Save The Kalakala

[83turbomon]

The kalakala is a classic ferry boat in service in the 1930s moored and delapidated about 10min from my doorstep. the ferry was one of the most noticed engineering feats in the northwest due to us having one of the largest ferry systems in North America. I was able to take a waterfront tour down the hylebos waterway to see a once interesting looking ship half sunk and leaning to the side, and has the environmentalists and normal washington tree huggers in a fuss. The ship is now a rusty floating hull just sitting there. The owners are and state are contemplating scrapping it, while others (like) myself would love to see this thing atleast turned into a restaraunt or even put back into service. THe Rhododenderon Ferry, a ferry run about 5min from my house serving vashon Island and seattle is atleast 45 years old, if not older.

The ferry has a classic aero look that a lot of the cars and trains had at the time... so if your in the area, let people know to save the rusty ol Queen.

MV Kalakala - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Then

1967-1984

Present

 

[S10xGN]

Talk about the ultimate houseboat! With room for a drive-in shop/garage, too... :smile:

 

[O SO LO]

Get out there with a buffer and start polishing... I always thought it was pretty cool also- I think my mom has a black and white picture from when it was in operation. Kind of reminds me in the late 80's I took a cruise on the SS Norway (previously the SS France) and found out later it had a boiler explosion and they scrapped it in India or there about...

 

[Squid4life]

That thing is cool...

 

[83turbomon]

Get out there with a buffer and start polishing... I always thought it was pretty cool also- I think my mom has a black and white picture from when it was in operation. Kind of reminds me in the late 80's I took a cruise on the SS Norway (previously the SS France) and found out later it had a boiler explosion and they scrapped it in India or there about...

yano, if someone had the funds and wanted a crew to get out there and restore that thing, id definetly go out there and sand that thing...

 

[Rivical]

If the owner's have no further plans for it, speak with them about the possibility of donating it to a non-profit organization for the write-off. You may get the state to agree to pay them some nominal amount also, if you can generate local interest in it and have a group who can donate time toward the cosmetic restoration. I say cosmetic because of course it likely has no further value as a ferry. But as was said, it would make a nice restaurant, and could also contain a museum of the areas historical water transportation attraction within that hull. The restaurant lease and the museum would then generate maintainence funds after repaying the initial outlay that may be required beyond what donation campaigns for saving it could pull together. Once you'd gotten the agreement of the owner's you could have the state designate it as historical per your intentions, which would of course include modifying it from it's original intent as a vessel. You should be able to get some money from the state too then. The single most important issue is having a movitated crew of volunteer's who can make quick progress with the funds available at any given time. Projects that languish, well you know, end up somebody elses, or in this case, scrap.

I remember a few of these stories, I'll see if I can dig anything up on ship resto's/ repurposing. A friend in Norway even sent me a story a couple years back of the ship he had gotten restored. Didn't help much that I couldn't read the language in the article but the pics were cool

 

[83turbomon]

If the owner's have no further plans for it, speak with them about the possibility of donating it to a non-profit organization for the write-off. You may get the state to agree to pay them some nominal amount also, if you can generate local interest in it and have a group who can donate time toward the cosmetic restoration. I say cosmetic because of course it likely has no further value as a ferry. But as was said, it would make a nice restaurant, and could also contain a museum of the areas historical water transportation attraction within that hull. The restaurant lease and the museum would then generate maintainence funds after repaying the initial outlay that may be required beyond what donation campaigns for saving it could pull together. Once you'd gotten the agreement of the owner's you could have the state designate it as historical per your intentions, which would of course include modifying it from it's original intent as a vessel. You should be able to get some money from the state too then. The single most important issue is having a movitated crew of volunteer's who can make quick progress with the funds available at any given time. Projects that languish, well you know, end up somebody elses, or in this case, scrap.

I remember a few of these stories, I'll see if I can dig anything up on ship resto's/ repurposing. A friend in Norway even sent me a story a couple years back of the ship he had gotten restored. Didn't help much that I couldn't read the language in the article but the pics were cool

great ill keep that in mind, id love to see this thing turned into a floating.....?????