This morning, long before most of us even wanted to contemplate rolling out of bed, Westport Shipyard was set to launch Wabi Sabi, a 164-foot tri-deck luxury yacht.
Known within the industry as hull No. 5008, Wabi Sabi is the eighth composite yacht to roll out of its Port Angeles manufacturing plant on Marine Drive since its opening in November 2003.
My edition of Webster’s dictionary defines launch SEmD as in a newly built vessel SEmD to mean set afloat. However, to the people at Westport Shipyard, there is a lot more to a launch than setting a vessel afloat.
To them, a launch sets in motion a process that will take every bit of two weeks and will not be complete until the proverbial keys are handed over to the owner.
On Saturday, personnel started to envelop Wabi Sabi with the slings of Westport’s 550-ton Travelift. When that task was complete, she was lifted off her ground-based supporting structure.
From there, Wabi Sabi will be transported to the launch bay by Russ Koehler. Russ operates the boat hoist using a wireless remote control system and walks alongside the yacht as he guides her to the launch site.
Once in the water this morning, the yacht was to be taken to the fuel dock in the Port Angeles Boat Haven and loaded with 12,000 gallons of diesel.
Meticulous checks
During the next couple of weeks, virtually every structural element as well as electrical, electronic and mechanical systems onboard Wabi Sabi will be monitored and tested.
Westport personnel, manufacturers’ technicians and ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) inspectors will spend hundreds of hours looking for electrical shorts, leaking hoses, rattling doors, loose fittings and any manner of manufacturing or assembly deficiency that does not conform to the appropriate classification standard or manufacturers’ specifications.
The manufacturers of the diesel engines, MTU of Germany, will have personnel onboard observing their engines’ performance at differing speed ranges and, if necessary, making appropriate adjustments.
Even the temperature in the engine room will be monitored to verify that it remains within a range that affords an optimal environment for the engines’ operation while simultaneously not detracting from the guests’ comfort.
Firsthand look
Daryl Wakefield, president of Westport Shipyard, took me aboard their newest build Wednesday afternoon so that I could see firsthand the scope of the preparation that goes into getting the yacht ready for her launch and final inspections.
In all candor, while touring the yacht, it was a bit difficult to not get distracted. The unparalleled craftsmanship that went into her construction and the luxuriant beauty of her interior was all the more impressive because it was all done by members of the local community.
And might I say that, collectively, they have much to be proud of!
Although all of the decks’ surfaces inside the yacht were covered with a protective barrier of either heavy paper or plastic, they were strictly off-limits to shoes.
Deck plates throughout the vessel were pulled up to expose various elements of mechanical components.
Dozens of spaces along the bulkheads as well as the overhead were opened up to provide easy access for testing and inspection of whatever systems they hid.
Clear line of sight
Furniture that served a dual purpose along a bulkhead, such as a settee that hid a bank of electronic wiring or manifolds, was moved nearer the center of the room to facilitate testing and inspection.
There was still a large number of craftsman and technicians onboard Wabi Sabi, seemingly oblivious to one another as each concentrated on their own final responsibilities prior to the launch.
Some will be with the yacht throughout the period of her sea trials, and others have walked off her decks for the last time.
When Westport Shipyard turns Hull No. 5008 over to her owner, she will begin a life on sea that many only dream of.
Yet, she will also carry a message wherever she goes that Port Angeles is the place where dreams are built.
Approximately 400,000 man-hours are required to build Westport’s 50-meter yacht.
350,000 hours in PA
Roughly 350,000 of those hours are expended at the manufacturing facility on Marine Drive and its carpentry and upholstery shop on 18th Street. Another 50,000 hours of production are performed at its Hoquiam and Westport facilities.
In Hoquiam, an innumerable number of small fiberglass parts are constructed and shipped to Port Angeles on a Westport truck.
The city of Westport is where the company builds all of the fuel tanks, water tanks and rudders for their yachts. The construction and testing of these components is overseen by ABS inspectors and certified by them as complying with their standards.
These essential items also find their way to Port Angeles aboard a company-owned truck.
Wealth of knowledge
Spending time with Wakefield was very informative. He possesses a wealth of knowledge about the boating industry, an industry that he grew up in and as a result has held just about every job that is being performed at Westport.
Because of his experience, Wakefield is the quintessential hands-on administrator and is quick to praise the achievements of the work force that produces the crown jewel of the Westport fleet, the 164 foot tri-deck motor yacht.
Out in the harbor
Last Sunday, Tesoro Petroleum provided bunkers to Chinook Maiden, a 590-foot tanker that is flagged in Panama.
On Tuesday, Tesoro refueled the SeaRiver Kodiak, an 869-foot crude oil tanker that was formerly named Tonsina.
On Wednesday, Tesoro bunkered Bulktec, the 587-foot log ship that was at the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3 taking on a load of debarked logs for delivery in Lanshan, China on March 15.
On Thursday, Tesoro had its refueling barge, HMS 2000, alongside Alaskan Frontier, the 941-foot crude oil tanker operated by the Alaska Tanker Co.
On Friday, Tesoro refueled De Xin Hai, a 738-foot bulk carrier.
On Oct. 19, 2009, De Xin Hai was hijacked by Somali pirates about 700 nautical miles east of Somalia.
The Chinese-flagged vessel, which was loaded with coal, and her 25 crew members were released the following Dec. 27 amid unconfirmed reports that a $4 million dollar ransom had been paid.
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David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats and strolling the waterfront.
Items involving boating, port activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome.
E-mail dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.