Columbia River Bowpicker - "MS Wolf"

The MS Wolf is one of the last floating examples of the Columbia River Bowpicker.  These vessels were developed in the 19th century to gillnet for salmon along the banks of the Columbia River. They are named Bowpickers in reference to their configuration fishing from the front of the vessel, casting nets and drifting down river with the bow facing into the current.

The MS Wolf was built in 1932 by the Blix Brothers on Puget Island, Washington. She spent most of her life fishing the Columbia River, later retiring as a working tugboat.  In 1986 Bruce Hebeler and Linda Wolf breathed new life into the tired work boat. They fully restored her over the ensuing decades, using her as a pleasure craft and tour boat along the Willamette and Columbia from Portland, Oregon. The vessel is 28’ long with a 3.5’ draft and 8’ beam. She’s built of Alaskan Yellow Cedar over bent Oak frames with Mahogany transom and stem. She sports a Perkins 4 cylinder 108, 80 horsepower diesel engine with a hull speed of 8 knots.

The MS Wolf is part of our charter vessel and public sail fleet. The vessel is configured with a large forward seating area that can comfortably accommodate six passengers. The captain drives the vessel from behind the cabin house, aft of the vessel. Reservations can be made online and are available Wednesday-Sunday through the summer.