After 52 years, the Washington State Ferry, Hyak, conducted its last day of service Sunday on the Seattle to Bremerton route.

The last sailing was scheduled for 9:05 p.m. Sunday night, but foot traffic on the previous sailing coming into Bremerton delayed the last sailing by an hour, resulting in a 10 p.m. final sailing to Bremerton. Riders appeared to recognize the significance of the crossing as many were taking photos of the vessel as it departed Seattle’s Colman Dock

“I have been interested in ferries my whole life and I still remember the first time I rode this boat,” frequent rider Luke Ward said. “I was in kindergarten and I instantly loved this boat. I’ve ridden it on all four routes and I’ve been on here more times than I can count.”

The Hyak has served Washington State Ferries’ routes since July 1967, including the Seattle–Bremerton route, Seattle–Bainbridge Island route, the San Juan Islands and the Edmonds–Kingston route. The vessel will now be decommissioned and will be sold through the state surplus process.

“It’s bittersweet, it really is,” Capt. Gary Simpson said, who helmed the vessel on its last sailing. “This boat has been great; it’s been one of the more dependable ferries, it just hasn’t had the refurbishments.”

After its final crossing, the ferry sailed over to WSF’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island for crews to remove all usable equipment and prepare the vessel for sale.

“The Hyak was in the governor’s budget but legislature decided not to fund the vessel for continued service,” said WSF’s deputy director of communications, Dana Warr.

“The ferry system is going towards leaner, greener and more fuel-efficient ferries with more passenger comfort,” Simpson said. “It’s sad to see it go, but I understand it needs to happen.”

The Hyak was the first of WSF’s four Super class ferries. The ferry first entered service on the Seattle–Bremerton route after being constructed at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego. The name Hyak is tribal Chinook jargon meaning “fast or speedy.” According to Simpson, the vessel lived up to its name.

“It’s real maneuverable and real nice for Rich Passage. It will stop a little quicker than some of the heavier boats where you need to be right on your marks.”

Simpson also recalled the demolition of the Kingdome, back when he served as a crew member aboard the Hyak as it was docked in Seattle.

Another crew member who has borne witness to many of the Hyak’s milestones, Staff Chief Engineer Dave Knutsen, retired alongside the Hyak as it docked in Bremerton.

“It’s kind of a weird feeling because I’ve always had such a structure of going to work and going to school,” Knutsen said.

Knutsen started working on the ferry dock in 1977, working the ticket booth before making the jump to the engine room. He said that at the time, he only saw it as a temporary job to pay off his student loans, before meeting his girlfriend and getting married.

“I love turning wrenches,” Knutsen said of deciding to stay with WSF throughout the years. “The schedule is week-on, week-off. On the weeks off, you can go on camping trips and fishing trips. It’s a great job.”

Knutsen has worked on the Hyak for 12 years and raves about the durability and simplicity of the vessel.

“It’s all old school, everything is simple,” he said. “If something breaks, you can see what’s wrong with it and you can fix it. There is something to be said about keeping things simple.”

Even though the boat is headed for decommission, Knutsen insists it still could be used as an active ferry.

“It’s built to last and it’s got a lot of life left in it; I guarantee it. There is no reason why this boat couldn’t run the way it is for a while.”

The Hyak’s retirement will now bring the WSF fleet down to 22 ferries.

“WSF requires 19 vessels to fully operate the summer schedule, and, with 12 more boats due for retirement in the next 20 years, there is an increased risk of service disruptions due to routine maintenance requirements and unexpected repairs that become more common with old vessels,” a press release from WSDOT states.

“It’s an interesting boat, they don’t make them like this anymore,” Ward said as the Hyak cut across the waves of the Puget Sound for the final time as a Washington State Ferry. “It’s time for this boat, but it’s hard to let this boat go.”

Tyler Shuey is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at tshuey@soundpublishing.com