# Issaquah-class ferry

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Auto/passenger ferries operated by Washington State

For other uses, see [Issaquah (disambiguation)](/source/Issaquah_(disambiguation)).

Issaquah-class ferry The original Issaquah-class vessel Sealth at left with upgraded vessel Chelan at right Class overview Builders Marine Power and Equipment, Seattle, Washington Operators Washington State Ferries Built 1979–1982 In service May 1980–present[1] Completed 6 Active 6 General characteristics [2] Type Auto/passenger ferry Tonnage 2,477 gross tonnage (GT) Displacement 3,310 long tons of displacement Length 328 ft (100 m) Beam 78 ft 8 in (23.98 m) Decks 3 or 4 (1 or 2 auto decks, passenger deck, nav bridge deck) Deck clearance 15 ft 2 in–15 ft 10 in (4.6–4.8 m) Propulsion 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) total from two diesel engines Speed 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) Capacity 1,200 passengers (1,090 on international service) Sealth: 90 vehicles (30 tall vehicles) Others: 124 vehicles (24 tall vehicles) Crew 14

The ***Issaquah* class** are a series of six auto and passenger ferries built for the [Washington State Ferries](/source/Washington_State_Ferries) system in the late 1970s until the early 1980s.

Originally, each vessel was built to accommodate 100 vehicles and 1,200 passengers but were built with accommodations to add an additional car deck. In the early to mid-1990s, five of the six vessels were modified with the additional car deck. The lone exception is the [MV *Sealth*](/source/MV_Sealth), which Washington State Ferries assigns to the [San Juan Islands route](/source/Anacortes%E2%80%93San_Juan_Islands_ferry) in the summer, where her additional capacity for tall vehicles without the second deck has proven useful.[3]

The *Chelan* was upgraded to international [SOLAS](/source/International_Convention_for_the_Safety_of_Life_at_Sea) safety standards in 2005, allowing her to make the crossing between Anacortes and Sidney, British Columbia.[4][5]

## History

The *Issaquah* class got off to a problematic start, when the $106 million contract to build the six ferries was awarded to Marine Power and Equipment (MP&E) on April 6, 1978. The company had no prior experience building large vessels, and it was later revealed that some lawmakers may have personally benefited from the contract being awarded to MP&E.[6]

As it built the *Issaquah* class, MP&E was accused of substituting cheap materials and cheap labor and groups said that it was enabled by poor oversight by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The largest problem with the ferries was the propulsion system. Prior vessels purchased for Washington State Ferries had used a [diesel–electric transmission](/source/Diesel%E2%80%93electric_transmission), where diesel engines turned an electric generator, which produced electricity, which in turn was used to power electric motors that turned the propellers. Instead MP&E chose a more traditional setup with diesel engines turning the propellers through a series of clutches and gearboxes, which turned out to be extremely problematic causing the vessels to ram the terminal piers, and in one case, inadvertently dropping into reverse while docked, causing a car to fall into the water.[7][8]

## Vessels

Ferries in this class include:

- [*Cathlamet*](/source/MV_Cathlamet) – (Auto capacity increased in 1993)

- [*Chelan*](/source/MV_Chelan) – (Auto capacity increased in 2001, upgraded to meet SOLAS safety standards)

- [*Issaquah*](/source/MV_Issaquah) – (Auto capacity increased in 1989)

- [*Kitsap*](/source/MV_Kitsap) – (Auto capacity increased in 1992)

- [*Kittitas*](/source/MV_Kittitas) – (Auto capacity increased in 1990)

- [*Sealth*](/source/MV_Sealth)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Colton, Tim (2008). ["Marine Power & Equipment"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111104094552/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/5small/inactive/marinepower.htm). *shipbuildinghistory.com*. Archived from [the original](http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/5small/inactive/marinepower.htm) on November 4, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["M/V Sealth"](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/vesselwatch/VesselDetail.aspx?vessel_id=28). *Washington State Dept of Transportation*. 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The M/V Sealth"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200728200412/http://www.evergreenfleet.com/sealthtoday.html). *Evergreen Fleet*. Archived from [the original](http://www.evergreenfleet.com/sealthtoday.html) on July 28, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The International Ferry to Sidney--The M/V CHELAN"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200728200254/http://www.evergreenfleet.com/chelantoday.html). *Evergreen Fleet*. Archived from [the original](http://www.evergreenfleet.com/chelantoday.html) on July 28, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["The Issaquah Class"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200728200254/http://www.evergreenfleet.com/issaquahs.html). *Evergreen Fleet*. Archived from [the original](http://www.evergreenfleet.com/issaquahs.html) on July 28, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Wilson, Duff (January 8, 1986). ["Unanswered Questions - Taxpayers Lose in Marine Power Deal"](https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/0EB0482D8CBE2F90). *[Seattle Post-Intelligencer](/source/Seattle_Post-Intelligencer)*. p. C6. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via [NewsBank](/source/NewsBank).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The evolution of WSF ferries over the decade"](https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/14916DA9CBE2ADC8). *Kingston Community News*. September 9, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via [NewsBank](/source/NewsBank).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Whitely, Walter; Hatch, Peyton (June 25, 1985). ["STATE SETTLES SUIT FOR $8 MILLION"](https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/0EB5314D22C3FA74). *[Seattle Times](/source/Seattle_Times)*. p. B1. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via [NewsBank](/source/NewsBank).

## External links

- [Washington State Ferries class information](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/your_wsf/our_fleet/index.cfm?fuseaction=classes)

- [Washington State Ferries class history](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/your_wsf/index.cfm?fuseaction=our_history) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121012062424/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/yourwsf/) October 12, 2012, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Washington State Ferries Routes Anacortes–San Juan Islands Edmonds–Kingston Fauntleroy–Vashon–Southworth Mukilteo–Clinton Point Defiance–Tahlequah Port Townsend–Coupeville Seattle–Bainbridge Island Seattle–Bremerton Terminals Colman Dock (Seattle) Other Public art Current fleet Evergreen State class MV Tillikum Super class MV Kaleetan MV Yakima Jumbo class MV Spokane MV Walla Walla Issaquah class MV Issaquah MV Kittitas MV Kitsap MV Cathlamet MV Chelan MV Sealth Jumbo Mark-II class MV Tacoma MV Wenatchee MV Puyallup Kwa-di Tabil class MV Chetzemoka MV Salish MV Kennewick Olympic class MV Tokitae MV Samish MV Chimacum MV Suquamish MV Wishkah (future) Retired fleet Wood Electric class MV Chetzemoka (1927) MV Kehloken MV Klahanie Steel Electric class MV Enetai MV Illahee MV Klickitat MV Nisqually MV Quinault MV Willapa Evergreen State class MV Evergreen State MV Klahowya Super class MV Hyak MV Elwha Skagit Kalama class MV Kalama MV Skagit Passenger-Only Fast Ferry class MV Chinook MV Snohomish No class MV Chippewa MV Crosline MV Hiyu MV Kalakala MV Kitsap (1925) MV Kulshan MV Leschi MV Olympic MV Rhododendron MV Rosario SS San Mateo SS Shasta MV Skansonia MV Tyee MV Vashon

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Issaquah-class ferry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issaquah-class_ferry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issaquah-class_ferry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.