Latest Boatyard Project:
Major Refit of F/V New Life
The Yaquina Boatyard is excited to announce the completion of a major 3-month refit of the fishing vessel New Life. This marks an impressive milestone in the ongoing evolution of the boatyard and highlights the important role that the Port of Toledo plays in the region's economy. This project put an estimated $600,000 into the region's marine trades community over a three month period and occupied the talents of over 30 individual tradesmen representing roughly 16 local contractors.
The New Life is a commercial fishing boat that travels from Oregon to Alaska. The vessel is locally owned by Kurt Cochran who has grown his father's fishing business over the years. The Cochran's own two other fishing vessels, the Marathon and the Bay Islander. Fifteen of the sixteen crewmembers of these vessels call Lincoln County their home.
With improvements to the hull and a new interior for the wheelhouse there were approximately 30 vendors and boatyard staff involved in the project. Work on the dry dock included modifying the drive train and keel to include a new Kort Nozzle and redesigned rudder, installation of new keel coolers and new transducers. While in the yard the entire interior was gutted and new crew accommodations and wheel house interior were built with significant upgrades to the ship's systems and electronics. The local community has benefited greatly from the opportunities provided through repairs of the F/V New Life.
Toledo's C.D. Johnson Sawmill, once the world's largest spruce sawmill, played major roles during WW II by supplying mass amounts of lumber to the US military as well as building barges for the war effort. The C.D. Johnson Sawmill also took on a very unique responsibility by taking on the largest boat-building project in this part of the state. This was the first time in history that the process, from mill to launch, was completed under one roof. There was no time wasted getting started once the contract was signed between the C.D. Johnson Sawmill and the military. Production of the tugboats was being done at a rate unheard of for the times, and all done in addition to the already demanding production schedule of the mill itself.
The tugs were 46 foot long with 11 foot beams and made almost entirely of Douglas fir and the remainder of solid Oak. The decking was constructed of a single sheet of plywood, which at the time was a brand new innovation, and the tugs were powered by a Chrysler Royal Marine engine. Each tug could comfortably house four men and included all the amenities. In all there were 20 tugs produced through the C.D Johnson Sawmill and put into commission with the US military, allowing for Toledo to takes its little place in history.