RIPTIDE

RIPTIDE was built in 1927 by the Schertzer Brothers Boat and Machine Company, then located on the north end of Lake Union near the foot of Stone Way in Seattle.

RIPTIDE is 44 feet long between perpendiculars, 47 feet 1-inch long overall (49 feet when her swim step is included) with a beam of 11 feet 1-inch and a draft of five feet 3-inches. She is planked in port orford cedar riveted to white oak frames over an apitong backbone with a marine plywood pilothouse and a western red cedar trunk cabin. Documented as 21 gross tons and 17 net tons (both of which are measures of volume), RIPTIDE actually displaces only 12 tons of water (equivalent to her weight), relatively light for a boat her size. She has carried her registration number, 226249, deeply carved into her port and starboard bilge stringers, since new.

Although there are no records yet found confirming her designers, tantalizing hints in her lines suggest she may have come from the boards of the Seattle firm of Lee, Brinton and Wayland.

She was registered as NOKARE by her first owner, Seattle resident Carl C Marts, possibly a contraction of family names.

Sometime between July 1st 1929 and June 30th, 1930, she was sold to G. Donald Bradley and renamed NERIED. In Greek mythology, the Nerieds are sea nymphs. They often accompany Poseidon, the god of the sea, and can be friendly and helpful to sailors.

Russell G. Gibson, a resident of Seattle and a member of the Seattle Yacht Club, purchased her from Mr Bradley sometime between July 1st 1931 and March 31st, 1932. Mr Gibson retained the name NERIED for the boat, and was to own her for at least the next thirty-two years, through mid-1964.

By 1936, Mr Gibson had changed her name to RIPTIDE, the name she carries today. With few exceptions, she was listed annually in the Merchant Vessels of the United States through 1964 under Mr Gibson’s ownership.

RIPTIDE’s guest book from 1930-1936 survives, and indicates she was used and enjoyed extensively, cruising on Lake Washington, through the Ship Canal, and as far north as Victoria, BC, often carrying quite a number of guests.

RIPTIDE was extensively modernized in 1936. Pictures and a description of the improvements appear in the June, 1936 edition of Pacific Motor Boating. In particular, her galley and trunk cabin interior arrangement was changed.

Russ Gibson appears to have been particularly interested in predicted log racing, a type of cruising race from one port to another where the racers predict their arrival time based on a fixed speed. RIPTIDE carries four plaques from such races. This type of racing was quite popular from the mid-1920’s to the mid-1950’s and continues today. Comments in issues of Pacific Motor Boating magazine throughout this period indicate she was also cruised extensively.

In 1948, her original engine was replaced with a new Chrysler Royal 8-cylinder gasoline engine.

After Russ Gibson sold her, probably sometime in 1964, she was briefly owned by Sue Goodwin, a resident of Vashon Island and an antiques dealer in Seattle. (Richard F Billings remembers his father telling him that she spent the winter of 1964-65 anchored off Vashon Island in the open).

She was purchased in 1965 by Richard F. Billings, who took her north to Southeast Alaska that year, where she was used as a cruiser, U.S Forest Service crew boat, and live-aboard. She was listed under her documentation number in the 1968 Merchant Vessel volume as a fishing boat with a homeport of Juneau, Alaska. There are a number of pictures of her from Richard’s ownership of RIPTIDE in Alaskan waters, occasionally under quite severe conditions, and cruising in company with DUNLIN, another vessel owned by the Billings family and with her own long history in Pacific Northwest waters.

Roger Billings, Richard’s brother, purchased RIPTIDE in 1968 upon her return to the Puget Sound. Roger Billings owned her through early 2015, when she was purchased by her current owner.

RIPTIDE is fortunate to have been owned by knowledgeable and caring owners throughout her long life, particularly Russell G. Gibson and, successively, the brothers Richard F. and Roger Billings. She’s hosted at least three marriages and dozens of family outings from Olympia WA to Juneau AK and beyond over her long and happy life.

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RIPTIDE – Technical information

RIPTIDE’s original engine was a Stearns 6-cylinder 4-cycle 5 ½ x 6 ½ gas engine. That engine was replaced in 1948 by an eight cylinder Chrysler gas engine, which was in turn replaced in 1967 with a new 1967 Volvo MD-70A diesel engine. The Volvo engine was removed in early June 2015 and was replaced by a remanufactured Cummins B210 5.9 liter diesel of 210hp. Her cruising speed is a sedate 8 knots at 1500 rpm. She carries 300 gallons of diesel fuel.

She was overhauled by the Port Townsend Shipwright’s Co-Op in Port Townsend WA between April 8th and September 16th, 2015. The Co-Op replaced 35 frames, then replanked much of her hull above the waterline. They installed a new transom and decks, replaced her engine, fuel and exhaust system, and installed a modern electrical system. Finally, a new anchor windlass and chain was installed. RIPTIDE was completely caulked by John Zimmer of Palouse Boatworks in 2015, then painted and varnished by Diane Salguero and crew.

The outside steering station was removed in December, 2015 when the old water tank and aft deck were removed to correct a persistent leak through the strut bearing bolts.

2016 work included unexpected work on her shaft and strut bearing, as a significant realignment was needed after she’d settled into the water.

2017 work included replacing the pilothouse aft of the pilothouse doors as well as the first two feet of the trunk cabin, and adding the six bronze portlights cast by the Port Townsend Foundry for her. Diane Salguero and crew painted her as well.

2018 work included a complete rebuild of the forward 2/3 of the pilothouse, and a complete reconstruction of her aft cockpit. A fresh water system was added for the galley, and a new 120 gallon freshwater tank built in Bellingham WA. An Airhead composting toilet was added, and the aft head paneled, as well as other work such as outside handrails, toerails and so forth. Diane Salguero and crew painted her superstructure and bottom and varnished her windows, pilothouse interior and cockpit.

2019 work included installation of the new water tank and piping, and seven new keel bolts in addition to replacing the worm shoe.

2020 work included a new deck and interior bulkheads in the pilothouse, a new pilothouse dashboard, and a small woodstove, as well as an air compressor to power the two horns.

Initial 2021 upgrades were carried out by Erik Fahlstrom of Compass Marine in Port Townsend, and included a new door for the pilothouse, and interior finish work. Subsequent work that year by the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op involved the installation of a new bronze stem guard manufactured by the Port Townsend Foundry. Finally, late in the year, Diane Salguero completed a number of interior painting and varnishing projects in the pilothouse during the late winter before turning to repainting RIPTIDE’s hull and superstructure with her owners.

2022 upgrades accomplished by the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op involved modification and installation of the owner-built mast as well as the construction and installation of mast crosstrees and lighting. Diane Salguero completed a number of interior painting and varnishing projects in the pilothouse during the late winter.

2023 work by the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op involved installation of a new refrigerator and related cabinetry. Diane Salguero also completed a number of interior painting and varnishing projects early in the year in the pilothouse.

Port Townsend Shipwrights, led by Jeff Galey, have been instrumental in maintaining and upgrading RIPTIDE year after year. Pete and Kathy Langley of the Port Townsend Foundry have cast her bronze. And, Diane Salguero of Salguero Marine Services maintains the paint and varnish work for RIPTIDE, assisted by her owners.

RIPTIDE’s hailing port is Port Ludlow WA, on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

Port Townsend Shipwright’s Co-Op:

www.ptshipwrights.com/wp/
www.facebook.com/PortTownsendShipwrightsCoOp?fref=ts

Salguero Marine:

a href=”http://salgueromarine.com/” rel=”nofollow”>salgueromarine.com/
www.facebook.com/marinefinishes

Port Townsend Foundry:

http://www.porttownsendfoundry.com/

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