 By Richard Varlay August 16, 2006
Bill said we would be perfectly safe in this solid craft and took us out several times on the boat instructing us in the operation of the Washington Iron Works direct reversable engine (which had to be hand oiled on the hour), the ancient Atlas make and break anchor windlass and elderly Fairbanks auxillary combination generator, bilge pump and air compressor. We had heard that "Tuna Fishing" was the least expensive way to make a living on a good seaworthy off shore boat such as ours and took her down to Astoria, Oregon where the rumor was that the Bumbellbee Tuna Co. would fill you up with fuel and ice if you promissed to sell them the catch. This turned out to be true and that's just what we did for five years learning the hard way. She got us over the Columbia River Bar and Coos Bay's roller coaster in one piece many time over.
About: I used to own and was
the last to work the Minihaha an Alaskan tug & packer built
in 1919 at the Fairhaven Boat Yard in Bellingham , WA. She was
used by the Navy during WWII in the Alutian Islands as a patrol
boat. She had a Washington Ironworks six cylinder Estep, direct
reversable engine. I and my brother fished Albacore in the summer
out of Astoria, Ore. and dragged off Big Sur, Ca. for cod &
snapper in the winter. We kept the boat for five years and lived
aboard all that time.
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