claimed that the Academy had violated the law by selling an unseaworthy vessel to an owner who could not afford to repair her, while the state countered that the law exempted unregistered vessels used primarily for government purposes, that the Academy had never registered John N. Cobb and therefore was not bound by the law, that the Academy was free to surplus the vessel in any way it saw fit consistent with the wishes of her donor, and that any matter of financial restitution to the port was matter between the port and Webb. Meanwhile, the Port of Port Townsend sought and gained custody of John N. Cobb because of her overdue mooring fees, pumped the water out of her, and hauled her out of the water in October 2016 for an inspection, estimating her to be worth US$300,000 once repaired but requiring US$250,000 in repairs, and estimating her scrap value as US$50,000. Hoping to find a buyer who would preserve her but willing to sell her to a scrapyard if no other buyer came forward, the port then put her up for sale. On 26 April 2017, Ron Sloan purchased John N. Cobb, and he contracted with the fishing vessel Sunnford to tow her from Seattle to Winchester Bay, Oregon, where she arrived on 18 August 2017. As of 2017, John N. Cobb was undergoing repair for commercial use in tuna fishing and for charter for fisheries research and other activities during the off-season. See also NOAA ships and aircraft Notes References External links Prézelin, Bernard, and A. D. Baker III. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Armament. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute, 1990. . 1950 ships Ships built in Tacoma, Washington Ships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ships of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state) National Register of Historic Places in Seattle Fishing ships of the United States