Kodiak in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
Construction of the Thelma C
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 16, 2026
1. Construction of the Thelma C Marker
“I love to design boats. Rather design boats than eat. Often do. So let’s get going on the perfect ship before you are so old that you have to be carried aboard..”
The Thelma C was built in early 1965 after Kodiak fisherman Ken Christoffersen lost his salmon boat, the Christine, in the March 27, 1964 tsunamis.
Like many other Alaskan fishermen who lost their boats that day, Christofferson took advantage of a low interest federal loan program to finance construction of his new boat.
He chose Commercial Marine Construction, a boat yard on Lake Union in Seattle, to build this new boat. Commercial Marine had been building all kinds of boats since the end of World War II, and for several years before the Alaskan earthquake had been building salmon fishing vessels from a design by marine architect, William Garden.
Garden’s 1962 Seine Boat design was intended for use by commercial fishermen in the North Pacific, and was ideally designed for Alaskan fisheries. Boats constructed at Commercial Marine from Garden’s design were made with Douglas fir and Alaskan yellow cedar. They
this page online
With the rush of Alaskan orders following the earthquake, Dave LeClerq, the owner of Commercial Marine, and his men built as fast as they could. From signing a contract to delivery took about thirty days, and Ken Christoffersen sailed north with the Thelma C, named after his wife, in the spring of 1965. Over the next forty years, the boat fished under four owners for salmon, herring, halibut and crab around the Gulf of Alaska.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is March 27, 1964.
Location. 57° 47.181′ N, 152° 24.417′ W. Marker is in Kodiak, Alaska, in Kodiak Island Borough. It is on Mission Road south of W Marine Way, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located at Oscar’s Spit in St. Paul Harbor. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kodiak AK 99615, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) Region and on Kodiak Island. It is also
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 26, 2026
2. Construction of the Thelma C Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: An Earthquake Built This Boat (here, next to this marker); This Boat Was Built For Kodiak (here, next to this marker); This Boat was Built For Salmon (a few steps from this marker); A Community (Re)Built This Boat (a few steps from this marker); Kodiak’s Native Fishermen (a few steps from this marker); Revolutionary War Patriots (within shouting distance of this marker); Good Friday Quake (within shouting distance of this marker); Erskine House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kodiak.
More about this marker. The background of the marker contains an image of the Thelma C construction plans. On the marker’s right are photographs of men clamping ribs to hull stringers at Commercial Marine in 1955, and the Thelma C at Lake Union in 1965.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 26, 2026
3. The Thelma C
Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 12, 2026, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 12, 2026, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
