DAVID G. SELLARS ON THE WATERFRONT: Lots of history in that wooden boat

At the beginning of last week, Ian McLeod of Shelton moored his boat, Ranger 7, in the Port Angeles Boat Haven.

The 50-foot-long wooden vessel — a familiar sight at Pleasant Harbor in Brinnon — was built in 1926 by the U.S. Forest Service at Gravina Island Marine Station in Ketchikan, Alaska, and has a rich history.

In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation creating two national forests in Alaska, the Chugach and the Tongass, which together have more than 10,000 miles of rugged coastline.

To patrol these coastlines and administer the forests, mineral rights and fish and wildlife policies, the U.S. Forest Service had to have boats.

The first to be built was the 64-foot Tahn, which was commissioned in 1908 and placed in service in Ketchikan where she was the sole vessel available for patrolling the 25 million acres of the two national forests.

In 1913, the Forest Service contracted with the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton for three boats, each 36 feet long, that were named Rangers 1, 2 and 3.

The Forest Service built a boat construction and maintenance facility of its own on Gravina Island in 1916 to support its growing Ranger boat fleet, which by then totaled six vessels.

This complex became the headquarters of all Forest Service marine activity in Alaska.

By 1931 five more Ranger vessels, Nos. 6 through 10, were built at the station.

The Forest Service boats of “the Tongass navy” or “the Green Serge navy” were called upon to perform virtually endless tasks.

As the only transportation to and from remote communities, Ranger boats were depended upon to deliver needed supplies and foodstuffs.

During the Depression, the boats were used to tow the scows that housed Civilian Conservation Corps workers.

In World War II, the vessels were painted gray and used to transport military personnel to their various posts.

In 1961, the Forest Service declared Ranger 7 as surplus property, and she was auctioned off.

For the next five years, the owner used her for hunting and fishing in the waters of Southeast Alaska.

In 1966, he replaced the original Atlas diesel engine with a Caterpillar 320 and also extended the wheelhouse.

Subsequently, the boat was sold, renamed Edna D and taken to Port Townsend where she was used for log salvage in and around Admiralty Inlet.

Following the owner’s death, the boat fell into disrepair and was purchased by Jim and Jill Thompson of Bellingham in 1980.

When the Thompsons purchased the boat, they were looking for a vessel that they could live aboard.

Their expectation was that after a few short months of refurbishing her, they would be able to call her home.

After refurbishing, rebuilding, replacing and refinishing numerous aspects of the boat, their goal of living aboard the renamed Ranger 7 came to fruition — in 1986.

For the next 14 years, the Thompsons cruised throughout Puget Sound and Canadian waters.

During their stewardship, which lasted until 2000, Ranger 7 was entered in the Victoria Classic Boat Festival a number of times and once won an award as the best restored powerboat and twice for best work boat.

Ian has owned Ranger 7 just shy of a year and keeps her moored at Pleasant Harbor Marina.

He brought her to Port Angeles for the expertise of Mike Evans, a mechanic who has garnered a stellar reputation on the waterfront for his mastery of all things diesel.

Mike diagnosed the balky engine problem as a blown head gasket which he is replacing.

Ranger 7 was expected to be under way by Saturday afternoon for the trip back to Brinnon.

Bottom washing

For much of last week, Expeditions was on the hard at Platypus Marine’s repair yard at Marine Drive and Cedar Street in Port Angeles.

She is the former Victoria Express II and was out of the water to have her bottom pressure-washed and painted.

Confidence is also sitting on the hard in Platypus Marine’s yard with her bow nosed into a satellite building.

The 50-foot commercial fishing vessel was built by Sunnfjord Boats of Tacoma and currently hails from Sitka, Alaska.

Capt. Charlie Crane, director of sales and marketing for Platypus Marine, said Confidence will be in for a couple of weeks to give Verne Braghettia and his crew in the fiberglass department time to install a bulbous bow.

The pilot boat Puget Sound was hauled out of the water Tuesday and put back in Friday.

According to Capt. Charlie, the 74-foot boat which was built by Nordlund Custom Boat Builders of Tacoma, was in the Commander Building for a few days as personnel applied a new coat of paint to the weather decks.

Charlie also said that Robert Shelton and the crew of the boat took the opportunity to do maintenance on the Hamilton Jet Drives.

Quick visit

— The articulated tug and barge duo consisting of the tug Sound Reliance and tank barge 550-2 moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 1 North on Thursday afternoon.

The 121-foot tug and her 477-foot companion barge were dockside for a scant 24 hours to allow for the offloading of oily water residue.

The articulated pair were replaced at Terminal 1 by Alaskan Legend, a 941-foot crude oil tanker.

According to Chandra “Hollywood” McGoff of Washington Marine Repair, the topside repair company on the waterfront, the double-hull tanker was scheduled to be at the dock until late Saturday afternoon to have her stern tubes inspected.

— Tesoro Petroleum on Monday provided bunkers to the Crowley-owned articulated tug and barge, Commitment.

On Tuesday Tesoro refueled, an 825-foot tanker that is due in the eastern Siberian port city of Kozmino, Russia, on Oct. 25.

Tuesday also saw Tesoro’s refueling barge alongside Overseas Tampa, a 597-foot petroleum products carrier.

Tesoro on Friday bunkered Sea Bay, a 597-foot tanker that is flagged in Hong Kong.

________

David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats, ships and strolling the waterfront.

Items involving boating, port activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. Email ­dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.

More in News

Tamara Clinger decorates a tree with the theme of “Frosted Cranberries” on Monday at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles. The helping hand is Margie Logerwell. More than three dozen trees will be available for viewing during the 34th annual Festival of Trees event this weekend. Tickets are available at www.omhf.org. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Finishing touches

Tamara Clinger decorates a tree with the theme of “Frosted Cranberries” on… Continue reading

Grants to help Port Angeles port upgrades

Projects, equipment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Joseph Molotsky holds Jet, a Harris’s hawk. Jet, 14 or 15, has been at Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue for about seven years. Jet used to hunt with a falconer and was brought to the rescue after sustaining injuries while attempting to escape an attack from a gray horned owl in Eastern Washington. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
Wild bird rescue to host open house

Officials to showcase expanded educational facilities

Jaiden Dokken, Clallam County’s first poet laureate, will wrap up their term in March. Applications for the next poet laureate position, which will run from April 2025 to March 2027, are open until Dec. 9. To apply, visit NOLS.org/NextPoet. (North Olympic Library System)
Applications open for Clallam poet laureate

Two-year position will run from April 2025 to March 2027

The YMCA of Port Angeles was May recipient of Jim’s Cares Monthly Charity at Jim’s Pharmacy in Port Angeles.
Staff and customers raised more than $593 to support the YMCA.
Pictured, from left, are Joey Belanger, the YMCA’s vice president for operations, and Ryan French, the chief financial officer at Jim’s Pharmacy.
Charity of the month

The YMCA of Port Angeles was May recipient of Jim’s Cares Monthly… Continue reading

Festival of Trees QR code.
Contest: Vote for your favorite Festival of Trees

The Peninsula Daily News is thrilled to announce its first online Festival… Continue reading

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office uses this armored vehicle, which is mine-resistant and ambush protected. (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)
OPNET to buy armored vehicle

Purchase to help with various situations

Lincoln High School students Azrael Harvey, left, and Tara Coville prepare dressing that will be part of 80 Thanksgiving dinners made from scratch and sold by the Salish Sea Hospitality and Ecotourism program. All meal preparation had to be finished by today, when people will pick up the grab-and-go meals they ordered for Thursday’s holiday. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Students at Wildcat Cafe prepare Thanksgiving dinners

Lincoln High School efforts create 80 meals ready to eat

D
Peninsula Home Fund celebrates 35 years

New partnership will focus on grants to nonprofits

A mud slide brought trees down onto power lines on Marine Drive just each of the intersection with Hill Street on Monday. City of Port Angeles crews responded and restored power quickly. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Downed trees

A mud slide brought trees down onto power lines on Marine Drive… Continue reading

Photographers John Gussman, left, and Becky Stinnett contributed their work to Clallam Transit System’s four wrapped buses that feature wildlife and landscapes on the Olympic Peninsula. The project was created to promote tourism and celebrate the beauty of the area. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Iconic Peninsula images wrap Clallam Transit buses

Photographers’ scenes encompass community pride

Housing identified as a top priority

Childcare infrastructure another Clallam concern