Willamette Queen to remain in parking lot 2 more weeks

Folks have been asking why the Willamette Queen has been sitting in the parking lot near the Wallace Marine Park boat ramp for the last few weeks. The answer is simple: it's being repaired.

And it's not moving any time soon.

The sternwheeler was lifted out the water and placed on blocks in the parking lot in late March, where it underwent a long overdue out-of-water hull inspection.

In order for the boat to carry passengers along the Willamette River it must complete what is called a dry-dock inspection every five years.

However, the inspection revealed some problems, which will keep the boat on land for a little longer.

The Coast Guard issued Richard Chesbrough, the captain and co-owner of the sternwheeler, three separate work lists that detail and prioritize the repairs.

The first list includes work that can't be done in the water, like replacing the boat's steel girder, which holds the weight of the paddles, repairing damage to the fiberglass hull, and replacing some of the spokes and paddles that were rotted.

Chesbrough is working alongside a crew made up of steel workers and volunteers to replace the steel girder.

"This is a lot of plain old grunt work," he said late last week.

Chesbrough estimated on Thursday that the work will take another two weeks.

Then they will move on to phase two of the repairs.

The second list, Chesbrough said, is far less extensive. These repairs can be done in the water. This includes things like repairing the bumper rail, which is a system crafted of wood that acts as the boat's defense mechanism if it runs into anything, and some deck repairs.

Though the boat will be back in the water, Chesbrough will not receive his inspection certificate until all of the items on the second list are complete.

The third list includes repairs that are not high priority.

"We will work with him over the long term to complete some things that he has more time to do," Ben Russell, chief of inspections for the Coast Guard in Portland said. "He can complete these items while carrying passengers."

These include things like minor dry rot repairs on the upper deck.

Chesbrough said he is relieved he won't have to endure another dry-dock inspection for another five years.

"And quite frankly, I hope to be good and retired by then," he said.

"They always say there are two happy days when you own a boat; the day you bought it, and the day you sell it," Chesbrough added. "I've got one happy day coming my way."

aarmstrong@statesmanjournal.com; (503) 399-6745 or follow on Twitter at @AlexaArletta

Repair lists

The Coast Guard has issued three separate work lists to the owners of the Willamette Queen. Here are some of the repairs that must be done before the sternwheeler is put back in the water:

• Replace the boat's steel girder, which holds the weight of the paddles
• Repairing damage to the fiberglass hull
• Replace some of the spokes and paddles that were rotted