BREMERTON — Kitsap Transit is running its foot ferry service across Sinclair Inlet with a single boat, and riders shouldn’t expect relief before mid-December.
Annapolis Ferry sailings have been canceled until further notice. The M/V Waterman is out of service with mechanical problems, and the agency is waiting for parts to repair it, according to Kitsap Transit’s rider alerts. The backup boat, the historic Carlisle II, is in dry dock for its required Coast Guard inspection.
“We’re down to one vessel on the Port Orchard route,” Executive Director John Clauson told the Kitsap Transit board Tuesday.
Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu, a board member, asked how long it will be until the boats are back. “As you know, Waterman’s broken, and we’re really impacted with our ferry service across Sinclair Inlet,” he said.
Clauson said the Carlisle II isn’t expected back until mid-December. The Waterman will be “down for quite a while, unfortunately,” he said. Kitsap Transit is looking into chartering a boat to fill in but hasn’t found one.
“It’s crowded in the afternoon on that little boat,” Putaansuu said.
“Yes. Painfully aware,” Clauson said.
Carlisle II repairs grow
The Carlisle II is in dry dock at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend for its two-year Coast Guard inspection. Once it was out of the water, inspectors found more work was needed: an inspection of the hull fasteners and repairs to the hull, benches, wheelhouse steps, wheelhouse structure and a leak in the upper deck.
Those repairs total $123,880. At the board’s Oct. 20 meeting, Clauson put the figure at $118,665. Another repair has come up since. Clauson approved the change orders under his emergency authority, with the board chair’s agreement, and the board acknowledged them Tuesday with no opposition.
“This is a boat, and they find things whenever it’s out of the water,” Clauson said.
What riders can do
Since Monday, Nov. 2, the Port Orchard Ferry has been running a temporary weekday schedule with more sailings during commute hours. Routes 181-Annapolis and 119-Madrona are making stops at the Port Orchard Ferry Dock while the Annapolis Ferry is out. Kitsap Transit says riders may see longer lines and delays at peak times.
The agency also warns that the Port Orchard Ferry has no backup vessel until further notice. Kitsap Transit said it would post an update on Annapolis Ferry service by Friday, Nov. 6. The temporary schedule is at kitsaptransit.com/service/foot-ferry.
More boat work ahead
The board also awarded a $1.93 million contract to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders to haul out the fast ferry Enetai for its own two-year Coast Guard inspection and a list of repairs. “Just know that this is the down payment,” Putaansuu said. “Once the Coast Guard inspects, we get to do the change order.”
The ferry woes reach beyond Sinclair Inlet. The board packet includes an Oct. 29 email to Kitsap Transit, Washington State Ferries and local legislators from Bremerton-route commuter Jason Simmons. He wrote it while standing in line after a state ferry broke down and a fast ferry was canceled. “Getting to work shouldn’t be a crapshoot,” he wrote.
Leave a Reply