By EVAN THOMPSON
ethompson@whidbeynewsgroup.com
Out of commission for more than a month, it will likely be several more weeks before the South Whidbey Fire/EMS’s new fireboat returns to service.
The boat’s starboard engine failed on June 25 during a regular training exercise, according to district Assistant Chief Paul Busch. The engine must be replaced.
The fireboat was built with about $500,000 from federal grant funds. It’s currently at North Island Boats in Anacortes waiting to be repaired.
“There’s a piston that broke in the cylinder,” said Mike Goff, owner of North Island Boats. “I’m not sure anybody who has truly identified the cause of the failure of the engine.”
Engines of the same specifications typically cost from $30,000 to $35,000, Goff said.
It’s still unclear, however, who will be picking up the tab.
A warranty with the engine manufacturer, Hamilton Engine Sales, is for one year or 1,000 hours of usage. The boat was put into service in May 2014, but crews have only put 250 hours on the 450-horsepower engines, and fire officials are hoping for a break.
“We haven’t had the chance to use it on an actual fire yet,” Busch said. “We’ve been out on some marine rescues and have done some training exercises and drilling.
“But no fires yet with it.”
If the district does get stuck with the bill, funding for a replacement will come out of the general fund and capital expenditure budgets, Busch said. A negative impact on either fund is not expected.
Busch hopes he will find out whether the engine will be covered by the warranty in the next week or so.
What caused the cylinders to overheat is somewhat of a mystery, said Goff, especially considering it’s a fairly new engine with low hours.
“The design of the pump seems to be fine, the propulsion seem to be fine,” Goff said. “There is evidence of stress on the motor, but the numbers indicate there shouldn’t be.”
Busch said the boat’s operators were out on the water for no more than five minutes when the engine failed. They limped back to dock with the port engine, and the next day the vessel was sent to Anacortes for repair.
