Sand Man (tugboat)


Sand Man is a historic tugboat museum ship in Percival Landing, Olympia, Washington. It was built in 1910 by Crawford and Reid in Tacoma, Washington from old-growth Douglas fir and measures in length and in height.
In July 2025, the boat was listed as impounded and up for auction at a starting bid of $10,000, to satisfy a debt of $28,966. The boat was considered to be in a "structurally compromised" condition due to dry docking since May 11, 2023, posing a safety risk.

History

The ship's wheel-house was designed and built by the Long family, Olympia. Jake Frisch built the doors and windows in 1910.
The ship was originally used to transport sand and gravel scows throughout the Puget Sound during its first 15 years of service.
The hull restoration was completed in 2000 by PT Shipwrights Co-op, in Port Townsend, Washington. The cabins and engine restoration was completed in 2005 by Paul Deranleau and his crew of volunteers in Olympia, after being out of the water for 7 years for work at Swantown Marina. Sand Man originally it had copper sheathing to protect the hull, later this was replaced with ironbark wood sheathing. The ship still has the original Stanley Steamer engine used for the towing winch that is run by compressed air. Only a few of this type of tug remain.
From 1910 to 1987 Sand Man operated as a commercial tugboat and towboat in Puget Sound, with home port in Olympia. In 1974, Sand Man ran she first race in Olympia's annual Labor Day tugboat races held in the Olympia Harbor Days Festival.
The boat sank twice, once in 1998 from a rotting hull, and again on its way for reconstruction at Port Townsend. Over the next several years, approximately $500,000 was spent on repairs to the hull, deck and cabins.
On August 6, 1998, Sand Man was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for vessels. She is also listed on the registers of Washington state Historic Site, and Historic Site by the City of Olympia.

Owners

  • 1910 – 1925 Arthur J. Weston, owner of Olympia Sand & Gravel Company. used to tow barges of sand and gravel, thus the ships name.
  • 1925 – 1955 Delta V. Smyth who owned of Delta Smyth Tug & Barge Company.
  • 1955 – 1964 Fred Chadwick who owned Capitol City Towing Company.
  • 1964 – 1987 Franz Schlottmann who owned Schlottmann Excavating & Towing
  • 1987 – 1997 Bob Powell; donated the ship to The Sand Man Foundation for $10.
  • 1997 – present The Sand Man Foundation.

Engines