Bellingham in Whatcom County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Schooner Zodiac
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 21, 2021
1. Schooner Zodiac Marker
Bellingham: Homeport to the Historic Schooner Zodiac
The Schooner Zodiac is one of the largest working sailing vessels on the west coast. She was launched in 1924 from the Hodgdon Brothers shipyard in East Boothbay, Maine – the oldest, continuously operated shipyard in the United States. The Zodiac was commissioned as a pleasure yacht for the heirs to the Johnson and Johnson pharmaceutical fortune. They made an Arctic expedition up the Canadian east coast in 1925 and raced in the King's Cup across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain in 1928. During the Great Depression the Zodiac was purchased by the San Francisco Bar Pilots who renamed her California and set her up as a floating pilot's station outside the Golden Gate Bridge. She served there for 40 years before retiring in 1973 as the last pilot schooner to fly the United States flag.
The ship was purchased by a group of dedicated sailing enthusiasts from the Pacific Northwest who carefully restored her to her original design and rebuilt the ship from the waterline up. In 1984, the vessel was given back her maiden name and added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today the Zodiac operates as a Coast Guard certified charter vessel in the San Juan Islands, Puget Sound and British Columbia, annually offering educational
this page online
Sparred Length: 160'
Deck Length: 127'
Beam: 25.5'
Draft: 16'
Mast Height: 127' (with topmast)
Sail Area: 7,000 Square Feet
Engine: 500hp Caterpillar
Speed under power: 9 knots
Theoretical Hull Speed: 13.4 knots
Designer: William Hand Jr.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 48° 43.311′ N, 122° 30.778′ W. Marker is in Bellingham, Washington, in Whatcom County. Marker can be reached from Harris Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham WA 98225, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Northwest Shipbuilding Company (here, next to this marker); Pacific American Fisheries (a few steps from this marker); Commercial Point Shipyard (a few steps from this marker); Original Inhabitants of the Area (a few steps from this marker); Early Bellingham Bay
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 21, 2021
2. Schooner Zodiac and Marker
The marker is visible here, mounted to the railing, a bit right of the lamppost, with the Zodiac itself visible behind the railing.
More about this marker. This marker is located on the west side of the exterior of the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.
Also see . . .
1. Washington SP ZODIAC (schooner) (National Archives). National Register of Historic Places form for the Schooner.
The Schooner CALIFORNIA, built in 1924 as the ZODIAC, began its career as a luxury sailing craft, but spent most of its active service as a pilot boat off San Francisco Bay. She was the product of William Hand, Jr., and although many of the appointments of Hand's ZODIAC disappeared in the adaptation of the schooner to pilot work, the CALIFORNIA remains today largely as she was in 1972 when she was sold by the Pilots. The CALIFORNIA is thus significant for its association with a noted naval architect and forty years labor assisting vessels through the(Submitted on July 29, 2021.)Golden Gate.Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 21, 20213. Schooner Zodiac from the rear, with the Bellingham Cruise Terminal on the right
2. Zodiac History (schoonerzodiac.com). (Submitted on July 29, 2021.)
4. Marker inset: Schooner Zodiac
Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 172 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 29, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
