PORT TOWNSEND — The Galaxy, a 38-foot fishing trawler, caused no pollution when it partially sank in Port Townsend Bay, according to the Coast Guard said.
The boat, with one person aboard — the owner — began taking on water shortly after 3:30 p.m. Thursday about one mile from Port Townsend’s Boat Haven, the Coast Guard said.
East Jefferson Fire and Rescue responded initially until a boat arrived from U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Angeles.
Coast Guard personnel rescued the person and began dewatering the vessel but were unable to keep up, according to a Coast Guard press release.
Port of Port Townsend Harbormaster Kristian Ferrero identified the trawler and said it sank about 75 percent with a hard list to port.
The boat owner had contacted marine salvage companies in Port Hadlock and Bainbridge Island, said Diolanda Caballero, Petty Officer Third Class public affairs specialist with the Coast Guard.
The unidentified boat owner said that the boat carried about 100 gallons of fuel when it sank but the vessel was successfully hauled out of the water and no sheen was visible.
The boat still had its own flotation so the marine salvage company was able to place flotation bags underneath and get the boat into the marina, Ferrero said.
“They brought it on bags and did a slow hoist while the water drained out. Now it’s sitting in our yard while the owner assesses what to do,” Ferrero said.
The boat had a closed fuel system so no water could get in to cause a leak and because it didn’t sink there wasn’t enough pressure to burp out any of the fuel, he said.
“We got real lucky with that,” Ferrero said.
The entire incident lasted about three hours.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at brian.gawley@soundpublishing.com.
