PAT STOPPELMAN, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, CROSSED OVER THE BAR ON NOVEMBER 18, 2012. PAT WENT TO SEA FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE STARTING IN AS ASSISTANT ENGINEER ON A 180 HP FAIRBANKS- MORSE IN THE CANNERY TENDER ”ALCO”. HE WAS A TOP FLIGHT BOATMAN AND TUGBOAT CAPTAIN WHETHER HE WAS RUNNING A 26 FOOT TUG OR THE 125′ ”POLAR STAR” TOWING HUGE NORTHLAND BARGES TO ALASKA. YOU ALWAYS KNEW THAT HE WAS THE CAPTAIN AND HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
PAT TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT TUGS AND TOWING. I WORKED FOR PAT AND TOWED FOR PAT AND HE IN TURN WORKED AND TOWED FOR ME. I HAD TONS OF RESPECT FOR HIS KNOWLEDGE. BEST OF ALL WE HAD A GOOD TIME DOING THINGS. WE ALWAYS HAD A LAUGH WHETHER WE WERE SALVAGING A LOG SPILL OR GETTING READY TO GO TO FRIDAY HARBOR. I THINK THE FUNNIEST TIME WE HAD WAS WHEN HE CAME AS ENGINEER FOR ME WHEN I WAS BRINGING THE TUG ”MANILA” HOME AFTER BUYING HER IN EVERETT. SHE HAD A 60 HP ATLAS BUT THE FUN PART WAS THE STORIES AND LAUGHS WE HAD THE WHOLE TRIP. THIS STORY IS ABOUT PAT AND HIS BOATS AND HIS LIFELONG LOVE OF THE SEA. BRAVO ZULU PAT.
CAPTAIN MARK FREEMAN
PAT TESTING OUT THE NEW SURPLUS 6-71 GM IN HIS TUG "WESTERN STAR" REPLACING A 100 H.P. FAIRBANKS-MORSE "CO" SEMI-DIESEL.
CANNERY TENDER "ALCO" AFTER THE 1964 EARTHQUAKE SHE IS ON THE BEACH NEAR SEWARD, ALASKA. PAT DIDNT QUITE MAKE THE GRADATION CEREMONY FROM HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THE BOAT WAS LEAVING FOR ALASKA AND HE WAS ASSISANT ENGINEER IN 1942.
HERE IS PAT AT MARITIME SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA IN 1943.
PAT'S FIRST SHIP AFTER MARITIME SCHOOL THE "BARBARA C" AN OLD STEAM SCHOONER. HE WENT TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC ON HER AS AN ABLE-BODIED SEAMAN. ON WATCH ONE NIGHT HE SAW A TORPEDO GO UNDERNEATH HER - WASN'T HIS TIME AS IT DIDN'T EXPLODE. HE SPENT 13 MONTHS ON HER TAKING WAR CARGO BETWEEN AUSTRAILA AND NEW GUINEA. ON THE WAY TO AUSTRAILA SHE WAS SO SLOW THAT THE CONVOY THAT SHE WAS IN LEFT HER AND SHE WAS REPORTED OVER DUE AND LOST. GOOD NEWS, IT WASN'T TRUE.
AFTER PAT GOT BACK FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC HE SERVED ON THE "CUBITS GAP" A V4MA1 CLASS TUG. A LOT OF THEM HAD TWO 1100 H.P. ENTERPRISE DIESELS AND WERE 185 FEET LONG.
- PAT SERVED ON THE U.S. ARMY TRANSPORT SERVICE TUG “COL. ALBIN BARCLAY”. SHE HAD A 1440 H.P. ALCO SULTZER DIESEL. LATER SHE BECAME THE “ANDREW FOSS” AND THEN THE “PACHENA”.
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PAT ALSO SAILED ON THE U.S. ARMY TUG LT 376 WHICH BECAME THE "BARBARA FOSS". SHE WAS A MIKI.
HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE U.S.ARMY ST-415. SHE WAS A SISTER TO THE ST-410 WHICH PAT SERVED ON. LATER HE WOULD OWN THE "PACIFIC FOAM" WHICH ALSO WAS AN ST TUG.
AFTER WWII ENDED PAT SAT FOR HIS 3RD MATE UNLIMITED TICKET AND THEN HE MADE 3 0R 4 TRIPS TO THE FAR EAST ON THE "WAYNE VICTORY" - QUITE A JUMP FROM BEING A KID ON A CANNERY TENDER TO A HUGE BIG CARGO SHIP. WELL DONE PAT.
AFTER THE WAR PAT BOUGHT THE KETCH "VERDA" WHICH WAS AT FREMONT BOAT CO. HE AND UNCLE ED TOOK OFF FOR NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA BUT THE FORMER OWNER, REX BARTLETT, HAD CUT THE SAIL RIG DOWN AND SHE WOULD NOT SAIL IN THE OCEAN. SO THEY CAME BACK TO SEATTLE.
PAT ENJOYING THE NICE WEATHER WITH HIS TAHITI KETCH THE "VERDA" 1947.
TUG "TOOTS" - PAT BOUGHT HER FROM WALLY HANLON. SHE HAD BEEN A SALMON TROLLER AND HAD A 40 H.P. PALMER GAS ENGINE. THAT GOT PAT STARTED IN THE TUGBOAT BUSINESS AROUND 1947.
THE "VAMOOSE": PAT BOUGHT HER FROM RAY STICKLER IN 1948. SHE WAS 40 FEET LONG AND HAD A 55 H.P. ATLAS IMPERIAL DIESEL WHICH SWUNG A 40 X 24 WHEEL AT 400 RPMS. SHE WAS A GOOD LOOKING SMALL TUG BUILT ON THE WILLIPA BY SMITH AND LAUDERBACK IN 1912.
BYRON FISH DID A LITTLE NEWS ITEM ON PAT & MERRY IN THE SEATTLE TIMES.
PAT & MY SISTER MERRY WERE MARRIED IN JULY OF 1949.
PAT & MERRY ON THE BOW OF THE "VAMOOSE" IN 1949.
THE "VAMOOSE" ON A DOUBLE WIDE LOG TOW IN SARATOGA PASSAGE.
THE "MAY": PAT'S LOG PATROL JERKBOAT. I WENT DECKING FOR PAT ON THE "VAMOOSE & MAY" ON A CHRISTMAS VACATION ON A BIG LOG PATROL TRIP OUT OF UTSALADY AND I LEARNED THE LOG SALVAGE BUSINESS IN ONE TRIP. PAT WAS A GREAT TEACHER. SHE WAS 26 FEET LONG AND HAD A 40 H.P. GRAY MARINE FOR POWER.
PAT PULLING PILING AT SETH GREEN'S FOR MY DAD WITH THE "VAMOOSE". I'M ON DECK NEXT TO THE HOUSE HELPING.
"VAMOOSE" UP THE WEST WATERWAY GETTING READY TO TOW BOOMSTICKS.
"VAMOOSE & ROSE" TOGETHER IN STILL HARBOR. MERRY STOPPELMAN & BOB SHREWSBURY WERE THE BEST OF FRIENDS AND PAT & BOB DID MANY JOBS TOGETHER. THE "ROSE" HAD A 65 H.P. UNION. THEY WOULD TOW LOG RAFTS TOGETHER FROM KENMORE TO STIMSON MILL IN BALLARD AND AS THEY WENT BY YOU COULD HEAR BOTH HEAVY DUTY EXHAUSTS IN AND OUT OF SYNC.
PAT & MERRY AND THEIR FRIEND BOB SHREWSBURY WERE ALWAYS LOOKING AT TUGS TO BUY. PAT & MERRY ARE ON BOARD THE "NOREEN" AND THE SAME COMPANY HAD THE "WESTERN STAR" FOR SALE.
MERRY & BOB SHREWSBURY ON THE "WESTERN STAR" WHICH PAT & MERRY BOUGHT. SHE HAD A 100 H.P. FAIRBANKS-MORSE "CO" SEMI-DIESEL AND WOULD MAKE PAT A GOOD TUGBOAT SO THAT HE COUOLD HANDLE LARGER LOG RAFTS AND BARGES. 1950
SEPT.1952 PAT & MERRY & HOWARD.
"WESTERN STAR & VAMOOSE" LYING AT McCARTY'S MARINA. I WAS PRESENT WHEN PAT & BOB STARTED UP THE "CO" AND IT RAN AWAY... BOY WAS THAT EXCITING!
"WESTERN STAR" & RAY STICKLER'S "KLATAWA" PULLING ON 22 SECTIONS OF LOGS IN SARATOGA PASSAGE.
"WESTERN STAR" MAKING UP A TOW IN DEEP BAY ON LUMMI ISLAND.
"WESTERN STAR": SHE WAS A GOOD BOAT FOR PAT. SHE WAS BUILT IN 1920 AND WAS 52 FEET LONG.
SEPT. 1952 PAT WITH HOWARD ON "WESTERN STAR"
PHOTO TAKEN AT MILLER'S BAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT MARK, PAT HOLDING SCOTT, HOWARD STANDING IN FRONT OF MOTHER, DAD , PAULA AND MERRY.
"METEOR" IN NOME. PAT BOUGHT HER IN 1955 WHEN SHE WAS LAID UP. SHE WAS 75 FEET REGISTERED LENGTH AND BUILT IN 1900. SHE HAD A PAIR OF 110 H.P. WASHINGTON - ESTEP HEAVY DUTY DIESELS AND WAS A VERY ABLE BOAT. PAT TOWED LOGS ON THE SOUND, BARGES TO ALASKA AND POINTS ON THE WEST COAST OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. HE SOLD HER IN 1961.
A GOOD PHOTO OF PAT'S NEXT TUG THE "ARLYN NELSON" AND THE "METEOR" LYING AT FANTASY LAND.
"ARLYN NELSON" WHEN AMERICAN OWNED HER. SHE WAS BUILT AT SUNRISE BEACH IN 1914 AND HAD A 90 H.P. ATLAS. PAT BOUGHT A 150 H.P. WASHINGTON IN PIECES AND REBUILT IT IN GRANDMA FITZ'S GARAGE. IT WAS VERY MUCH A SUCCESS AND WAS A 5 CYLINDER DIRECT REVERSIBLE AND DID IT SOUND GOOD. IT WOULD TALK TO YOU.
THE "ARLYN NELSON" WITH LOG TOW IN DECEPTION PASS WITH TOMMY HUDEN'S "PEERLESS" ASSISTING AND THE RODGERS BROTHERS ON THE TAIL END OF THE RAFT. PAT BOUGHT THE "ARLYN NELSON" IN 1961 AND SOLD HER IN 1963.
THE "PACIFIC FOAM" AFTER PAT SOLD HER TO DUNLAP. SHE WAS BUILT AS A U.S. ARMY ST AND HAD A DMM 400 H.P. ENTERPRISE MEDIUM SPEED. PAT BOUGHT HER FROM A MILL IN KETCHIKAN AND RAN HER TO SEATTLE. HE DID A LOT OF TOWING FOR JIM HAAGEN OF NORTHLAND MARINE LINES OF THE FREIGHT BARGES TO SE ALASKA. SHE WAS 72 FEET AND PAT BOUGHT HER IN 1963 AND SOLD HER IN 1965.
THE "SKOOKUM LOGGER": FRANK WOLF BUILT HER TO TOW LOGS IN SHELTON. PAT BOUGHT HER FROM LLOYD FRANK IN 1966 AND WAS SHE A HOT ROD. 45 FEET LONG AND A D343 CAT FOR POWER 325 H.P. I WENT DECKING FOR PAT AND WE TOWED A SMALL DREDGE INTO LA PUSH AND WE MADE 8 KNOTS WITH IT, WOW!
THE "SKOOKUM LOGGER" IS LYING AT THE TUG PIER AT FREMONT BOAT.
HERE IS JACK McCRARY STANDING ON THE BOW OF DAD'S "CHRISTY R". PAT USED HER AT STIMSON MILL IN BALLARD. SHE HAD A 140 H.P. CHRYSLER ROYAL GAS ENGINE ON A 4 1/2:1 GEAR.
THE "DWARF" 45 FEET LONG AND A 6-71 GM 165 HP WITH A 4-1/2 TO 1 GEAR. HERE SHE IS TOWING OUR SALVAGE BARGE THE "GUZZEL"
"FRITZY": 30 FEET LONG POWERED WITH AN 844 BUDA 140 H.P. AL LIESKI BUILT HER IN PORT ORCHARD. DANDY LITTLE STEEL TUG. PAT RENAMED HER THE "KOBUK" AND DID LOCAL TOWING.
'FOSS NO. 19" UNDERWAY OFF DUNGENESS SPIT. PAT BOUGHT HER FROM FOSS LAUNCH & TUG IN 1965 BUT HE HAD TO SEE THEIR GENERAL MANAGER, PAUL PEARSON, BECAUSE THE FRONT OFFICE WOULD NOT SELL IT TO HIM. PAT ASKED PAUL 'WHEN HAVE I EVER TAKEN A JOB FROM YOU THAT YOU WANTED?' THE ANSWER WAS 'NEVER'. AND PAUL SOLD HIM THE BOAT.
HERE SHE IS AS THE "KIOWA" (EX- FOSS NO 19). PAT TOOK OUT THE ENTERPRISE AND PUT A D343 CAT ON A 5:1 GEAR IN HER AND WOULD SHE MAKE KNOTS. HE TOOK HER NORTH AND GEORGE BAGGEN BOUGHT HER IN 1966.
"INVERNESS" IN THE LOCKS WITH A NORTHLAND MARINE LINES BARGE. PAT GOT HER IN 1966 AND SHE COULD HAVE BEEN A TRADE IN ON THE "KIOWA "; SHE HAD A 220 H.P. SUCK AND BLOW ATLAS.
HERE IN THIS PHOTO PAT IS TAKING HIS WHOLE FAMILY NORTH TO ALASKA TO LIVE AND TOW UP THERE. THEY ARE ON THE "INVERNESS" WAITING FOR THE LOCKS. THEY RETURNED TO SEATTLE IN1969 AND HE SOLD THE BOAT IN 1970.
PAT & MERRY AT NORTHLAND'S TERMINAL ON THE SHIP CANAL.
PAT'S BUSINESS CARD.
PAT GOT OUT OF THE TUGBOAT BUSINESS AND STARTED SALMON TROLLING AND BUYING AND SELLING BOATS. HERE IS HIS TROLLER THE "ILA" AT FREMONT BOAT. TUG "MANILA" IN THE BACKGROUND.
ANOTHER SALMON TROLLER HE HAD WAS THE "ISABEL".
"ISABEL" JUST PASSING OUR HOUSEBOAT.
Jim Blanchard | 12-Dec-12 at 7:23 pm | Permalink
Sorry to hear of Pats passing. My father, Jim Blanchard Sr. who owned the tug Sea Otter and I, Jim Blanchard Jr. used to see Pat at Ballard when we would venture down to Dave LeQlare’s shop or to visit the old heavy duty machine shop run by Clyde Gagnee.
Dad and I also were good friends with ol Bob Burns who had the “Manila” in Everett. I’m still looking for the Sea Otter and belive she must have been scraped by now.
As a side note, My brother Dan Blanchard owns American Safari and Inner Sea Discovery’s whom your company has towed for.
Again, sorry for your loss… Jim