Hawaiian Chieftain out of water until November

The Hawaiian Chieftain will be out of service for the remainder of the summer.

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport announced this week that the Hawaiian Chieftain will remain hauled out of water for the remainder of summer as it undergoes repairs and upgrades. They say this work is critical for the future of the over 30-year-old vessel.

The Historical Seaport told KXRO that they anticipate the tall ship will be back on the water and in service by November, and all guests who had booked tickets or sailing charters for the summer will be rescheduled or refunded.

In a release, they say that the Hawaiian Chieftain began a regularly-scheduled maintenance period in mid-June, but after some initial work it was found that “significant welding, wiring, and woodwork” would need to be completed before the vessel could return to service.

The Historical Seaport says that while the out-of-water period is unexpectedly lengthy, it presents an opportunity to begin some planned improvements for the tall ship through the multi-year “Project Overhaul” campaign that had already been fundraising. The work to do structural improvements on the Hawaiian Chieftain will involve major improvements to the vessel’s hull, which will be done in conjunction to reduce future costs and haul out times.

The steel-hulled Hawaiian Chieftain was built in 1988 in Lahaina, HI for Laurence “Baron” Dorcy Jr. Its design reflects the packet trader ships that sailed coastal New England in the mid 1800’s. Hawaiian Chieftain was acquired by Historical Seaport from private ownership in 2005. Hawaiian Chieftain is also the host of Historical Seaport’s professional maritime training program The Seafarer Collective. Along with its companion vessel Lady Washington, the tall ships of Grays Harbor Historical Seaport are among the most active educational boats in North America, visiting over 30 West Coast communities each year.

Now at over 30 years old, Hawaiian Chieftain is beginning to show her age. The work being undertaken this summer will ensure that the vessel can safely operate for the next two decades, and continue to serve as the site of educational field trips, family sailing experiences, and maritime career training programs.

For more information about Hawaiian Chieftain’s planned work, donations, or questions, please call (800) 200-5239.