Ship Canal Watch: What Passes Our Office Windows
Every day, tugboats, classic yachts, fishing boats and the occasional 387-foot superyacht pass the windows at Salmon Bay Marine Center, on the Lake Washington Ship Canal near the Ballard Locks. This is a running log of what we’ve spotted, with the stories behind the boats. Want the live view? Try our dock cams. Want it from your own desk? See available offices.
Enjoy this view from your office. Available space: 1,118 SF office·3,172 SF flex space·See all space
USCGC Fir, under tow the day before the locks closed
The Coast Guard Cutter Fir, a 225-foot seagoing buoy tender, passed SBMC heading west under tow on November 1, with Western Towboat’s Wasp out front on a long line and West Point at her stern. The next day, the Ballard Locks’ large chamber was scheduled to close for about three weeks of annual maintenance. Fir is homeported in Cordova, Alaska, where she maintains 132 aids to navigation around the Gulf of Alaska. Her name has Seattle roots: an earlier Fir, a 1939 lighthouse tender, was homeported here for most of her 51 years of service.
Constellation passes the home office
F/T Constellation, a 160-foot freezer trawler, passed SBMC on October 27, right below O’Hara Corporation’s Seattle office at 2292 W. Commodore Way. She started life as a mud boat in Louisiana in 1981. O’Hara bought her in 1987 and converted her to catch, process and freeze at sea. After a couple of years in the Gulf of Maine and on the Grand Banks, she came to Seattle in 1989 and has fished the Bering Sea for groundfish ever since.
O’Hara’s story goes back to 1880, when Francis J. O’Hara began building sailing vessels in Massachusetts. Five generations later, the family runs scallopers out of New Bedford, herring seiners off Maine, and a Seattle-based catcher-processor fleet working Alaska’s flatfish, cod and pollock.
Queen Anne’s Revenge, the pirate cruise ship
The Queen Anne’s Revenge from Emerald City Pirates came by in the last of the evening light with a full deck of passengers. Look for the Jolly Rogers on both masts and the purple kraken tentacles painted down her black hull. She’s a 50-foot custom build, Coast Guard–inspected and licensed for up to 49 passengers. She has run family treasure cruises and 21+ party cruises on Lake Union and the Ship Canal since 2017.
Wilderness Discoverer comes home for the winter
UnCruise’s Wilderness Discoverer passing SBMC at golden hour as the Alaska cruise season wraps up. The 76-guest expedition ship was built in 1992 and spends her summers exploring the coves and inlets of Southeast Alaska, which her shallow draft lets her reach. She winters here in Seattle, near UnCruise’s headquarters at Fishermen’s Terminal. We last saw her in March, when she was towed out of the yard to Fishermen’s Terminal to get ready for the season.
Get new ship canal sightings by email
A short note when we spot something interesting passing our windows. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Derrick 24 returns for the New St. Joseph
Manson Construction’s Derrick 24 passing SBMC on her way to Fishermen’s Terminal to help refloat the New St. Joseph. Built in 1943 in San Francisco as the Duchess, the 82-foot wooden fishing tender sank at her moorage in August. She’s one of the last large wooden seiners still working on the West Coast. This is Derrick 24’s second salvage job at the terminal this year, after she raised the F/V Quaker Maid in April. She’s 200 feet long, 78 feet wide, and can lift 400 tons.
Wizard, the Deadliest Catch crabber
The F/V Wizard, made famous by Discovery’s Deadliest Catch, passing SBMC on a foggy September afternoon. She was built for the U.S. Navy in 1945 as a fuel oiler, then converted into a crab boat in the late 1970s. Today the 155-foot Wizard is skippered by Captain Keith Colburn and calls Seattle home between seasons in the Bering Sea. Read more about her history at crabwizard.com.
Wanderlost, the Nordhavn with a famous past
Wanderlost, Nordhavn 62 hull #9, cruising past SBMC on an October afternoon. She has quite a history. She was originally ordered by Prince Rainier of Monaco, but the build wasn’t finished for him. Ken and Roberta Williams, founders of Sierra On-Line, took over the order and named her Sans Souci, and they crossed the Atlantic aboard her. They later sold her to Björk and artist Matthew Barney, who painted her black and renamed her Dimma. Today she cruises as Wanderlost.
MV Annandale
MV Annandale passing SBMC. Built in 1967, the 90-foot Annandale is Trident Seafoods’ private sportfishing yacht. She spends her summers in Southeast Alaska, hosting guests for king salmon, silver salmon, and halibut fishing, and winters here in Seattle.
Northern Titan
Western Towboat Company’s new tug, Northern Titan, passing SBMC. Western Towboat designs and builds its own tugs at its shipyard on the Ship Canal, and Northern Titan came out of that yard this year. She’s 111 feet long, with twin Cat C175 engines driving Schottel Z-drives. It’s great to see new boats still being built right here on the canal.
Argonaut II, the mission boat
Argonaut II was originally built as a corporate yacht, then she spent thirty years as a mission boat serving remote canneries, logging camps, and First Nations communities along the British Columbia coast before returning to yacht life. Her current owner lives aboard, runs charters, and documents her ongoing restoration — you can follow her story at argonaut1922.com.
Hiyu, the floating event space
Hiyu passing SBMC over the weekend. Hiyu was originally constructed for Washington State Ferries. Since retiring from the fleet in 2017, she’s been used as a floating event space.
USCG Cutter Florence Finch
USCG Cutter Florence Finch entering the lake to participate in law enforcement during Seafair Festival. This is a Sentinel-class cutter, a rare visitor to the lake. With twin 20-cylinder, 5,676hp MTUs, she can cruise at 28-knots, and she has more than 2,500nm range at 15-knots.
Stancraft Exocet 380
A Stancraft Exocet 380 passing SBMC. Stancraft builds modern wooden boats near Lake Coeur d’Alene, in Idaho. Each boat is custom built and the design and construction showcase stunning woodwork.
SY Kaori
SY Kaori, a 125-foot Palmer Johnson sailboat, passing SBMC on the way from Stabbert Maritime to Fishermen’s Terminal to participate in a Maritime Blue event.
Seattle Tiki Boat
Seattle Tiki Boat offers tiki-themed pontoon boat rentals, captain included. These folks seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the experience!
Electric Duffy boats
Several companies rent electric Duffy boats during the summer and they are a common sight from our offices. Fun fact: SBMC is the only office in Seattle that comes with free access to an electric Duffy. Use it for meetings, taking the team to happy hour, or with your family on the weekend!
MV Starr
SBMC owner Don Stabbert returns on MV Starr. Don and Starr are exceptionally well traveled. Since acquiring the boat in 1999, Starr has accumulated about 18,000 engine hours on more than a dozen Pacific Ocean crossings. Read more about Starr and her adventures here: www.mvstarr.com
Mochi Craft 44
This Mochi Craft 44 carries a unique paint color. Although we haven’t seen it on any other boats, a search of similar boats for sale reveals this must have been a common color.
Arctic Light
Arctic Light, a Bill Garden design, was built at Philbrook’s Boatyard near Victoria, BC in 1970. She’s heavily built of timber and extensively outfitted for northwest cruising.
MV Puget
MV Puget passing SBMC. Puget patrols the inland waters of Puget Sound collecting debris and obstructions to navigation. The Puget, built for the Navy in 1944, is 104 feet long with a 30-foot beam and a flat bottom. During a recent repowering, the Puget received new twin Cummins diesel engines (Tier 2), which resulted in a considerable increase in fuel efficiency and reduction in exhaust pollutants. A 30-kilowatt and 55-kilowatt diesel generators supply electrical power. The Puget has a five-person crew and is based out of the Hiram M. Chittenden locks in Ballard, Washington. Learn more here.
MV Maranee
MV Maranee, a 1940 Chris Craft, owned by the Paynton family since 1988. The owners maintain an extensive website at www.maranee.com with information and pictures of the boats history and restoration.
Western Flyer
Western Flyer heading towards The Center for Wooden Boats for her final public stop on a tour of the Pacific Northwest. Built in Tacoma in 1937, Western Flyer was made famous by John Steinbeck and Ed Rickets, who took her to the Gulf of California in 1940. Western Flyer was recently fully restored and is once again operating as a working research vessel and floating classroom.
Team Italy’s barge
Sailboat and e-foil
Is anyone on the lake having more fun than these two? As the sailboat exits the frame, watch for the e-foil coming the opposite direction!
Launchpad
387-foot Launchpad dwarfs SBMC as she heads for the locks. Amazingly, the largest private yacht is more than 200 feet longer than Launchpad.
Hinckley Picnic Boat
A Hinckley Picnic Boat passing SBMC on Memorial Day weekend. These boats aren’t just pretty to look at. Hinckley was among the first manufacturers to adopt joystick propulsion controls, dubbed Jetstick.
Wooden tug-style cruiser
Custom 26′ wooden tug-style cruiser, built by the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in 1996. Notice how effortlessly she moves through the water and what little wake is left behind.
Coastal Provider
Coastal Provider is a self-propelled fuel barge that usually operates out of Harbor Island, in Elliott Bay. Coastal Provider is capable of delivering 150,000 gallons of fuel to ships, and unlike barges, does not require any tugboats. This vessel was designed and built here in the Seattle area in 2014.
M/V Creosote
Built in 1921 by Ballard Ship and Railway Company, M/V Creosote recently returned from a yard period with a new paint job. She’s 50 feet long and was originally constructed to pull creosoted timber from Bainbridge Island to destinations around Puget Sound. She is now owned by the Historic Maritime Foundation.
Blue Peter
Classic yacht Blue Peter inbound to the freshwater to celebrate Opening Day of Boating Season. Blue Peter is nearly 100 years old and kept in impressive condition. She’s available for charter and for sale.
Speeding in the no-wake zone
Summer must be getting closer! This is an example of what not to do. The entire ship canal is speed limited; vessels are limited to 7-knots or no-wake-speed, whichever is slower.
FV North American
FV North American being towed through the Ship Canal, floating high in the stern. Once featured on Deadliest Catch, North American sunk at the dock in 2024. We’re not sure if she’s heading for the scrapper or to be rebuilt.
Paddleboarders
As weather improves, more paddleboarders are enjoying the lake. Did you know that SBMC tenants can enjoy paddleboarding right from the office?
Derrick 24
Manson Construction Company’s Derrick 24 inbound to Fishermen’s Terminal to raise FV Quaker Maid. Derrick 24 is 200 feet long, 78 feet wide, and can lift 400 tons.
RV Salish Rover
RV Salish Rover is used by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct research on Puget Sound fish populations.
Foss 300 steam derrick
The Foss 300 steam derrick barge passing SBMC. Built in 1943 for the US Army, the Foss 300 is more than 80 years old. It’s one of the few steam powered derricks still operating. Learn more about the Foss 300 here.
A sailboat under sail
Sailboats frequently pass SBMC, but most of them are under power when they do. This one is an exception, sailing past on a sunny Saturday.
SV Obsession
SV Obsession, a Sparkman & Stephens 70, carries a unique orca-themed paint job. Obsession was originally a training platform for Dennis Conner’s America’s Cup teams and now operates as a charter boat through Sailing Seattle.
Wilderness Discoverer
Wilderness Discoverer is one of several small cruise ships operated by Uncruise, was towed out of the yard and back to Fishermen’s Terminal. Seattle has been remarkably free of snow this winter, but we had a few flakes on Friday the 13th of March.
FV St. John II
FV St. John II, built in 1944 by Hansen Boat Company for the Olsen Family. Eighty two years later, the Olsen family still own and operate the boat. Learn more about the Olsen’s and buy their fish here!
Motoryacht Alexis
Motoryacht Alexis, a 90-foot Jack Hargrave design, was built by Stephens in Stockton, CA in 1977. We appreciate her classic lines and canoe stern. Sylvia Bolton Design, a SBMC tenant, was involved in an interior refit in the early 2000s.
FV Northwestern
FV Northwestern returns home to the Ship Canal. Made famous by the television program “Deadliest Catch,” Northwestern is a 125 foot crabber originally constructed at Seattle’s Marco Shipyard in 1977. Today, SBMC occupies the former Marco Shipyard site, and we’re always pleased to see the vessels launched from here still working in local waters.
Mist Cove
Mist Cove, an Alaska small ship cruise vessel, passing SBMC under control of Fremont Tug. Mist Cove is operated by The Boat Company.
USNS Vice Admiral K. R. Wheeler
USNS Vice Admiral K. R. Wheeler exiting the lake after repairs. At 349 feet long, she’s one of the bigger boats that passes SBMC, but vessels as long as 760 feet can transit the locks. K. R. Wheeler is an Offshore Petroleum Distribution Ship, designed to hold station offshore and pump fuel up to eight miles to shore.
Nordhavn 55 Red Rover
Nordhavn 55 Red Rover returning to Seattle after more than six years of traveling. They took advantage of a rare January calm for a non-stop run from Marina Del Rey to Seattle.
F/T Enterprise
O’Hara Corporation’s F/T Enterprise heading for the locks and the Bering Sea for pollock A season, beginning January 20th. Enterprise was originally built in Maine as a fishing boat. In 1996, she was lengthened and widened (sponsoned) to make room for fish processing factory and additional bunks. O’Hara Corporation maintains an office here at SBMC.
F/T Constellation
Another O’Hara factory trawler, F/T Constellation, passed a few hours after F/T Enterprise. O’Hara Corporation was founded in Maine in 1880, nine years before Washington became a state! They operated 17 boats before World War II, when 13 of them were pressed into war service. In the 1990s, as fisheries declined on the East Coast, O’Hara shifted focus to Alaska.
Victoria Clipper V
Victoria Clipper V passing SBMC on its way to winter maintenance on the lake. Capable of cruising speeds to 36-knots, she is among the fastest passenger vessels in the western hemisphere.
USCG Cutter Cypress
US Coast Guard Cutter Cypress inbound to Lake Union Drydock. Cypress is a Juniper class buoy tender home-ported in Kodiak, AK.
US Navy tug and barge
US Navy tug inbound to the lake with an empty barge.
US Navy tug returns
About 90 minutes after passing SBMC with an empty barge, the same Navy tug headed for the locks–this time with a tiny tugboat on the barge.
Western Towboat tug testing
Western Towboat testing a tug. Due to the high power of these tugs, testing along docks or shoreside facilities can cause damage. Pushing against another tug is a safer alternative.
A tiny tug
Tugs come in all sizes! We’ve not seen this tiny tug pushing or pulling anything, but it passes our office regularly.
Mitchell C
Mitchell C is a 180-foot offshore supply vessel operated by C&G Boats. Equipped with Dynamic Positioning 1, she can hold station automatically while loading and unloading supplies.
Northern Marine 57 Apogee
Northern Marine 57 Apogee passing SBMC. Apogee is a slightly smaller sister ship to Starr, which SBMC’s owners Don and Sharry Stabbert have cruised extensively all around the world.
SV Francis Lee
SV Francis Lee, a custom-built 62-foot sailboat designed by Robert Perry. Commissioned as an “old man’s day sailor,” Francis Lee is set up for single-handing.
Thea Foss
Thea Foss, a 120-foot Ted Geary design, passing SBMC on a sight seeing evening cruise. She was launched in 1930 and the Foss Company purchased her in 1950. She is powered by a pair of Atlas Imperial 225hp direct reversing diesels. Learn more here.
Air Snipe
Air Snipe is one of the few remaining World War II era submarine chasers. After the war, she had a long career delivering supplies to communities in Southeast Alaska. She is now a museum ship.
Viking 82 Forty Niner
Viking 82 Forty Niner departing SBMC. Sport fishing boats like this aren’t common in the Pacific Northwest, but they are pretty cool! This one tops out over 40 knots and cruises in the mid-30s.
FV Northern
FV Northern, a wooden halibut schooner built in 1927, retired from fishing in 2008. She is now being restored by Eli Stevens. See more about the boat here.
FV Saturn
FV Saturn, built in Seattle in 1940 as a sardine seiner. She presently operates as a salmon packer.
RV Golden Dolphin
RV Golden Dolphin surveying in front of SBMC. Golden Dolphin is owned and operated by Ross Labs, who, in 1953, successfully miniaturized sonar so it could be installed on pleasure and fishing vessels. Ross Labs continues to make equipment for bathymetric surveying and uses Golden Dolphin for testing their own equipment as well as charters to survey groups.
FV Pescawa
FV Pescawa, a word meaning “Big Canoe” in local native dialects, was built in 1939 in Victoria, BC. She was extensively rebuilt in 2012 in Anacortes.
MV North Star
MV North Star, a Moonen 90, arriving on the lake after a substantial refit. North Star is owned by video game pioneers Ken and Roberta Williams, founders of Sierra Online. They maintain a blog about their boat adventures.
MV Battlewagon
MV Battlewagon, a 98′ Delta Marine yacht launched in 2024. Few details on Battlewagon or her design are available publicly.
Rowing shells
Human-powered rowing shells are the fastest traffic in the Ship Canal. They’re also resilient–no matter the darkness or rain, they’re out practicing.
Flyer tows a floating home
Western Towboat’s smallest tug, Flyer, pulling a floating home through the ship canal.
FV Emancipator
FV Emancipator moving towards the Locks. Emancipator was built in Gig Harbor by Skansie Brothers Boat Works in 1918. Brad Buske, the current owner, purchased her for $1 and had her extensively rebuilt. Learn more about Emancipator here.
Sailgating at Husky Games
“Sailgating” at Husky Games is a long-standing UW tradition. This Marlow Explorer was well decorated with UW flags as it passed SBMC on its way to Husky Stadium.
Hiyu, a former San Juan Islands ferry
Hiyu, formerly a Washington State Ferry serving the San Juan Islands, is now an event space. It can handle more than 300 guests, includes two bars, and can even host a food truck!
Seattle Flying Dragons
Seattle Flying Dragons paddling past SBMC. Dragon boats each have 20 paddlers, a person to steer, and a drummer. Seattle Flying Dragons offers team building and guest opportunities for those wanting to try it out.
MV Hyak
MV Hyak, a 2019 Ocean Alexander 100, heading towards the locks.
MV Curlew
MV Curlew returning to Salmon Bay. Coastal Transportation operates Curlew as a training vessel to prepare mariners to work on its larger freighters.
Wally WHY100
A wallywhy100 passing SBMC. We’ve never seen a boat quite like this. The builder describes it as: “Chameleon-like, it adapts stylishly to different occasions thanks to a hybrid inside-outside concept. There’s dining for six, two chaises-longs, a bar and a galley, where the interplay between opening sides and aft doors can completely alter the ambiance. The wheelhouse can be easily closed off and the cockpit turned into a cosy movie lounge.”
Bowpicker and seiner
Two commercial fishing boats pass in front of SBMC. The smaller boat, moving from left to right, is a bowpicker, used for gillnet fishing. The larger boat, moving from right to left, is a purse seiner (commonly just called a seiner). Seiners are limited to 58 feet long by regulation.
F/V Arctic Fury
F/V Arctic Fury returning to Fishermen’s Terminal from Westport. Arctic Fury is a 135′ pollock, hake and whiting dragger operated by Seattle’s Fury Group.American Constitution
American Constitution inbound to Lake Union for winter moorage and shipyard work. This 170-passenger cruise ship was built in 2018 and is utilized for cruises in Alaska during the summer and the San Juans and Puget Sound during Spring and Fall.
Argonaut II, a 73-foot yacht
73-foot Argonaut II passing SBMC. Argonaut II was originally built in Vancouver in 1922 as a private yacht. In her 100+ years, she’s served private owners, missionary groups, and corporate owners. The current Gardner 6L3 was installed in 1940 and reportedly has more than 120,000 hours and still runs well. Nicholas Verrochi, her current steward, reports an efficient cruising speed of 8.2 knots burning just 2.2 gallons per hour. Click here to learn more about Argonaut II.
Fountain 65
A rare Fountain 65, built in 2001. With twin Caterpillar C32 engines, each making 1600hp, this boat passes everything but the fuel dock.
Nordhavn 71 Luna
Nordhavn 71 Luna passing SBMC. This is hull #1 of the 71 series and she looks much larger than the previous-generation Nordhavn 68 (two 68s live at SBMC).
Coastal Trader
Coastal Trader inbound to Coastal Transportation’s Salmon Bay loading facility. Coastal Transportation operates a fleet of five transport vessels that connect Seattle with remote western-Alaska ports, including Dutch Harbor. Coastal Transportation has an excellent YouTube series about their operation here.
American Empress II
276-foot American Empress II passing SBMC. With a crew of 118, this fishing vessel primarily fishes for Wild Pacific Hake. Most Hake is processed and sent to Japan and Korea. It must be processed quickly to prevent spoilage, and processing is done onboard vessels like American Empress.
Loaded gravel barge
A loaded gravel barge inbound from Puget Sound, pushed by the tug Island Chief. This tug-and-barge combo often run between Tacoma and Kenmore, passing SBMC several times a week.
Fireboat Chief Seattle
Fireboat Chief Seattle, a 97-foot City of Seattle vessel, originally built by Nichols Brothers in 1983. She is powered by three Detroit Diesel 16V92 engines and can respond to emergencies at up to 24 knots. She is moored at Fishermen’s Terminal, next to SBMC.
M/V Constant
M/V Constant, a 1974 Doggersbank 63. We love the classic lines! Built in steel in the Netherlands, Constant has had just four owners her 50 years, and she’s cruised on her own bottom from Europe to the Pacific Northwest. Click here to see more of her history and here for her listing with Denison Yachts.
Seattle Police Patrol 6
Seattle Police Patrol 6 speeds by SBMC. The ship canal is a no-wake zone, but police are excepted when responding to an emergency. Patrol 6 is a 31-foot SAFE boat powered by three 300hp Mercury outboards. More about the Seattle Harbor Patrol vessels here.
Surfbird
Surfbird, a 115 foot custom expedition yacht built by B&B Boatworks, returning to SBMC from an end-of-season trip to the fuel dock. Surfbird is newly available for charters! Visit www.surfbirdexpeditions.com for more info.
