The Kalakala is in a sad state.
The old hull leaks, rusted through in some areas, but only enough to keep the
pumps working 24/7. But in such a state, that the county and coast guard are
worried that it will sink and block the local channel.
There were high hopes when it first returned, in 1998, to Washington State, and the Puget Sound.
However, after years wedged into the Alaskan shore, and buried and used as a processing plant, the
ship had seen better days, and all the fund raising only managed to pay slip fees, and were unable to
fund any of the significant repairs needed to the hull or main deck.
She was sold by her original organization, and moved to her present location where the
Kalakala has continued to deteriorate. Her last owner put her up for sale for $1 USD.
There were rumors of "deals in the works", but nothing has come together for this unique bit
of maritime history.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/12/06/old-kalakala-ferry-up-for-sale-for-just-1/ Some Trivia,
The pilot house was so streamlined, that the Skipper could not see the bow of the ship.
There was a small man door in the front main doors so that a deck hand could get out onto
the bow, and direct the docking via a small phone box to one side of the deck superstructure.