M/V Pacific Catalyst

M/V Pacific Catalyst

The breathtaking scenery which comprises Alaska’s waterways gently rolls past your window aboard the Catalyst. The Seventy four-foot Catalyst is a historic wooden vessel that has been thoughtfully restored true to her 1930’s heritage. Her elegance and comfort are perfect compliments to the majestic areas through which she cruises. She is a truly unique vessel for an Alaska adventure cruise.

Pacific Catalyst cruises are anything but ordinary. Unlike larger, more traditional Alaskan cruises, her cruises focus on her passengers. By concentrating our efforts on targeting the preferences you and your travel companions in the early planning stage of your cruise, we can be sure to plan activities for everyone, from the youngest member of your group to the oldest.

We offer a wide variety of activities, from whale watching and hiking to glacier viewing, fishing, and kayaking. Our exceptional flexibility allows passengers to participate in different activities at the same time. Maybe dad wants to take the kids kayaking while mom and grandma embark on a hiking excursion to land. Our experienced crew enjoys extensive knowledge of Alaska’s remote wilderness and will happily impart you with as much of that knowledge as you would like.

The comfortable and spacious quarters of the Catalyst are suitable for up to 12 passengers. Classic accommodations include cozy, private staterooms, a spacious galley, and a warm wood-paneled salon.

With the heartbeat of her slow-turning, rugged diesel engine chugging in the background, the pace aboard a Catalyst cruise is relaxed and unhurried. The early excitement of exploration and discovery carries on. And her welcome, nurturing spirit continues to inspire those aboard, creating lasting memories.

Captain and Crew

Beginning in 1964, at the impressionable age of 12, Captain Bill Bailey spent afternoons with a master craftsman who was in the midst of a 5-year boat building project. His time in that shop ruined him! He was infected with saw dust, turpentine and metal polish. The only relief he has ever found is to own and operate traditional wooden boats.

Captain Craig Foss Campbell was Born into a Pacific Northwest seafaring family (his great-grandmother was Tugboat Annie, a.k.a. Thea Foss), and has spent his entire life on and around boats and the sea. He first learned to row at 3 years old falling flat on his back on the first stroke, but has since improved and loves to kayak and standup paddleboard. He learned to operate a boat when he was 10 years old, held his first onboard maritime job at 13 and went on to become a skipper for almost than 40 years. He has also been a boat builder, a commercial fisherman and an elementary school teacher (always with a nautical theme).

Vessel Specifications

• Length Overall: 74’7″; Beam: 18’4″; Draft: 9’4″ Displacement: 110 tons
• Cruising Speed: 8 knots Main Engine: 6 cylinder 8×10 Washington Estep diesel, 120 h.p. at 450 r.p.m. (This is the original engine rebuilt and maintained)
• Fuel: 3,000 gallons Fresh Water: 300 gallons with R.O. water maker
• Range: 4,000 nautical miles
• Accommodations: for up to 12 passengers and 4 to 5 crew
• Construction: Oak frames, Alaska yellow cedar planked. Douglas fir keel with a
• 2-inch heel of Australian iron bark
• Built by: Lake Union Dry Docks, Seattle , Washington , 1932
• Designed by: Roland & Strickland
• Navigation: Radar, G.P.S. and depth finders Communications: VHF and cellular Telephone
• Specialty Equipment: Underwater hydrophone, viewing aquarium, microscope, presentation projector, white board, two laptop computers, one for navigation, one for digital picutres, boat camera and stereo CD player
• Auxiliary Power: 12 kw generator and batteries Ships Power: 110 volts AC and 12/24 volts DC
• Auxiliary Watercraft: 14-foot and 20-foot inflatable utility boats, 5 double sea kayaks, and 3 single sea kayaks.

Included

• Gourmet meals- customized to your tastes
• Captain, guide, chef and engineer
• Fishing tackle, sea kayaks, aluminum skiff, inflatable skiff
• Transfers to and from the boat

Why Go?

1. 74 foot historic vessel, beautifully restored true to her 1930’s heritage

2. In the words of the captain, “We sail these historic wooden boats because we enjoy the unique individuals they attract, the rarefied atmosphere they generate, and because we are all hopeless romantics”

3. Custom photography, natural history, exploration and mother-ship kayaking charters throughout the Southeast Alaska, the Inside Passage and the San Juan Islands

Specifications