Welcome aboard!

No visit to the Virginia V would be complete without having a look at the engine room, to watch her 100+ year old triple expansion steam engine in operation.

The engine room is open on both sides, which allows passengers to be able to watch the engine in action. The door on the far left leads into the chief engineer's tool room.

The big red handle on the right is the lever that puts the engine in reverse. In the upper right is the engine order telegraph which is how the captain sends orders from the wheel house to the engine room.

The large pipe in the upper left is connected to the diesel fired boiler which supplies steam to the engine.

Every Thursday during summer is Farm Boat day. The ship sits at the dock, and is open for tours, in addition to hosting various produce vendors. There was a time in history when ships like the Virginia V stopped at various farms and hauled produce from farm to market.

Years ago, there were thousands of steamships like the Virginia V, which were the equivalent of our modern day ferry system. These steamships hauled passengers, freight, produce, and most anything you can think of.

For many years, the Virginia V hauled thousands of young campers to summer camp on Vashon Island.

Today, the Virginia V is the last of what was once known as the Mosquito Fleet.