Progress March 3, 1961, photograph of a lone worker who appears to be sanding down the ribs that will be connected to the rest of a boat. This may be at Tacoma Boat. Photograph ordered by West Coast Lumber Association. TPL-9393
Boat under construction. Progress photographs of a fishing boat under construction were taken on March 3, 1961, at Martinac Shipbuilding on behalf of West Coast Lumber Association. TPL-9121
Tacoma Boat Facilities. Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. was started in 1936 by H. Dahl and A. Strom. The partners wanted to build fishing vessels for North Pacific Fishermen. In 1941 they signed a contract to build government boats and moved to a larger, newly expanded plant at the head of the City Waterway. Interior view of workshop and laborer. TPL-6645
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Tacoma Boat Facilities. Tacoma Boat Building Company is working on its 18th minesweeper for the government. They are one of two shipyards in Tacoma to be honored with the Army-Navy "E" pennant. Interior view of workshop showing laborers at work. TPL-6647
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;
Hollywood Boat & Motor Company, owned and founded by Harry A. Esborg, was located at 4049 South Union Avenue. The boat business started when he began bringing in boats from Canada in 1943 and sold them from his used car lot that he had started in 1926. In 1947 the company began building wood boats. Exterior view of Hollywood Boat and Motor Company, signs along the windows include: "Evinrude--The Greatest Name in Outboard Motoring," "Champion Motors" and "Wagemaker Wolverine Boats." TPL-9924
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat engines; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Hollywood Boat & Motor Co. (Tacoma);
J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation's officers were: Joseph M. Martinac, President, Joseph S. Martinac, Vice-President, Reuben C. Carlson, Secretary, and Fred C. Borovich, Treasurer. The company designs and builds fishing, commercial and pleasure vessels; their plant was located at 1501 Railroad Avenue. Progress photograph and interior view of J. M. Martinac ship building plant, ship builders are working on a boat. TPL-8987
Three men standing next to a half-circle laminator at Baker Dock adjust the clamps on wood curved in a semi-circle at the Martinac Shipbuilding Company's laminating operations. J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding was a well-known Tacoma business whose motto was "Martinac for Better Boats". Founded by Joseph M. Martinac, the company built a variety of boats ranging from pleasure craft to tuna boats.
Overall view of three massive laminators with a man leaning over center one taken at the Baker Dock in November, 1951. J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation had its laminating operations at Baker Dock. The laminators were constructed so that workers could get close to the wood being laminated on semi-circular belts. Large overhanging lids appear to be able to fit tightly over the laminators. "No Smoking" signs warn workers not to light up when working with highly flamable materials.
ca. 1952. Ship building facilities at J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. A hull of a partially built ship is on the right. Ways lead out from the dry dock to the water, allowing the company to launch the completed ship.
ca. 1952. J.M. Martinac's "branch office" located in leased space on Baker Dock, where the firm is operating a laminating plant. Martinac became the first Pacific Coast firm to be designated by the Navy as a "qualified laminator." Frames for the minesweepers were completed here, laminated and barged up City waterway to the plant for placement in the new boats. The firm was proud to report that only 1 of 1,000 laminated pieces to be used in the four contracted 171 foot minesweepers failed to pass Navy tests. Approximately 460,000 board feet of lumber was used in the frames. (T. Reporter 8/11/1952, pg. 2)
A full broadside view of a 160 foot vessel was taken on behalf of Birchfield Boiler, Inc., on September 22, 1955. Birchfield Boiler had expanded their shipbuilding and ship conversation departments over the past few years. They were builders of all steel welded vessels of many types and designs. They also fabricated the steel used in their shipbuilding. The company was owned by Alvin Davies who also owned and operated Tacoma Boiler Works and Ace Furnace.
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boats; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);
Mold Loft employees at the Sea-Tac Shipbuilding Co. Angus McCauley, foreman. The Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. opened in 1939 on the Tideflats at the site of the old Todd Shipyards. The company grew as America prepared for and entered the second World War. Shipbuilding became Tacoma's primary wartime industry.
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Riggers Sea.-Tac. Shipbuilding Co. George Verge- Rigging Boss.The Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. opened in 1939 on the Tideflats at the site of the old Todd Shipyards. The company grew as America prepared for and entered the second World War. Shipbuilding became Tacoma's primary wartime industry.
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Electricians, Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Carl Brusberg- Foreman, July 10, 1940. A group of workers in hard hats poses in front of one of the buildings at the shipyard. Lettering over one door reads "electricians" or "electrical." One of the two men is suits is possibly foreman Brusberg. As war loomed, STSC became one of Tacoma's largest employers. TPL-2348
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brusberg, Carl;
ca. 1940. Bow view of freighter "Cape Flattery", second vessel launched by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. The Cape Flattery served as a troopship beginning in 1943. The vessel was scrapped in 1971. (Argentum)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
ca. 1941. The "Idaho," built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard. The vessel was delivered to the Navy in Sept. of 1941 for service in World War II. The ship was later sold to private investors in 1951 and was wrecked and scrapped in 1962. (Argentum)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Copy of customer print. Undated photograph of ship under construction at Tacoma Boatbuilding. This is possibly the "SES-100A" experimental craft built in the very early '70s by Tacoma Boatbuilding. If so, the ship would ride on a cushion of air at very rapid speeds. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Ground-effect machines; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
ca. 1973. Copy of customer print ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding in March of 1973. This is a painting of a prototype Coastal Patrol & Interdiction Craft (CPIC) sponsored by the US Navy and built by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Tacoma Boatbuilding had received a $15,000,000 contract to build three patrol ships for South Korea. Two of the boats were to be built in Tacoma, and the third in South Korea. The US Navy would conduct brief ship trials before the ship was transferred to South Korea. Displacement in tons, according to Jane's Fighting Ships 1974-75, was about 70 full load. (TNT 8-28-72, p. 1- article; Jane's Fighting Ships 1974-75, p. 220)
Copy of customer print. Two men are in the process of laying the superstructure onto the hull of this vessel in this undated photograph. This is perhaps a fishing boat. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Copy of customer print. A workman at Tacoma Boatbuilding stands on scaffolding as he examines the wooden hull of a boat under construction in this undated photograph. Photograph ordered on June 8, 1973, by Tacoma Boatbuilding.
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Hundreds watched on August 1, 1940 as the Cape Alva slid down the ways at the Seattle- Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation plant in Tacoma. Originally known simply as Hull #1, the Cape Alva, a freight motorship, was the first vessel to be launched by the Sea-Tac Shipbuilding Co. at their Tacoma site. She was also Tacoma's first major motorship launching in 17 years. The cost of the big steel craft was $2,127,000. She was 416 feet long and 60 feet wide with two 4,000 Horsepower diesel engines and a single four bladed propeller. Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding was located at 100 Alexander Avenue on the site of the old Todd Shipyards. The Cape Alva was sold to a private concern in 1948 and scrapped in 1970. (T. Times 7/18/1940, pg. 1; 7/23/1940, pg. 2)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Launching of the Cape Alva at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. on August 1, 1940. Cape Alva of Tacoma was the name given to the first vessel launched at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. The ship was the largest Tacoma-built vessel since World War I and was the first of 5 merchant ships. She was built in near record time and launched four months after the keel was laid. The 416-foot motorship was named for the promontory of land which lies 20 miles south of Cape Flattery on the Washington seacoast. It is the site of the Ozette Indian Reservation. (T. Times 7/18/1940, pg. 1) TPL-8801
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
