# MV Hiyu

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MV Hiyu as a party boat, 2018 History Name Hiyu Owner WSDOT Operator Washington State Ferries Port of registry Seattle, Washington, US Builder Gunderson Brothers, Portland, Oregon Cost $750,000 (1967) Completed 1967 In service mid 1967 Out of service May 17, 2016 Identification IMO number: 8645301 MMSI number: 366772770 Callsign: WX9133[1] Official Number: 508159 Status Retired General characteristics Class & type Hiyu-class auto/passenger ferry Length 162 ft (49.4 m) Beam 63 ft 1 in (19.2 m) Draft 11 ft 3 in (3.4 m) Deck clearance 15 ft (4.6 m) Installed power Total 860 hp from 2 diesel engines Speed 10 kn (19 km/h) Capacity 200 passengers 34 vehicles (max 12 commercial)[2]

**MV *Hiyu*** was a ferry operated by [Washington State Ferries](/source/Washington_State_Ferries). Originally built in 1967 to replace an earlier ferry, it was used on the [Point Defiance–Tahlequah route](/source/Point_Defiance%E2%80%93Tahlequah_ferry) during its early years. Upon its retirement in 2016, it was the smallest ferry in the fleet, with a capacity of 34 cars and 200 passengers, and a length of 162 feet (49 m).[1] The vessel's name is [Chinook Jargon](/source/Chinook_Jargon) for "plenty."[1][3]

## History

The *Hiyu* was originally built in 1967 by Gunderson Brothers in [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon) to replace the aging wooden ferry [MV *Skansonia*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MV_Skansonia&action=edit&redlink=1) on the [Point Defiance–Tahlequah ferry](/source/Point_Defiance%E2%80%93Tahlequah_ferry), which had a capacity of 32 cars at the time and a clearance of 11 feet (3.4 m) on her car deck. The *Hiyu* was slightly bigger and faster than her predecessor, but most importantly, she had a higher clearance in her two center lanes, allowing trucks to reach Vashon Island without having to drive to [Fauntleroy](/source/Fauntleroy%2C_Seattle).[1]

The *Hiyu* worked the short route between [Vashon Island](/source/Vashon_Island) and [Tacoma](/source/Port_of_Tacoma) until the late-1980s. By then, she could no longer handle the increased traffic on the route and was replaced with the 55-car [MV *Olympic*](/source/MV_Olympic).[1][4]

Washington State Ferries reassigned her to the [San Juan Islands](/source/San_Juan_Islands), where she served as the inter-island boat with stops on [San Juan Island](/source/San_Juan_Island), [Orcas Island](/source/Orcas_Island), [Shaw Island](/source/Shaw_Island), and [Lopez Island](/source/Lopez_Island). By the late 1990s, the *Hiyu*'s small size became an issue once again on the San Juan inter-island route, and she was replaced by a larger vessel, the [MV *Nisqually*](/source/MV_Nisqually).[1]

She was mothballed for over 10 years at Washington State Ferries' maintenance facility in [Eagle Harbor](/source/Winslow%2C_Washington). During that period, she was mainly used as a WSF training vessel. She was also used for filming some movies and television commercials, including a commercial for the [Seattle Seahawks](/source/Seattle_Seahawks) football team in 1999. Occasionally, she was contracted out for service on the [Steilacoom-Anderson Island ferry](/source/Steilacoom-Anderson_Island_ferry) route when the [MV *Christine Anderson*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MV_Christine_Anderson&action=edit&redlink=1) needed emergency repairs.[1]

During this time, WSF considered selling this ferry. The [Washington State Department of Corrections](/source/Washington_State_Department_of_Corrections) was interested in using her for service to their prison on [McNeil Island](/source/McNeil_Island). There were also plans to sell her to [Whatcom County](/source/Whatcom_County) for them to use at [Lummi Island](/source/Lummi_Island) or for ferry service between [Blaine](/source/Blaine%2C_Washington) and [Point Roberts](/source/Point_Roberts%2C_Washington). In the end, nothing came of the plans to sell the *Hiyu*.[1]

In June 2007, Washington State Ferries put the *Hiyu* back in service once again between Point Defiance and Tahlequah when the [MV *Rhododendron*](/source/MV_Rhododendron) encountered rudder problems. At the time, *Hiyu* was the only other ferry available to cover for the *Rhody*.[1]

On November 20, 2007, the four [Steel Electric-class ferries](/source/Steel_Electric-class_ferry) were removed from service, leaving *Hiyu* as the only back-up ferry in the fleet. She continued to serve as a back-up ferry, but couldn't provide enough capacity on any of WSF's routes. She also couldn't be made [ADA](/source/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990)-accessible. In the governor's proposed budget for 2009, the *Hiyu* was slated to be permanently assigned to the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route to allow for the *Rhododendron*'s retirement. The legislature did not approve this proposal, so the *Rhododendron* remained in service until 2012, when the 64-car [MV *Chetzemoka*](/source/MV_Chetzemoka) replaced her.[1]

The Hiyu proved useful in December 2012 when three ferries, the [*Walla Walla*](/source/MV_Walla_Walla), [*Sealth*](/source/MV_Sealth) and [*Klahowya*](/source/MV_Klahowya), were taken out of service and the *Hiyu* was put on the Vashon-Southworth-Fauntleroy run for six days while repairs were made.

On November 25, 2013, the local TV station [KING 5](/source/KING-TV) reported that, since January 2012, WSF had spent $710,000 keeping engineers on the boat almost every day, but that it was only in service for eight days during that time. The head of WSF, David Moseley, said that the expense was minimal, amounting to less than one percent of the total cost of labor for engineers.[5] At the time, WSF was building two new 144-car [Olympic-class ferries](/source/Olympic-class_ferry) which entered service in 2014 and 2015. One of them was to allow WSF to have a more adequate backup ferry.[6]

After a year without service, the *Hiyu* was put back to work in January 2014 on the San Juan Interisland route to cover for the [*Evergreen State*](/source/MV_Evergreen_State), which had broken down. The *Hiyu* was in service during two days until the regular ferry was repaired.[7] On July 23, 2015, the *Hiyu* was put in service for the last time, sailing on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, which was otherwise running on a 2-boat schedule due to vessel moves elsewhere in the WSF system, which were made to accommodate emergency repairs to the MV *Puyallup* and MV *Elwha* while maintaining reasonable service throughout the WSF system.[8] On May 17, 2016, WSDOT announced that the *Hiyu* had been officially retired and that it would soon be put up for sale.[8][9] In October 2016, the state government's surplus operations ran an auction for *Hiyu*, ending with no sale.[10] A second auction for the vessel later in the year also failed to find a buyer,[11] but in February 2017 the state reached an agreement to sell *Hiyu* to a private buyer who would use her as a floating entertainment venue on [Lake Union](/source/Lake_Union).[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-evergreenfleet_1-9) [The M/V *Hiyu*](https://evergreenfleet.com/hiyu-ii/), evergreenfleet.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-vessel_info_2-0)** [Vessel information - M/V Hiyu](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/vesselwatch/VesselDetail.aspx?vessel_id=12), WSF, WSDOT

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gibbs, George (1863). *A Dictionary of the Chinook Jargo, or, Trade Language of Oregon*. New York: Cramoisy Press. p. 5.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-MV_Olympic_4-0)** ["The M/V OLYMPIC"](http://www.evergreenfleet.com/olympic-i). *EvergreenFleet.com*. Retrieved May 8, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-KING_5_investigation_5-0)** Frame, Susannah (November 25, 2013). ["Employees paid to babysit rarely used ferry"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131201055635/http://www.king5.com/news/investigators/WSF-MV-Hiyu-ferry-costs-WSDOT-233396161.html). *KING 5*. Archived from [the original](http://www.king5.com/news/investigators/WSF-MV-Hiyu-ferry-costs-WSDOT-233396161.html) on December 1, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Olympic_class_ferries_6-0)** Goldenberg, Jay. ["Olympic Class (144-car) Ferries"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150414041912/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/144carferries/). *WSDOT*. Washington State Ferries. Archived from [the original](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/144carferries/) on April 14, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-moseleyhiyualert_7-0)** [David Moseley's Jan 24, 2014 weekly update](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/105768E1-30AA-4CC4-9FE2-AF7DD36B3258/96396/MoseleyWeeklyUpdate_012414.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140202150423/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/105768E1-30AA-4CC4-9FE2-AF7DD36B3258/96396/MoseleyWeeklyUpdate_012414.pdf) February 2, 2014, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), wsdot.wa.gov

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hiyu_retired_Kitsap_Sun_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hiyu_retired_Kitsap_Sun_8-1) Friedrich, Ed (May 17, 2016). ["Ferry system ready to say bye-bye to Hiyu"](https://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/ferry-system-ready-to-say-bye-bye-to-hiyu-3310781b-747a-786a-e053-0100007f64f5--379875771.html). *Kitsap Sun*. Retrieved June 2, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hiyu_retired_press_release_9-0)** Bender, Broch (May 17, 2016). ["Fleet's smallest – and cutest – ferry to be retired and sold"](https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2016/05/17_WSF.htm). *WSDOT*. Retrieved June 2, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Public Surplus: Login"](http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auction/view?auc=1699398).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["1967 150 Ft. CAR/PASSENGER FERRY M/V HIYU - GovDeals.com"](https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=29&acctid=8445). *www.govdeals.com*. Retrieved December 14, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Retired Ferry Gets a New Lease on Life"](https://www.marinelink.com/news/retired-ferry-lease421757). Marine Link. February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

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 [MV Hiyu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Hiyu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Hiyu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.