POLAR DISCOVERY, AN 854-foot crude oil tanker that is part of the Polar tanker fleet, which is operated by ConocoPhillips, has been moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 1 since last week.
I understand she will likely be in port for another couple of weeks as Vigor Industrial deals with a laundry list of annual maintenance items aboard the vessel with the distinctive blue hull.
I recall speaking to the late Bill Larson of Port Angeles many years ago as to why Polar tankers opted for blue hulls on their tankers in contrast with most of the other oil tankers whose hulls are typically painted black.
Bill, who was a former captain of the Lady Washington, said the dark blue was the favorite color of Sir Thomas Octave Murdock (T.O.M.) Sopwith, the famed aircraft and boat designer in England in the 1920s and 1930s.
When he decided to challenge for the America’s Cup in 1934, the dramatic new boat featuring Sopwith’s advanced new technology was called Endeavour, and she was painted a special dark-blue color that came to be called “Endeavour Blue.”
When the design for Polar’s tankers was being developed, it was decided to name the first ship in the series Polar Endeavour and paint her and all following vessels in the class in Endeavour Blue.
Platypus haulouts
Platypus Marine, the full-service shipyard, yacht repair facility and steel-boat manufacturer on Marine Drive in Port Angeles, has Bella Nile on the hard. She is a 65-foot Mikelson.
Personnel resealed the vessel’s windows, installed a wash-down pump for the anchor windlass and repainted the boot stripe.
Platypus hauled out Catherine Kate last week. She is a 58-foot Delta. The commercial fishing vessel that hails from Westport is getting a new coat of paint.
The pilot boat Juan de Fuca is receiving her semiannual service at Platypus this week, including a new coat of bottom paint.
Platypus is also replacing nonskid decking on three SAFE boats for the naval station at Keyport.
Getting in shipshape
Over in the Port Angeles Boat Yard, Captain Cook and Adventure Bound are on the hard.
Both vessels are used as tour boats to take guests whale watching and on tours to Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska.
Both vessels winter over in Westport and are out of the water for repairs prior to being layed up for the winter.
On Wednesday afternoon, Armstrong Marine, the aluminum-boat manufacturer on U.S. Highway 101 midway between Sequim and Port Angeles, launched a 32-foot catamaran with a walk-around house and a cuddy cabin for an Oregon client who will use the vessel to fish for tuna.
Brian S, the 98-foot tug that pushes the refueling barge around Port Angeles Harbor for Tesoro Petroleum, was briefly moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3 on Thursday.
I understand Vigor Industrial personnel were installing deck plates.
Recently, Vigor repaired the rudder on Brian S and the deck plates had to come off to provide access to the rudder.
Harbor happenings
Last Sunday, Tesoro Petroleum in Port Angeles Harbor provided bunkers to Ultra Tradition, a 600-foot Panamanian-flagged bulk cargo ship.
On Monday, Tesoro refueled Kmarin Oslo, a 652-foot Panamanian-flagged cargo ship.
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David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats and strolling the area’s waterfronts and boat yards.
Items and questions involving boating, marina and industrial activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. News announcements about boating groups, including yacht clubs and squadrons, are welcome as well.
Email dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.