Ferry Kennewick out of service until mid July; Coupeville to get second boat Sunday

For the second time in as many months, ferry service between Coupeville and Port Townsend has been reduced to one boat due to a rudder issue. It will return to two vessels Sunday when the Chetzemoka returns to service across Admiralty Inlet.

By Ron Newberry • June 15, 2016 9:33 pm
The ferry Kennewick departs Coupeville on its way to Port Townsend earlier this year. The vessel could be out of service for a month due to worn rudder components.
The ferry Kennewick departs Coupeville on its way to Port Townsend earlier this year. The vessel could be out of service for a month due to worn rudder components.

For the second time in as many months, ferry service between Coupeville and Port Townsend has been reduced to one boat due to a rudder issue.

The Kennewick was taken out of service Wednesday after an inspection revealed that parts of the rudder were showing significant signs of wear.

It is the same issue that placed the Salish out of service in early May and reduced service during that route to one boat.

“The fix quite honestly is a matter of days,” said Ian Sterling, a spokesperson with Washington State Ferries, comparing it to replacing worn-out brake pads in cars. “Dry dock availability is the problem. We are not able to get it to a dry dock for a while. The quickest we could get it into service is the middle of July.”

The Kennewick will be replaced by its sister vessel, the Chetzemoka, Sunday morning to handle the route across Admiralty Inlet. The Chetzemoka’s service between Point Defiance in Tacoma to the Tahlequah landing on Vashon Island was canceled Thursday morning so that divers could examine its rudder components. It passed inspection, Sterling said.

The Chetzemoka, Salish and Kennewick all belong to the Kwa-di Tabil class of ferries that carry 64 vehicles and are the only ones in the fleet capable of navigating the difficult passage into Keystone Harbor. They were commissioned to replace the 80-year-old Steel Electrics that were retired in 2007.

If the Chetzemoka hadn’t checked out OK, the Coupeville-to-Port Townend route could have continued to operate with one vessel for another month.

Five sailings from Coupeville and five more from Port Townsend were canceled Wednesday. The state agency is not taking any new reservations through this weekend.

The rudder components at issue with the Kennewick are hinge bushings and pins that are worn beyond their allowable limits, Sterling said.

“The parts are designed to wear out,” Sterling said. “We just didn’t expect them to wear out this quickly.”

The Chetzemoka started service in November, 2010, followed by the Salish (2011) and Kennewick (2012).Seattle’s Vigor Industrial, formerly Todd Pacific Shipyards, constructed all three ferries. Freeland-based Nichols Brothers Boat Builders built the superstructures for all three vessels.

“These aren’t old vessels,” Sterling said Wednesday. “We’re working with the rudder manufacturer to figure out why this is happening.”