FRS Clipper Launches 103-Foot Emerald Clipper Catamaran for Whale Watching

Mavrik Marine launched the Emerald Clipper into La Conner Channel on March 10, completing a build that will send Seattle's only dedicated whale-watching operator into the 2026 season with nearly double its current passenger throughput. The 103-foot, all-aluminium catamaran was designed by One2Three Naval Architects in Sydney, Australia, and constructed at Mavrik's facility in La Conner, Washington, before being transported to the Port of Skagit launch site on a self-propelled hydraulic dolly system.

The launch itself required two cranes working in sequence: a stationary heavy lift crane and a crawler crane rigged to the hull, which lifted and walked the vessel to the shoreline before swinging it over the channel and lowering it into the water. Two tugs then secured the Emerald Clipper and towed her to the marina dock, where Mavrik completed a commissioning checklist and commenced sea trials ahead of delivery to FRS Clipper.

Under the hood, the vessel runs four Scania DI16-082M diesel engines driving Hamilton HTX42 waterjets through ZF gearboxes, delivering a cruising speed of 32 knots and a range of 340 nautical miles. The build was designed to comply with U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T requirements. She carries 150 passengers per sailing with a crew of four to eight personnel, and the main cabin features floor-to-ceiling windows, entertainment systems, air conditioning, a galley, and a shop stocking souvenirs, beverages, and hot food. Two upper decks provide open-air viewing during clear weather, while the sheltered outdoor deck configuration keeps guests comfortable on rougher Puget Sound days.

Emerald Clipper will replace the MV San Juan Clipper, an 85-foot vessel that entered service in 1990 and has been the company's primary whale-watching platform ever since. The size jump, from 85 feet to 103 feet, and the two-sailing-per-day operational plan add up to a potential 300 guests per day on the water, compared to the single-vessel operation the San Juan Clipper enabled.

FRS Clipper, operating as Clipper Navigation, Inc., plans to begin its "Only Seattle Wildlife & Whale Watching Tour" in May, departing from Pier 69. The vessel is named after Seattle's "Emerald City" nickname, a nod to the evergreen forests surrounding the region. On those tours, guests typically encounter orcas alongside bald eagles, seals, and sea lions across the Salish Sea, Puget Sound, and the Juan de Fuca Strait. The company, a member of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, has transported more than eight million travelers since launching ferry service between Seattle and Victoria in 1986. Bookings for 2026 whale-watching tours are open at frs-clipper.com/whales.