MV Sealth docked at Bainbridge Island
History
Name	Sealth
Owner	WSDOT
Operator	Washington State Ferries
Port of registry	Seattle, Washington,  United States
Route	Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth
Builder	Marine Power and Equipment, Seattle
Completed	1982 Refit: 2006
In service	1985
Identification	IMO number: 7808152 MMSI number: 366710820 Callsign: WAK7089[1] Official Number: 662478
Status	In Service - Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth
General characteristics
Class and type	Issaquah-class auto/passenger ferry
Displacement	3,310 long tons (3,360 t)
Length	328 ft (100.0 m)
Beam	78 ft 8 in (24.0 m)
Draft	15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Decks	1 auto deck/1 passenger deck
Deck clearance	15 ft 2 in (4.6 m)
Installed power	Total 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) from 2 diesel engines
Propulsion	Diesel
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Capacity	1,200 passengers 90 vehicles (max 30 commercial)[2]
Crew	10

The MV Sealth is a Issaquah-class ferry operated by Washington State Ferries. She is named for Chief Sealth. The Sealth underwent cabin rebuilding in last 2006, after which she was in service on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route. The Sealth was then the #2 vessel on the route. Earlier she was taken out of service due to a seam needing weld repairs.^[3]

MV Sealth nearing Colman Dock

The Sealth was not listed to return to the San Juan Islands in late 2015. She was in service at Seattle/Bremerton and switched to the Vashon route mid-fall and she remained there until the Winter 2016 schedule began. She was expected to replace the MV Klahowya as the inter-island ferry in the San Juans when it was retired, but was on the Pt. Defiance-Tahlequah route. She is currently on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, generally operating the #2 sailing position.

Incidents

On November 7, 2012, the Sealth was serving the Bremerton run when a hole four feet under the waterline at No. 2 end port side was discovered.^[4] The ferry was pulled from service in the day and the leak was fixed a week later at Dakota Creek Shipyard of Anacortes. This caused the MV Salish to be put on the run, causing a loss of 30% percent of the run's regular car capacity.

In 1991, the Sealth collided with the MV Kitsap in Rich Passage in heavy fog. No major damage was reported.

References