Forus

Mike Rydqvist McCammon (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 94/02/2019) reports that "Sunken boat "Forus" being removed from the Columbia River near Finley, WA 14 Aug 2013 (nbcrightnow & Crosscut, Joe Follansbee photos) Owner Brandon Traner of Portland, OR was evicted from the Columbia Marine Center in Pasco in July, 2013.

He asked a friend to pilot the 41 foot former salmon fishing boat to the Hat Rock Marina in Oregon. Lyle Aylett, who was piloting the boat, got as far as Finley, when it began taking on water rapidly. Aylett was able to jump off and swim to shore, but the M/V Forus went to the bottom in about 40 feet of water. When contacted by state officials and the EPA, Traner said he had neither the resources or insurance to remove or salvage the vessel. A search of various shipping records was not able to trace back the history of the Forus, how old this vessel was, or how Traner came into possession of the vessel. On 5 Mar 2014, The AG's office announced charges against the owner. (newstalk870am 5 Mar 2014)" Alfred W. Richter (Email to John MacFarlane 10/06/2020) stated "I owned the Forus from 1997 until 2002. It was much roomier and I believe one of the best west coast troller designs ever. Very safe and comfortable even in storm force conditions. Believe me, I tested it! Story goes that the first of this design was the Saturnina. The owner asked Robert Allan to improve one of his designs for the Hecate Straits following seas. Hence the unusual stern. Not a double ender and not a horseshoe stern. Yellow cedar timber pile. It worked. The auto pilot had to be shut off in big following seas on the Brockton Isle while on the Forus it was easy. I have even cooked breakfast and cleaned up while sipping coffee on pilot while the boat next wave or two would go out of sight. All the 42’ “Ocean” boats built by Maurice Gronlund were of this design. Forus was also powered by a Gardner, a 6LX. I owned it from 1997 till 2002. I sold it to Tom Rusich and he sold it to the last owner. Another rot free and leak free boat with a beautiful engine dying in the hands of an incompetent. I bought the Esteem after that and switched over my scallop trawl gear and put a C licence on it. That market never took off and. I eventually sold it. I now have one of 6 swimming scallop by trawl licences. I also kept trolling for a few more seasons by leasing the Rendal. Another big old Gardner boat. All this time I was doing boat repairs and conversions in the off seasons and took it up full time after fishing and now have a shop here behind my house on Quadra. Still poking away at it."