Kodiak in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

This Boat Was Built For Kodiak

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 26, 2026

1. This Boat Was Built For Kodiak Marker

Inscription.
“Despite the long hours and back breaking work, it was a dream come true, denied to many..”- MARK NATUZZI, Former crewmember of the Thelma C in 1973
With the demise of fish traps in the late 1950’s, purse seining became the primary method of salmon harvesting on Kodiak. By the 1960s, when the Thelma C was built, new technology, including hydraulic net haulers, modern diesel engines, electronic bottom sounders and radar made seining more productive and safer.

The fleet prospered after Alaska became a state in 1959, new boats like the Thelma C were built, and hundreds of seiners delivered millions of pounds of salmon to canneries in remote bays around the island and in the city of Kodiak. In the winter months, many of these boats, including the Thelma C, also fished for king crab around Kodiak.

The fishermen in the Kodiak salmon fleet were, and continue to be, a close knit community of local Alaska Natives, non-Native Alaskans, and seasonal fishermen from all over the world who come for the money and the adventure. While Kodiak salmon seiners usually fish close to shore, and frequently tie up at canneries or fish tenders around

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the island to offload salmon, fishing on a seiner often means working in bad weather, and living in close quarters in very remote places for months at a time.

The Thelma C was an active commercial fishing boat from 1965 until it was donated to the Kodiak Maritime Museum in 2005. During her life at sea, she had four owners: Ken Christofferson from 1965 to 1975; Bill Wallacher from 1975 to 1991; Brian Johnson from 1991 to 1999; and Mark Thomas from 1999 to 2005.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1973.

Location. 57° 47.18′ N, 152° 24.415′ 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 on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 26, 2026

2. This Boat Was Built For Kodiak Marker

on the Ring of Fire,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Construction of the Thelma C (here, next to this marker); This Boat was Built For Salmon (here, next to this marker); An Earthquake Built This Boat (here, next to this marker); A Community (Re)Built This Boat (here, next to 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. Photographs on the marker depict various owners of the Thelma C during her service.

The Thelma C image. Click for full size.

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 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 12, 2026, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.