Steamer Virginia V Foundation Inc

Operation: VIRGINIA V was built in 1922 and is the only traditional wooden steamship built to carry freight and passengers that is still regularly operating under steam on the tidal waters of the United States. VIRGINIA V conducted 64 discrete voyages over the course of 49 operating days in 2024, including 29 cruises open to the public, 9 wedding-related charters and 11 other private charters, carrying a total of 3,947 passengers. Eight of these public cruises were free, one-hour Steamship Sunday trips made on four days June-October in collaboration with our neighbors, The Center for Wooden Boats. Two public cruises were provided in collaboration with Seattle's Museum of History and Industry, which provided themed programs during those trips. In May, the ship visited Port Orchard, WA for its first annual Mosquito Fleet Festival, conducting three well attended public cruises and providing open-ship time for free tours. The ship circumnavigated Vashon Island, and made an extended trip to Olympia to attend the Harbor Days Festival over Labor Day Weekend, providing public cruises during transits between Tacoma and Olympia, and three public cruises at the event. One regular employee, 56 volunteers and three paid interns crewed the vessel, filling seven required positions and up to eight training positions on each trip. Crew accrued approximately 3,300 volunteer hours for these voyages. Expenses include 50% of reported depreciation.

Interpretation/Education: VIRGINIA V held over 120 days of open-ship at Lake Union Park and Puget Sound ports during 2024, welcoming 11,360 people for free visits. Our Senior Docent and volunteers led guided tours for almost all of these occasions, acquainting visitors with the ship and the history of the Puget Sound mosquito fleet. During 17 private and 14 public dockside events, the ship welcomed over 1,284 additional visitors. During cruises, crew routinely engaged passengers to tell the ship's story or describe its operation, and docents were specifically aboard during Steamship Sunday cruises to interpret the ship and the Lake Union/Portage Bay maritime history. The ship's steam engine remains fully visible to visitors and passengers. Engineering crew provided detailed interpretation of this artifact, in service since 1907 when it was installed on the ship that became VIRGINIA IV, and our Captains welcomed passengers into the wheelhouse underway when the safety of vessel operation permitted. Foundation staff and volunteers revel in sharing the ship and did so at every opportunity. The Foundation continued its summer internship program for high schoolers, hiring three students who worked 244 hours on the ship in deck- and engine-crew capacities. All became qualified to serve as crew of record in junior deck positions, and two have subsequently completed or begun formal maritime education. Two of our regular 2024 deck volunteers are also now working in the industry, having used their time with VIRGINIA V as their starting point. The ship welcomed several student groups for dockside tours tailored to their particular focus (e.g. Seattle Skills Center, Seattle Maritime Academy).