Washington state ferry Chinook for sale again on eBay

Washington State Ferries has again put its passenger boat Chinook on eBay.

Last month, the state advertised the boat for sale but got no bidders. It relisted the ferry Tuesday, with the same $4.5 million starting bid. Bidding ends March 14.

While the state got no bids last month, it did receive several phone calls, said Traci Brewer-Rogstad, deputy executive director of the ferries.

"Rather than play a guessing game on a price, we decided to put it back on at the same price," she said, adding that when the Legislature directed the agency to sell the Chinook and its sister ship, the Snohomish, it was to get market value for the vessels.

"We're trying to sell the boats," Brewer-Rogstad said, "but not at a heavily discounted price."

The Chinook has been mothballed at the Eagle Harbor maintenance yard for the past four years.

The state had planned to sell the Chinook and the Snohomish, both passenger ferries that ran between Bremerton and Seattle until the state pulled out of the route. The state was hoping to get $9 million for both boats.

But the Snohomish has been put back in service, first to run between Port Townsend and Keystone when the four Steel Electric Class boats were pulled out of service and more recently between Seattle and Bremerton when another boat was disabled.

Brewer-Rogstad couldn't say what will happen if this latest eBay listing fails to sell the Chinook.

Tim McGuigan, director of legal services for the ferry system, said the Chinook will be re-examined today and there could be a third eBay listing at a revised minimum bid.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com