Post by lifc on Mar 6, 2014 23:37:17 GMT -8
When I started our investigation about looking into the possibility of getting the HIYU for Lummi Island, I asked the State Surplus Ferry person if there were any other good used ferries around. He said, "Yes there is one, we looked at it, looks good, but it's too small for us, I think it came from Alaska, here I'll send you the photos". I said, Ketchikan? He said, "I think so".
That lead me to remember that Ketchikan airport was served by two ferries, and that they had recently replaced them. I knew the former ones had came from Lake Champlain and Lake Champlain Transportation Company had drove them all the way from New York to Ketchikan in the 1980s. I figured it was one of the two 80 footers I knew about. When I looked at the pictures, it looked a bit bigger, then I went to the Vessel Registry, and it said it was 92 registered feet long, so I went back to the LCT's website and found that they had delivered a third one in 1987.
The boat is the Ex Ketchikan - Bob Ellis, ex LCT -Mt. Marcy. I got a hold of the owner, and arranged a visit on Feb 12, the same day we visited the HIYU. It is set up with three car lanes on one side, will haul about 15 cars and has two passenger spaces, one on the deck under the upper passenger space. The boat is in great shape and in license. It's tied up at Lake Union Drydock next to a bunch of floating derelicts. The last time it went out was at Seafair, with sand on the deck to make a moveable beach. The owner has another job and has nor pursued its use too much, although he has taken it up to try it out for the Guemes Dry-Dock, they are interested.
Our idea was to see if it would work as a replacement vessel for the Whatcom Chief when it goes to Dry-Dock in September. Since the late 1960's, the County has rented a Passenger Boat, usually a Whale Watch boat to carry passengers, now the Dry-Dock is up to three weeks long. The result is that everyone on the Island has to lay in groceries and other supplies, find parking on the Mainland side, and it is generally a large pain. The Whatcom Chief leaves a day or two after Labor day, causing all kinds of problems and the loss of almost all economic activity on the Island for most of September.
So, Greg Brown, County Ferry Board Member, and I, forwarded our information to the County. the owner said he contacted them in 2011 when he first got the boat, even offered to take it up to the Island and try it out, but, the County didn't seem to be to interested. Our first contact with them revealed a similar result, however, we also copied the County Council, they asked the questions. now it is being considered, perhaps due to the just appointed Ferry Coordinator.
I didn't know it was here, I feel a bit stupid about that somehow. However, finding out that this boat has been available for a least the last two years does not give me warm fuzzy feelings, knowing that we could have used it for Dry-Dock during this time. My preliminary computations show that by using this boat, instead of the usual Whale Watch boat, it could save the County Ferry Fund about $100,00.00 a year, as well as saving individuals a lot too.
It is virtually the same size as the Whatcom Chief, will fit the docks and will carry about 3/4 the cars that they put on the Chief. Yes, some people who have to make a schedule will still have to walk on and get in their car on the mainland. There is enough County provided parking to handle the reduced amount that would have to walk-on. With the Passenger boat, the County Parking is less than 1/3 of what is needed. Let's hope it works out. Here's the link to the photos.
picasaweb.google.com/118442442583850006146/TrekPhotos?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnKm8rYxIDy9wE
Another Local Ferry........
That lead me to remember that Ketchikan airport was served by two ferries, and that they had recently replaced them. I knew the former ones had came from Lake Champlain and Lake Champlain Transportation Company had drove them all the way from New York to Ketchikan in the 1980s. I figured it was one of the two 80 footers I knew about. When I looked at the pictures, it looked a bit bigger, then I went to the Vessel Registry, and it said it was 92 registered feet long, so I went back to the LCT's website and found that they had delivered a third one in 1987.
The boat is the Ex Ketchikan - Bob Ellis, ex LCT -Mt. Marcy. I got a hold of the owner, and arranged a visit on Feb 12, the same day we visited the HIYU. It is set up with three car lanes on one side, will haul about 15 cars and has two passenger spaces, one on the deck under the upper passenger space. The boat is in great shape and in license. It's tied up at Lake Union Drydock next to a bunch of floating derelicts. The last time it went out was at Seafair, with sand on the deck to make a moveable beach. The owner has another job and has nor pursued its use too much, although he has taken it up to try it out for the Guemes Dry-Dock, they are interested.
Our idea was to see if it would work as a replacement vessel for the Whatcom Chief when it goes to Dry-Dock in September. Since the late 1960's, the County has rented a Passenger Boat, usually a Whale Watch boat to carry passengers, now the Dry-Dock is up to three weeks long. The result is that everyone on the Island has to lay in groceries and other supplies, find parking on the Mainland side, and it is generally a large pain. The Whatcom Chief leaves a day or two after Labor day, causing all kinds of problems and the loss of almost all economic activity on the Island for most of September.
So, Greg Brown, County Ferry Board Member, and I, forwarded our information to the County. the owner said he contacted them in 2011 when he first got the boat, even offered to take it up to the Island and try it out, but, the County didn't seem to be to interested. Our first contact with them revealed a similar result, however, we also copied the County Council, they asked the questions. now it is being considered, perhaps due to the just appointed Ferry Coordinator.
I didn't know it was here, I feel a bit stupid about that somehow. However, finding out that this boat has been available for a least the last two years does not give me warm fuzzy feelings, knowing that we could have used it for Dry-Dock during this time. My preliminary computations show that by using this boat, instead of the usual Whale Watch boat, it could save the County Ferry Fund about $100,00.00 a year, as well as saving individuals a lot too.
It is virtually the same size as the Whatcom Chief, will fit the docks and will carry about 3/4 the cars that they put on the Chief. Yes, some people who have to make a schedule will still have to walk on and get in their car on the mainland. There is enough County provided parking to handle the reduced amount that would have to walk-on. With the Passenger boat, the County Parking is less than 1/3 of what is needed. Let's hope it works out. Here's the link to the photos.
picasaweb.google.com/118442442583850006146/TrekPhotos?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnKm8rYxIDy9wE
Another Local Ferry........
