notforsale

Peter Marsh was visiting Seattle recently, and happened to see the old Astoria pilot boat, the Chinook, at the Kvichak Marine Industries boatyard (www.kvichak.com), where it was being refitted for a new posting.

“Delivered in 2000, Chinook was the first pilot boat built by Kvichak Marine Industries for the Columbia River Bar Pilots,” Carol Reid, marketing manager at Kvichak told the Ear. “It is also the first self-righting vessel built by Kvichak.

“… In 2013, the CRBP felt that it was time to replace the Chinook with a new pilot boat. They traded the Chinook in and placed an order for the Astoria. When Astoria was delivered in the spring of 2014, Kvichak sold Chinook to the Pacific Pilotage Authority in Vancouver, B.C. Renamed the Pacific Chinook, the vessel was repowered, repainted, serviced and certified for Transport Canada.”

Pictured, courtesy of Kvichak, the reborn pilot boat being launched in Canada, and inset, the Chinook in Astoria.

“(The Chinook) will probably work another 10-15 years, at least,” Peter observed.

— Elleda Wilson