The Kakala
She is rusting away in a dock in Tacoma now, but once upon a time the Kalakala was renowned as
the first aerodynamic art deco ferry in the world. The Washington State Ferry, built on the hull of another ship that burned down, plied the waters of Puget Sound from 1935 until 1967. The Kalakala's five decks had room for 2,000 passengers. The ferry boasted her own eight-piece orchestra, whose music was piped throughout the ship for dancing. About 30 million passengers rode the ship during her lifetime in Seattle. The streamlined design was built for speed. The vessel was powered by a 3,000 horsepower diesel engine and reached a maximum velocity of 18 knots (33 km/h or 21 mph).
Kalakala now
After her retirement the ferry served as a shrimp and crab processing ship in Alaska for more than 30 years. In 1998 it was bought by a group of artists and moved to Seattle. The money to restore her was never found, however, and the vessel - criticised as an eyesore - was auctioned, sold again and moved several times. The present owner said earlier this year that the ship might be converted to a ferry running on wind and solar power.
YouTube - Kalakala Newsreel Clips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lGA_x31yJU&feature=player_embedded#at=40