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*Virginia V*
History
Virginia V, at Olympia, Washington, 4 July 1996
United States
Name	Virginia V
Owner	West Pass Transportation Company
Operator	West Pass Transportation Company
Route	West Pass Route
Builder	Anderson & Company
Laid down	October 1921
Launched	9 March 1922
Completed	June 1922
Maiden voyage	11 June 1922
In service	11 June 1922
Identification	Official Number: 222170 Callsign: WDD9410 MMSI number: 367311060
Nickname(s)	Virginia Vee
Status	Operational Museum Ship
General characteristics
Type	Passenger steamer
Tonnage	99 Gross, 67 Net
Displacement	Approximately 150 tons
Length	125 ft (38 m) on deck
Beam	24 feet (7.3 m)
Draft	8 feet (2.4 m)
Decks	4
Installed power	400 hp (300 kW) triple-expansion steam engine
Speed	16.2 kn (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph)
Crew	7

Virginia V (steamer)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

Virginia V leading Sightseer, May 22, 1948.
Location in Washington (state)
Location	860 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
Built	1922
Architect	Anderson & Co., Matthew Anderson
NRHP reference No.	73001875
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	24 April 1973
Designated NHL	5 October 1992

The steamship Virginia V is a very special boat. It is the last working example of a "Mosquito Fleet" steamer. These were small passenger and cargo ships. They connected islands and towns around Puget Sound in Washington state. This was back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Virginia V is now a Seattle landmark and a National Historic Landmark.

Her first job was to travel between Tacoma and Seattle. She went along the West Pass, also called Colvos Passage. This route is between Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula.

Today, the ship starts its trips from Heritage Wharf. This is at Lake Union Park in Seattle.

History of the Virginia V
Engine and Boiler
See also

History of the Virginia V

Early Days of the West Pass Transportation Company

Around 1900, many communities around Puget Sound needed boats. Especially those on islands, they relied on small ships. These ships brought goods and provided transport. The main shipping route from Seattle to Tacoma was on the east side of Vashon Island.

But farmers and businesses on the west side of Vashon Island were unhappy. They had bad boat service. So, in 1910, Captain Nelse Christensen and John Holm started a company. They called it the West Pass Transportation Company. They bought their own boat to serve this area.

The first boat they bought was Virginia Merrill. It was a 54-foot (16 m) long tugboat. It ran on gasoline. They renamed it Virginia and changed it into a small ferry.

The Virginia Boats That Came Before

In 1912, Virginia was replaced by Virginia II. This ship was 77-foot (23 m) long. It had a 110 hp (82 kW) gasoline engine. Then, in 1914, the company bought a 92-foot (28 m) steamship named Typhoon. They renamed it Virginia III. In 1918, they bought another steamship, Tyrus, which was 98-foot (30 m) long. In 1920, they renamed it Virginia IV. This boat then worked on the West Pass route.

Building the Virginia V

In 1921, a company called Anderson & Company started building Virginia V. They built it in Maplewood, Washington. The ship was made from local fir wood. It was launched on March 9, 1922. Then, it was pulled to downtown Seattle. There, its engine and steam system were put in. The engine was taken from Virginia IV and placed into Virginia V. On June 11, 1922, Virginia V made its first trip. It went from Elliott Bay in Seattle to Tacoma. It traveled down the West Pass. The ship made this trip almost every day until 1938.

The Big Storm of 1934

Heavy damage to Virginia V caused by October 1934 storm

On October 21, 1934, a very strong storm hit Puget Sound. The Virginia V was trying to dock at Olalla, Washington. That's when the worst of the storm hit. Strong winds pushed the ship against the dock. Waves crashed the ship into the dock's wooden posts. This nearly destroyed the upper parts of the ship. The ship was rebuilt at the Lake Washington Shipyard. This was near Houghton, which is now Kirkland, Washington. It was back in service on December 5, 1934.

Fun Trips to Camp Sealth

Every summer from 1922 to 1970, the Virginia V had a special job. It carried girls to and from Seattle to Camp Sealth on Vashon Island. This was for the Camp Fire Girls. Thousands of women in the Northwest remember riding the Virginia Vee. They often say it was the start of their camping adventure!

New Owners and a Big Race

The West Pass Transportation Company closed down in 1942. The Virginia V was moved to the Columbia River. For a short time, it traveled between Portland and Astoria. This made it the last passenger ship to work on both Puget Sound and the Columbia River. But its time on the Columbia River was not successful. The owners could not pay the crew. So, the ship was legally taken for debts. It was sold in Vancouver, Washington. O.H. "Doc" Freeman and Joe Boles bought it. They sold it less than a year later to Jack Katz and Captain Howell Parker.

Captain Parker used Virginia V to carry war workers. They traveled between Poulsbo, Washington, and the Keyport Naval Torpedo Station. His wife, Mary, worked as the steward and purser. After World War II, the Parkers kept using the ship for fun trips. They went all around Puget Sound. In 1948, the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society (PSMHS) was formed. They wanted to save the Northwest's sea history. To get attention, the PSMHS held a race. It was between Virginia V and a similar ship, Grayline Sightseer. The Great Steamboat Race happened on May 22 at 2 PM. The race was about 5-mile (8.0 km) long. It went across the Seattle waterfront. Virginia V won the race by a very small amount!

Puget Sound Excursion Lines and Northwest Steamship Company

Virginia V, on Puget Sound, about June, 1983

In 1954, Virginia V was sold to Captain Phillip Luther. He owned Puget Sound Excursion Lines. Captain Luther then sold her to Charles McMahon in 1956. McMahon fixed up Virginia V a lot. He kept using her for fun trips around Puget Sound. In 1958, James F. "Cy" Devenny bought most of the company. He took over running Virginia V and other small boats. One of these was the J.E. Overlade. It was also one of the last "Mosquito Fleet" boats. Devenny renamed it Virginia VI.

In 1968, some steamboat fans started the Northwest Steamship Company. They raised money to buy Virginia V. The ship was added to the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1973. This meant it was important history. But it was still hard for the owners to keep it running as a business.

The Steamer Virginia V Foundation

In 1976, a non-profit group was formed. It was called the Steamer Virginia V Foundation. Their goal was to save Virginia V. The Foundation bought the ship on September 30, 1980. They paid $127,000 for it.

Big Restoration Project (1995–2001)

Virginia V, September 2007

In 2002, the Foundation got Virginia V back in service. This was after a huge project. It took six years and cost $6.5 million. They rebuilt the steam engine. They also built a new boiler. The upper parts of the ship were rebuilt using old-style fir wood. In 2001, the Foundation won an award. It was the "David Douglas Award" for their amazing restoration work.

Virginia V Today

Since 2002, the Virginia V has been busy. It offers public trips and private rentals. It also visits local boat festivals. You can see it all around Puget Sound.

Engine and Boiler

Triple-expansion steam engine of the Virginia V

Drip lubricator

The engine of the Virginia V is very old and special. It's a triple-expansion steam engine. This means it uses steam three times to get more power. It's the original engine, put in in 1922. It was taken from Virginia IV. The parts for this engine were made in 1904 in Seattle. It was one of two engines built for the Army. The first engine went into another steamer. Virginia V's engine was put into Tyrus (later Virginia IV) in 1907.

Here are some facts about the engine:

Power: 400 horsepower (300 kW)
Speed: About 200 rotations per minute (RPM)
Cylinders: It has three cylinders of different sizes. They are 10.5 inches (270 mm), 16.75 inches (425 mm), and 28.5 inches (720 mm) wide.
Stroke: The piston moves 18 inches (460 mm) up and down.

The original boiler was replaced in 2000. A boiler makes the steam for the engine. The new one is similar to the old one. Virginia V has always used oil for fuel. It used to burn heavy oil. In 2002, it was changed to burn #2 Diesel fuel.

Engineers have noticed a noise from the engine. They call it "The Squeak." No one knows exactly what causes it. It might come from a part called the low-pressure valve. There's no sign of damage. The squeak gets louder as the engine warms up. But it goes away when the engine speeds up. This problem has puzzled the engineers! They even have a funny fund. Visitors have to donate $1 to talk to an engineer about the squeak. This money might even go to a "beer fund" for the engineers!

Here are some facts about the boiler:

Working Pressure: 200 pounds per square inch (1,400 kPa)
Steam Capacity: It can make 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) of steam per hour.
Fuel: #2 Diesel Oil
Fuel Use: It uses about 20–50 US gallons (80–200 L) of fuel per hour.