Largest Wooden Ship Still Afloat

Eureka, a side-wheel paddle steamboat constructed in 1890, is the largest wooden ship still afloat. It is a National Historic Landmark and a museum ship situated at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California.

It is significant because the ship is the last surviving example of double-ended steam ferryboats, which once dominated the San Francisco Bay.

It was originally called the ‘Ukiah’ to celebrate the railway’s extension into the city of the same name. The ship was built at the Tiburon yard of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad Company.

What makes it even more unique is that Eureka is one of the only two remaining ships with a walking beam engine and the only one which is still afloat.

The large, single-cylinder steam engine showcases 19th-century engineering. It was powered by coal-fired boilers that were converted to oil in the 1900s. Visitors can see this machinery in the engine room, a part of the museum experience.

A fine representation of the American wooden shipbuilding, the Eureka also boasted a double-ended design, with a pilothouse and rudder at each end, allowing it to move without having to turn around.

Coming to the technical specifications, the largest wooden ship still afloat has a 2420 gross tonnage, an LOA of 91.2 m and a beam of 24 m.

It had a 1.98 m draft and could accommodate 500 passengers and 16 railroad cars. From 1922 onwards, its capacity increased to 2300 passengers and 120 automobiles. It was operated by a 16-member crew.

According to reports, the ship had a main deck to accommodate railroad cars and above it was a deck for passengers.

A stairway from this led to the promenade deck, which housed the staterooms for officers and pilot houses. Above it were smaller decks for sightseeing, which could be accessed only by ladders.

Along the centre of the ship on the main deck were two gauge railway tracks to transport railroad cars.

The passenger areas were different for men and women. The female side had a movable partition allowing people to move between cabins in privacy. Similarly, decorations on this side included beadings and velvet carpets, while plain furnishings and oilcloths sufficed for the men’s side.

The ship also had a bar, a restaurant and toilets.

The ship carried people between San Francisco and Tiburan during the day and railroad freight cars at night.

She sank on April 16, 1907, due to a mistake in offloading the railroad cars. After being raised, it was bought by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

During WWI, the Ukiah carried heavy munitions, and after the war ended, the U.S government funded the reconstruction of the vessel, which involved replacing its superstructure and increasing its length and capacity.

It was relaunched in 1923 and renamed Eureka. It then functioned as a passenger and an automobile ferry, as cars became common. It also became the fastest double-ended passenger ferry in the world at that time.

However, after the construction of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in the 1930s, ferryboat services came to an end on the San Francisco Bay.

The ship made its last trip in 1957 after an engine crankpin snapped. In 1958, it was acquired for preservation.

Today, it is a popular attraction and a centrepiece at the Hyde Street Pier. Visitors can board the ship and explore its decks, including the main car deck, which has many vintage automobiles on display.

You might also like to read-

• 15 Biggest Wooden Ships Ever Built
• Most Valuable Cargoes Ever Transported By Ships
• Top 10 Historic Ships of All Time

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