Date:  Friday, February 27, 2009

Contact: Susan Harris-Huether, Senior Programs Manager, 206-515-3460
Marta Coursey, Communications Director, 206-515-3918

POINT DEFIANCE – The Point Defiance/Tahlequah (Tacoma to south Vashon Island) route will continue to operate at reduced capacity with the 34-car Hiyu through early next week. Crews have discovered a boiler problem on the 48-car Rhododendron that must be repaired before the vessel can return to service.

The Rhododendron was removed from service on Jan. 5 for scheduled maintenance and its annual inspection. The vessel was scheduled to return to the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route this weekend. However, during U.S. Coast Guard-required testing on Thursday, Feb. 26, crews discovered a leak in the vessel's heating boiler. To repair the leak, crews need to disassemble the sectional-type boiler, replace the gaskets, reassemble the boiler, and retest it. It is anticipated that the vessel will be ready to return to service on Tuesday, March 3.

“We are very sorry for the daily inconvenience that our customers have faced for the past two months while the Rhododendron has been unavailable, and we apologize that we have to extend the capacity reduction for a few more days,” said David Moseley, Assistant Secretary for Washington State Ferries. “We have crews working through the weekend to repair the boiler and make the vessel safe for service as soon as possible.”

For more ferry system information, please visit the WSF Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, click on the link in the far left column of the Web site.

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