State's 'Pirates' ship too dirty for Calif.

Washington's official state ship, the venerable Lady Washington, is no longer welcome in California.

The 112-foot square-rigger, perhaps best-known as the ship hijacked by Jack Sparrow in the Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean," normally spends its winters in California waters. Last winter, it hosted more than 70,000 visitors and took more than 7,000 California school kids sailing from California ports.

But not this year. Despite its 4,442 square feet of ever-so-green sail power, the Lady W also employs a 60-year-old diesel engine that fails to meet California's air-pollution standards.

"If they didn't run that engine, there wouldn't be a problem," explained Cherie Rainforth, a staffer at the California Air Resources Board.

Canceling the California voyages means no school trips, no tourist excursions and no ticket revenue for the nonprofit Grays Harbor Historic Seaport Authority, which depends on that income to keep the ship running.

"We sail the ship as much as possible, but we still have to operate that engine," says Les Bolton, executive director of the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, which operates the ship from its home port in Aberdeen. "And it's unfortunate that our engine isn't as clean as it should be."

The Lady Washington spends the summer in Washington waters, primarily Puget Sound.

Bolton has launched a campaign to raise the $100,000 needed to replace the aging Detroit diesel with a new, less-polluting power plant.

The Lady Washington was built in 1989 as a replica of the ship sailed by Robert Gray, who explored the Washington coast and the Columbia River in 1792. Crewed mostly by volunteers, the ship focuses on maritime education for young people and adults. It has been designated Washington's official state ship.

In 2002 Disney chartered the Lady and paid the costs of repairs and improvements, so it could be used in the first "Pirates" movie, starring Johnny Depp. It was the only complete sailing ship used in the film. The others, including the pirate ship Black Pearl, were temporary sets.

Bolton acknowledges there is some irony in pollution laws that effectively ban a historic sailing ship, especially one with Hollywood credentials. But his response is somewhat philosophical.

"Government is supposed to treat everybody equally," he said. "And, when it comes to air pollution, what difference does it make if your vessel is carrying school kids or tourists?"

The Korean War-era diesel engine already was 40 years old when it was installed in the Lady W in 1989. It has been "a rock star" when it comes to reliability, Bolton said. "Once you get it started, it will run forever."

But it runs dirty, emitting too much black diesel exhaust, he said.

Rainforth, the California air-quality official, says it might be possible to find an exemption under California regulations, which provide some leeway for vessels that are historic or involved in marine education or research.

But any such exemption would be temporary, she said.

"We've already decided to upgrade," Bolton said. "Our diesel emissions are like throwing a gum wrapper out the window. But we're not going to ask for a temporary exemption. We represent the state of Washington, and we feel we should do the right thing and upgrade to a cleaner engine."

Ross Anderson, a former Seattle Times reporter, can be reached at ross_inkstainedwretch@hotmail.com