Donation to aid tall ship's upgrade

She’s sailed up and down the West Coast for 20 years. During that time, her romantic shape, tall spars and billowy square sails have attracted gawkers in ports from Alaska to Panama City, and from Hawaii to Japan.

But now the “sunshine state” of California has cast a dark shadow across the Lady Washington’s bow.

The move to keep the Lady Washington out of California’s coastal ports began in September when the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority (GHHSA), owner of the Lady Washington, learned the ship’s diesel engine no longer met California’s emissions standards.

“I don’t really know what happened,” said Lady Washington’s bosun Sara Gimplar. ”I think it was a Coast Guard thing.”

Gimplar said the Lady Washington’s Detroit diesel engine was built in the 1940’s. It was thought the Coast Guard had interpreted California emissions standards to mean the ship’s engine no longer met California’s clean air act.

The ship’s engine status was called into question and reported to the California Air Recovery Board who issued a warning to the GHHSA not to allow Lady Washington to enter California waters until the ship could meet the state’s strict air quality code.

Engines like the Lady Washington’s Detroit 671 diesel are currently for sale throughout California. The engines are sold for use in trucks, buses, portable generators and mobile pumping stations.

But to comply with California strict emissions standard, the GHHSA, in September of this year, began plans to retrofit Lady Washington with a new engine and wiring.

In September the GHHSA began its “Sailing Green” campaign to reduce Lady Washington’s carbon footprint. The organization says it is committed to environmental responsibility and is trying to raise $100,000 to replace Lady Washington’s old engine with a new engine that meets or exceeds the strictest emissions standards.

The GHHSA says the need for replacing Lady Washington’s engine is urgent. California’s air standards put a damper on the ship's ability to deliver educational programs and act as tall ship ambassador for Grays Harbor County and Washington State.

Last week, an anonymous gift of $80,000 pushed the GHHSA nearer to its retrofit goal of $100,000. The donation is 78 percent of the amount the organization needs to purchase a new engine. The GHHSA refused to name the donor, but unconfirmed reports say it may be Seattle Software Development Engineer Ken Birdwell.

Birdwell grew up in Grays Harbor County. Several years ago he sailed aboard the Lady Washington for three weeks. Since then he has been an active, contributing member of the GHHSA.

Launched March 7, 1989, the 72’ Lady Washington was built in Aberdeen by Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority. She is a full-scale reproduction of the original Lady Washington built in the British colony of Massachusetts in the 1750’s.

The original vessel carried freight between colonial ports until the American Revolutionary War, when she became an American privateer. In 1787, after the war, she was the first American built ship to sail around Cape Horn.

In 1788, she became the first American made vessel to make landfall on the west coast of North America. She pioneered trade throughout the Pacific and was the first American made tall-ship to visit Honolulu, Hong Kong and Japan.

Before construction the modern Lady Washington was thoroughly researched by historians and constructed by skilled shipwrights. The ship was launched as part of the Washington State Centennial celebration in 1989.

The ship is now the Official Ship of Washington State. The GHHSA says the ship's mission is to provide educational, vocational, recreational and ambassadorial activities and experiences that promote and preserve the maritime history of Grays Harbor, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation while serving the needs of the community.

The Lady Washington will visit Cathlamet today (Thursday) from 12:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.