The "Rubaiyat" sank within 30 seconds of capsizing and lay in 35 fathoms of water. Foss Launch immediately came to the rescue, putting five boats in the water, and reached the area at the same time as the lifeboat launched by the steamer "Fulton." Previous attempts in 1923 to raise the "Rubaiyat" had failed and the vessel was thought unsalvagable. The men pictured above on March 12, 1924, were successful in raising the ship from Commencement Bay's bottom: (L-R) Walter McCray, diver; H.F. (Fred) Berg of Foss Launch & Tug; Otto Kraus; William McDaniels; George Westerman, engineer; and O.F. Currey. McCray and Berg had obtained title to the hull since the sinking. G50.1-138 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-30-23, p. 1-article); TDL 3-13-24, p. 10)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma)--employees; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; McCray, Walter; Berg, H.F.; Kraus, Otto; McDaniels, William; Westerman, George; Currey, O.F.;

The tug, "Andrew Foss," flagship of the Foss Launch & Tug Company fleet, was undergoing painting and general repair for the summer season on April 27, 1924, along with the 57-foot purse seiner "Mercury of Tacoma." Both ships were on the ways at Western Boat Building. Henry Foss, son of Andrew and Thea Foss, is believed to be standing on the left below the tug's stern along with an unidentified man. Photograph ordered by Foss Launch & Tug Co. TPL-3681; G50.1-149 (TNT 4-26-24, p. 11-article only)

Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Fishing boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The ferry, "Gig Harbor," and other vessels moored at the finishing docks of Western Boat Building on the Wapato Waterway next to the Western Lumber Mfg. Co., on April 16, 1925. Western Lumber and Western Boat Building shared the same address of 2505 E. 11th St. The "Gig Harbor" was launched from Western Boat facilities on Friday evening, April 10th. It is a 30-car craft, the same size as the original "City of Tacoma" now operating. Like the "City of Tacoma," the "Gig Harbor" can be lengthened to a 50-car craft if necessary. Photograph ordered by Western Boat Building. G66.1-098 (TDL 4-10-25, p. 7-article on launching; TNT 4-21-25, p. 1)

Ferries--Tacoma--1920-1930; Western Lumber Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The launch Elsie C ll , under the command of Captain Herman C. Clausen, ran aground in heavy morning fog at Point Defiance on Thursday, September 3, 1925. Captain Clausen had missed the ferry slip and then narrowly missed striking big rocks as he brought the Point Defiance-Sunrise Beach ferry ashore between the slip and the park pavilion. The ferry was stuck fast and could not be floated until high tide that evening. The 15 passengers sailing from Sunrise Beach to Tacoma were able to exit the vessel onto the beach via a gangplank; no injuries were reported.

Ferries--Tacoma--1920-1930; Marine accidents--Tacoma; Point Defiance Park (Tacoma);

Standard Oil Co. service barge. The service station barge was in handy proximity to the Tacoma Yacht Club on this July day in 1924. Sailboat is close by. G49.1-013

Barges--Tacoma; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Sailboats--Tacoma;

Solta The small fishing boat, the "Solta," cruises through the serene waters of Puget Sound in June of 1921. The unidentified man pictured above may be her skipper. The "Solta" was built by Visko Lisicich and was the first of three boats built by him. The others were the "Planet" and the "Helen L." The "Solta" was named after the island of Solta where Mr. Lisicich was born and raised. She was believed to have been built in Dockton on Vashon Island. In addition, the "Helen L." was named after Mr. Lisicich's daughter, Helen Lisicich Kokich. TPL-452; G34.1-083 (Additional information provided by a family member)

Fishing boats;

Several rowboats from the Antlers Lodge are moored on placid Lake Cushman in June of 1921. This is the original Lake Cushman prior to its expansion in 1925. The Antlers Lodge was a hunting lodge located on the shores of Lake Cushman which had catered to wealthy patrons. They had flocked to relax at the pristine lake which was fed by the icy waters of the Skokomish River. Fishing tackle and rowboats were supplied by the Antlers Lodge so that visitors could try their luck at the trout-filled lake. By 1921 the lodge had seen its heyday pass and in 1925 it would be deliberately set ablaze as part of the planned clearing of Cushman Basin. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-19-21, C-1-article on Lake Cushman)

Rowboats; Lake Cushman (Wash.);

Keeping pace with the new tuna seiner , the J.M. Martinac as she was underway on July 18, 1967, was the Richards Studio photographer on a Harbor Marina charter boat. The Martinac, built for skipper Lou Brito by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., was heading for Southern California. She was 154 feet long and had a payload of 540 tons. Photograph ordered by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. TPL-9133a

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Boat sponsor. Cradling the traditional spray of long stem red roses, Mrs. Edmund A. Gann poses in front of her husband's new fishing boat, the "Cape San Vincent" on March 20, 1969. Mrs. Gann was the ship's sponsor and performed the christening duties upon the 165-foot tuna seiner. The vessel had a 650-ton frozen tuna capacity and was scheduled for delivery later in the spring. J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. built the "Cape San Vincent;" it was one of five tuna seiners under construction at the Martinac yard. Photograph ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (TNT 3-9-69, C-27; TNT 3-20-69, C-16) TPL-9395

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Gann, Edmund A.--Family; Roses--Tacoma;

A different kind of launching than what is usually photographed occurred at the "Trap Servicing" boat launching held at the Port of Tacoma's industrial yard. Instead of immense fishing boats or Navy gunboats, this launching featured a small 36-foot workboat built for use at Tacoma City Light's Mossyrock Dam. A large crane steadily lowers the vessel on November 13, 1968. Peterson Boatbuilding Co. was the prime contractor of the $61,400 craft; Star Marine Industries subcontracted the hull. Photograph ordered by Star Marine Industries. (TNT 11-14-68, C--8)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hoisting machinery; Star Marine Industries (Tacoma);

View of the tuna seiner "Conquest" prior to launching. A crew member peers over the bunting-decorated bow. Built by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation, the 165-foot fishing vessel was ready to be launched on October 23, 1968. She was powered by a 2800-horsepower diesel engine and had a frozen fish capacity of 650 tons. The "Conquest" would be delivered to her owner, Joseph Madruga, in early 1969. The ship's captain was Richard Madruga, Joseph Madruga's brother. Photograph ordered by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (TNT 10-24-68, A-3) TPL-9193

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Terri Louise Bale, wearing her crown as Miss Tacoma, closes her eyes against the spray of champagne as she christens the new Martinolich built tugboat, the "Betsy L," on December 21, 1968 at Martinolich Shipbuilding's Taylor Way shipyard. The tug was built for Knappton Towing Company of Portland, Oregon. Miss Bale was crowned Miss Tacoma for 1969 by the Tacoma Jaycees in November, 1968. (Photograph ordered by Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp.) (TNT 12-22-68, p. C-19)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tugboats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Bale, Terri Louise; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Cheryl Marie launching party. The 176-foot tuna seiner, "Cheryl Marie," was launched on December 7, 1968, at 7:45 a.m., at the Port Industrial Yard. Standing beside the vessel are the Silveira family and Father Gerard Morin. L-R: Cheryl Silveira, Gary Silveira, Father Gerald Morin, Denise Marie Silveira, ship's sponsor Mary (Mrs. John) Silveira, Skipper/owner John Silveira, John Silveira, Jr., sponsor's attendant Mary (Mrs. Joe) Silveira, Mrs. Joe Silveira, Sr., and Joe Silveira, Sr. The "Cheryl Marie" was one of three federally subsidized fishing boats being built at Tacoma Boatbuilding. Each boat cost $1.8 million. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 11-24-68, B-19, TNT 12-7-68, p. 3) TPL-9446

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Silveira, John; Silveira, John--Family; Morin, Gerald; Silveira, Joe; Silveira, Joe--Family;

Launching of the MSC 279 by Tacoma Boat Building Co. The MSC 279 was the third 144ft minesweeper to be launched by the boat builder under the current contract. It was launched into the Sitcum Waterway at 2:30p.m. on Saturday, February 21st, 1959. Mrs. Paul Vetrees, wife of the company's chief engineer, was the sponsor and their eight year old daughter Cathy was the flower girl. (TNT 2/15/1959, pg. B-9)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Boaters on a small cabin cruiser lean to get a good view of the tug Hercules of Seattle as it assists a much larger oil rig ca. September, 1962. The vessels are already dockside. TPL-5808

Tugboats; Harbors; Boats;

The 62 foot Indra IV was designed by Roger W. McAleen of Alexandria, VA and built in Tacoma by the Western Boat Building Company, 2505 E. 11th Street. She was taken out on Puget Sound for sea trials in August of 1959. The steel hulled craft weighed less then 20 tons and carried over 1,500 square feet of sails. Her hollow aluminum main mast was 79 feet high. With teak wood decks and mahogany cabins, the boat could sleep a total of 12 crew and passengers and cost $100,000. (TNT 7/19/1959, pg B-2, 7/22/1959, pg. 1) TPL-10,543

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

Launching. The "M/V Atlantis" was successfully launched on Saturday evening, August 12, 1972, at Tacoma Boatbuilding. The ship, with a 41-foot beam, was owned by M/V Atlantis Corporation of California. She had a frozen fish capacity of 1500 tons. Captaining the ship will be Arthur Ferreira whose wife served as the ship's sponsor; this would be the third Tacoma Boatbuilding vessel that Captain Ferreira has owned jointly with Edmund Gann. The $3,000,000 fishing boat would leave to San Diego in mid-December after completion of four sea trials. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 8-14-72, p. 27 -article; TNT 12-15-72, B-7 -article on ship trials)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. "Santa Maria." This particular "Santa Maria" may be the ex-Navy cargo vessel now converted to a lobster fishing boat scheduled to work in the Southwest Pacific. According to the January 8, 1972, edition of Marine Digest, the 182 x 34-foot vessel would have refrigeration and insulated holds fitted and tank capacities increased.

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980;

1973 Richards stock footage. A new gangplank made by the Port of Tacoma for "Grace Lines" is being installed on September 1, 1973. The movable bridge allowed passengers to board and/or leave the ship while it was pierside. An accident occurred when the gangplank fell during placement.

Gangplanks; Vessels; Hoisting machinery;

Launching. This is the "Maia H" tugboat that was officially launched on Saturday, March 24, 1973, at Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities. According to a News Tribune article, she was the first tug launched in Tacoma in many years. She had actually had an "instant dumping" two months ago. Maia Halvorsen, daughter of owner Boyer Halvorsen of Bainbridge Island, was the ship's sponsor. The "Maia H" will haul a fast freight barge between Seattle and Ketchikan, Alaska. (TNT 3-25-73, A-22)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tugboats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Copy of customer print. Undated photograph of #78, a buoy layer, as she churns through the water. This buoy layer would position and service the buoys, important navigational helpers, that mark out shipping channels and indicate the shallows in waterways. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (additional information on buoy layers from www.voithturbo.com)

Boats; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

The tug "Mohawk" steadily pulls a much larger barge through one of Tacoma's waterways on June 22, 1974. The "Mohawk" was believed to have belonged to PAC, a tug firm that had an ocean going base in Tacoma. Photograph ordered by PAC.

Tugboats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Barges--Tacoma;

Boat launching. A large standing crowd spills out onto the grounds of the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation yard on the evening of June 14, 1969, as they attentively listen to pre-launching speeches. The "Anne M, " a 165-foot tuna seiner, would shortly slip down the ways into City (now Thea Foss) Waterways. She has a 650-ton frozen fish capacity and would fish in the waters around Astoria for Bumble Bee Seafoods. Captain Frank Souza is the master of the ship. Scheduled delivery of the "Anne M" to her owners is for late August of 1969. Photograph ordered by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (TNT 6-16-69, p. 29) TPL-9404

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Spectators--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Boat launching. Saturday, December 20, 1969, saw two major boat launchings in Tacoma. Mrs. W.F. Petrovic, wife of the commander of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, was the sponsor at the launching of the USS Benicia at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new plant on the Hylebos Waterway. She is standing with her family in pre-launching ceremonies. The 165-foot all-aluminum patrol gunboat was the first to be launched from one of the plant's 350-foot double ways. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 12-21-69, A-4)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Petrovic, W.F.--Family;

Wheelhouse of Army tug docked at Pier 23 at Port of Tacoma in October of 1969. The tug was used by the Tacoma National Guard. View of electronic equipment and telephones and wheel. Photograph ordered by Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Baltimore.

Tugboats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Electronic apparatus & appliances; Steering gears;

Undated photograph of three different types of vessels dockside. The location of this particular dock is not known. All three boats represent different eras in sailing with the sailboat by far the smallest in size. The three-mast ship is named the "San Francisco" but names of the other two boats are not discernible. Copy of photograph ordered by Richard E. Warren of Kramer, Chin & Mayo, Seattle. TPL-9480

Boats; Sailing ships; Sailboats;

Floating refrigeration facility - fish barge- at Arcweld plant in Marysville, Washington. Barge appears to be placed on a pier. Photograph was taken on May 7, 1970, for U.S. Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, PA.

Barges--Marysville; Boat & ship industry--Marysville;

Launching. View of the "Captain Vincent Gann" prior to her 8 p.m. launching on May 22, 1970. The 191-foot tuna seiner was launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Plant #2 in the Port Industrial Yard. This would be the final launching at Plant #2 which had seen the production of nine fishing boats since 1966. All tuna boat construction in the future would be done at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new plant on the Hylebos Waterway. After her launching, the "Captain Vincent Gann" would be transported to the Hylebos location for outfitting and trials. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 5-22-70, D-7- article; TNT 5-24-70, B-11-article) TPL-9458

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Launching. People stop and stare at the "Captain Vincent Gann," a 191-foot tuna seiner, on her launch date of May 22, 1970, at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Port Industrial Yard plant. The fishing boat would be the last launching at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Plant #2 as all future tuna boats would be constructed and launched at the new Hylebos Waterway location. She would be launched by Mrs. Edmund Gann, wife of the ship's owner. Delivery was expected to her San Diego-area owners in July. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 5-22-70, D-7 - article; TNT 5-24-70, B-11 - article) TPL-9459

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Launching. The Tacoma Class Gunboat PG-100 (formerly PGM-100) was launched in ceremonies occurring at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. at 4:45 p.m. on June 19, 1970. She would be commissioned the "USS Douglas" in February of 1971. The gunboat had a displacement of 250-ton and was 165-feet in length. She had a speed of 40k and was equipped with two gun mounts and two twin .50-cal machine guns. Only 6 1/2 years after she was commissioned, she was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register. The "Douglas" was converted to a research vessel and renamed the R/V "Lauren." Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. (www.navsource.org/achives; TNT 6-19-70, p. 7 - article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);