Commander, Navy Region Northwest’s vintage barge, Old Man IV, attended the Bell Street Pier Classic
Rendezvous in Seattle June 13-15. The event, sponsored by the Classic Yacht Association, allows the
public to tour classic ships. For a ship to be considered classic it must be of good design, construction,
and maintenance, and built before 1943.
Although Old Man IV was built in 1957, its presence at the event promotes the tradition of the Navy.
The ship’s function is to “show the public what the Navy used to be like,” said Senior Chief Quartermaster
(SW) Bradley Riegel, operations chief. People leave Old Man IV feeling impressed, he said.
Old Man IV’s history dates back to its construction at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 1957. It was designed
by Ed Monk Sr., a ship designer, and is one of only two ships afloat carrying its design. The ship was based
at Sandpoint and then Seattle before moving to its current location at Naval Undersea Warfare Center,
Division Keyport, in 1996.
Old Man IV was originally used by admirals for transportation purposes. Navy tradition dictated that an
admiral should have a personal ship, and Old Man IV fulfilled that role in the Pacific Northwest. A crew
was always ready to man the ship and to take the admiral wherever he or she needed to be. Along with
official matters, Old Man IV was used for family events.
As Old Man IV grew older, it evolved into a symbol of naval tradition. The vessel’s original framework
consisted of several types of wood, including Alaskan yellow cedar, teak, mahogany, and fir. Although
the ship has undergone a renovation that upgraded its engines and technical components, its exterior
looks the same as it did 51 years ago.
Telling people about this history is a “good way to show another aspect of the Navy,” said Boatswains
Mate 1st Class (SW) Corey Broadnax, coxswain of Old Man IV.
This insight rings true with the public. Old Man IV has won several awards, including the South Sound
Opening Day “Best Wooden Boat” award in 2006 and the Tacoma Yacht Club “Classic Wooden Boats”
award for 3rd place in the Daffodil Parade in 2007.
Despite Old Man IV’s popularity at maritime festivals, “we don’t go to win awards,” Riegel said.
Instead, the crew focuses on interacting with the civilian community and showing it a side of the Navy
not conventionally seen.
“You meet a lot of people,” said Engineman 1st Class Mark Franco. Even when the crew is not on board,
it manages to persuade people to tour the ship, he added.
The crew is efficient at handling large crowds of visitors. The three Sailors each have their own responsibilities
when giving tours, and the system that they use works. At one recent event, 924 people boarded the ship in
only two days, according to Riegel.
Old Man IV is still an active Navy vessel because she can maneuver well in the water. Franco recalls the first time
he steered the ship at an event, saying that a boat owner challenged the crew to complete a difficult “stern-in,”
or parking job, between two sailboats. The space was tight for a 50-foot ship like Old Man IV, but a visiting admiral
aboard the ship coolly accepted the challenge. Franco then steered the ship to its resting place on his first attempt.
Old Man IV is scheduled to attend 24 events in 2008. Besides being open to the public at these events, Old Man IV is
available to Navy personnel for commanding officer ceremonies, retirement services, and re-enlistment services.
“This is fun,” Franco said, waiting to begin the yacht parade at the classic rendezvous. “Good times, good times.”