The MV Hiyu is a ferry vessel built in 1967 by Gunderson Brothers in Portland, Oregon. Designed to replace the aging wooden ferry MV Skansonia on the Point Defiance–Tahlequah route, she measures approximately 162 feet (49 meters) in length. The Hiyu features a capacity for 34 cars and 200 passengers, making her the smallest ferry in the Washington State Ferries fleet upon her retirement in 2016. Her design includes a car deck with a height clearance of 11 feet (3.4 meters), allowing trucks to access Vashon Island without detouring to Fauntleroy, thus improving route efficiency. Initially, the Hiyu served the Point Defiance–Tahlequah route, operating there until the late 1980s when increased traffic necessitated a larger vessel, leading to her reassignment to the San Juan Islands. In her San Juan role, she served as an inter-island ferry calling at San Juan Island, Orcas Island, Shaw Island, and Lopez Island. By the late 1990s, her small size again proved limiting, and she was replaced by the larger MV Nisqually. Throughout her service, the Hiyu was periodically used as a backup vessel, especially after the removal of the Steel Electric-class ferries in 2007, which left her as the sole backup ferry in the fleet. She was also employed for special purposes, including filming commercials such as a 1999 commercial for the Seattle Seahawks, and occasionally operated on routes like Steilacoom-Anderson Island during emergencies. For over a decade, she was mothballed at Washington State Ferries' Eagle Harbor maintenance facility, used mainly for training and minor service. The vessel saw intermittent service from 2007 onward, notably covering for vessels like the MV Rhododendron, MV Evergreen State, and others during maintenance or breakdowns. Despite proposals to permanently assign her to specific routes, budget limitations prevented this. Her final service occurred in 2015, with her retirement announced in 2016. After unsuccessful attempts to sell her at auction, she was eventually sold in 2017 to a private buyer for use as a floating entertainment venue on Lake Union.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.