Zambesi, a 587-foot bulk cargo ship, moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3 on Wednesday for a 10-day stay to take on a cargo of debarked logs for the Asian market.
She is the 14th ship to come to Port Angeles in 2014 for a load of logs bound for the Far East.
When Zambesi leaves Port Angeles, she will be loaded with approximately 5 million board feet of logs that were harvested from private lands in Western Washington.
This will push the volume of logs exported by log ships from Port Angeles past the 73 million board feet mark for 2014.
Recently a faithful reader — my wife, Mardi — asked: How many loaded log trucks does it take to fill a log ship?
I posed the question to Grant Munro, who brokered the sale of the logs being loaded aboard Zambesi.
Roughly 1,200 truckloads, Grant said.
Headin’ south
Lanikai moored in the Port Angeles Boat Haven last week.
She is an 85-foot composite yacht that hails from Vancouver, B.C.
Her Canadian ownership group recently sold the vessel, and she is being transported to her new owner in San Diego.
She came to Port Angeles to clear customs and to take on fuel and stores for the trip south.
Medical assistance
The cruise ship Norwegian Jewel slowed down appreciably just off Ediz Hook as she passed Port Angeles on July 5 to allow one of Jack Harmon’s Arrow Launch boats to go alongside.
I surmise to remove either a passenger or crew member in need of medical assistance.
All fixed up
Platypus Marine, the full-service shipyard, yacht-repair facility and steel-boat manufacturer on Marine Drive in Port Angeles, launched LB-1 on Wednesday.
She is a log bronc that is used in the dry docks at Bremerton and that was towed to Platypus Marine in early June.
During her stay in the Commander Building, she was sandblasted, primered and painted.
LB-1 was towed to Bremerton on Wednesday by the 62-foot tug Danielle, which is owed by Manke Lumber Co. of Tacoma.
Then on Thursday evening, Danielle returned from Bremerton with LB-2
Like its sister bronc, that little vessel will get the same stellar Platypus treatment.
Platypus also is painting about two dozen aluminum patrol boats for SAFE Boats International, an aluminum-boat manufacturer based in Bremerton.
I understand the vessels are for an Eastern European client.
By the way, SAFE is an acronym for Secure All-around Flotation Equipped.
Motor lifeboat
Platypus Marine on Thursday launched a 47-foot Coast Guard motor lifeboat that has been at its facility for about 60 days.
According to Brad Hale, who works in Platypus’ marketing department, personnel modified the helm station on the Coast Guard vessel and refurbished its hydraulic system.
The boat is now making the trip back home to Depoe Bay, Ore.
That sinking feeling
I recently ran across information from the Boat owners Association of the United States Â(BoatUS) on the when and why boats sink.
When a boat sinks, that’s likely the end of her because repairs on a sunken boat typically exceed the actual value of the boat.
So if boaters want to prevent a sinking at all costs, what can they do?
BoatUS said about two out of every three boats (69 percent) sink at the dock or mooring.
The rest, of course, are underway.
To prevent a sinking, here are some great tips:
■ For inboard-outboard powered boats, inspect stern-drive bellows annually and replace every three to five years. The shift bellows are usually the first to fail.
■ For inboard-powered boats, check the stuffing box every time you visit the boat, and repack — rather than simply tighten down the nut — every spring.
■ For engines with raw water hoses, replace them the moment they indicate wear. Rusty hose clamps are also a concern and should be replaced.
■ Replace the engine cooling system impeller every two to three years.
■ Inspect the boat’s cockpit and livewell plumbing — again look at hoses, clamps and cracked or broken fittings.
■ Each season, take a hard look at all below-waterline fittings, hoses and clamps.
■ Don’t forget the drain plug. (You knew this one had to be on the list.)
■ Keep a good lookout and ask guests to help keep their eyes peeled for deadheads, always a concern in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
If you’ve grounded or hit something, consider a short haul to inspect the bottom or drive gear.
■ Always pull trailered boats from the water when storms are forecast. These boats generally have too little freeboard to stand up to any kind of wave action.
■ Dock line management systems can keep the boat centered in its slip and prevent snags that sometimes lead to a sinking.
PA Harbor watch
Tesoro Petroleum fueled a couple of big ships in Port Angeles Harbor last week:
■ On Monday, bunkers were provided to Overseas Goldmar, a 748-foot petroleum-products tanker that is flagged in the Marshall Islands.
■ On Tuesday, Tesoro refueled Alaskan Legend, one of Alaska Tanker Co.’s 941-foot crude-oil tankers.
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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.
Items and questions involving boating, port activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. Email dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.
His column, On the Waterfront, appears Sundays.