Nichols Brothers books ferry contract

NOVEMBER 4, 2013 — Wahkiakum County, Washington State, has awarded Nichols Brothers Boatbuilders, Freeland, WA, a contract to build a 115 ft x 47 ft 6 in 23-Car, 100 passenger ferry that will operate between existing ferry terminals to Puget Island in Cathlamet, WA, and Westport, OR.

This follows an earlier decision by the Washington Department of Transportation to grant the county a $1.1 million zero interest loan to help pay for building the ferry as well as expenses to modify the Puget Island ferry landing for a larger vessel. County commissioners had earlier accepted a $5.68 million Nichols Brothers bid to build the ferry.

Designed by Elliott Bay Design Group of Seattle, WA; the steel hull, aluminum superstructure vessel will be powered by two Cummins QLS diesels delivering 9,285 HP @ 1,800 RPM coupled to ZF Marine reversing reduction gears with two fixed-pitched propellers. It is designed to operate at 8 knots.

The vessel, to be named M/V Oscar B after former skipper and owner Oscar Bergseng, is to be delivered from Nichols Whidbey Island shipyard in February 2015.