ABERDEEN — Tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain will be out of commission for the next three months after inspection at Port Townsend found that it needed extensive repairs.
During the Port Townsend haul out in July, Certified Inspection Services Inc. found through ultrasound that two sections of the Hawaiian Chieftain’s hull required repair, officials with the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, which owns the ship along with fellow historic ship Lady Washington, said in a press release issued Saturday.
Port Townsend Shipwrights determined that a new bowsprit must be fabricated, and repairs to aft cabin windows are necessary, the release said. Standard maintenance — including rust removal, priming and paint — also are needed.
The Saturday press release outlined the steps crafted by crew and contractors to be taken to keep the 30-year-old ship, built in 1988 in Hawaii and modeled after early colonial passenger and coastal packets, to ensure seaworthiness for three more decades, officials said.
Multiple bids for contractors have been taken, with the current low bid at just under $200,000, officials said.
“While the organization secures funding for the majority of the work, rust busting, priming and painting will continue,” the press release said. The historical seaport also will have the ship surveyed this week.
The historical seaport is working to cut costs, officials said, with conversations taking place for welding to be completed by maritime cadets to help fulfill their required seamanship course work.
The organization also is submitting new grant requests for the work and will make the ship’s repairs the focus of its upcoming annual appeal and fundraising events, the release said.
The organization’s current campaign for new sails will remain in place to fund the final purchases for the tall ship Lady Washington. Hawaiian Chieftain’s new sails already have been purchased.
Lady Washington will continue to sail as scheduled over the next three months. It will be shut down for maintenance this winter after Hawaiian Chieftain has returned to service.
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport is a 501 (c)(3) educational nonprofit public development authority based in Aberdeen that provides educational opportunities aboard the Lady Washington, the state’s official ship, and Hawaiian Chieftain.
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport is calling upon its followers for support, and is offering a stipend, room, board and sailing to retired professional welders or shipwrights who want to work to repair Hawaiian Chieftain.
Those interested can contact Marine Operations Coordinator Roxie Underwood at runderwood@historicalseaport.org.
For more information, or to donate to Hawaiian Chieftain’s repairs, call 800-200-5239.
