Once outside the marina the vessel was taken by
a 4000 horse power tug boat to an Alameda drydock
for epoxy encapsulation of the hull by a process
similar to that which is used by Subsea Coating
Systems to restore concrete barges.
To
Sausalito mariners and floating home owners the
Vallejo is a well known historical landmark. The
Vallejo is a 150 foot long, steam powered passenger
ferry that served the Vallejo to Mare Island run
in the from 1879 until 1949. It was eventually
retired to Varda Landing where it served as home,
studio and gathering place to a long list of artists,
writers, poets and beatniks including Gordon Onslow
Ford, Jean Varda, and Allen Watts. Much of its
interior is being preserved in the style of its
famous former inhabitants and their original art
works and sculptures adorn the walls and ceilings.
The
Vallejo is being restored by its current owners
whose goal is to continue the vessels eclectic
history and preserve it as a Sausalito landmark
for another 120 years.
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