Date:  Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Contact: Marta Coursey, Director of Communications 206-515-3918

UPDATE: Monday, March 15: The 124-car Kitsap returned to service on the Seattle/Bremerton route today, Monday, March 15 after the completing necessary hull repairs. This restores capacity on the route.

Tuesday, March 9 News Release
BREMERTON – The 124-car Kitsap has been removed from service for necessary hull repairs. The vessel is expected to remain out of service through this week and the coming weekend.

Onboard crews discovered a small crack in the vessel’s hull during a routine inspection on Tuesday, March 9 while the Kitsap was tied up overnight at Bremerton. The crack, located three feet below the waterline on the No. 2 end (Seattle facing) starboard (north facing) side, resulted in a small amount of water in two of the hull’s compartment spaces.

The 90-car Sealth, which is operating on the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route, will replace the Kitsap on the Seattle/Bremerton route. The 34-car Hiyu, on standby at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility, will replace the Sealth on the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route beginning with the 2:45 p.m. sailing from Point Defiance. The 1:50 p.m. sailing from Point Defiance and the 2:15 p.m. sailing from Tahlequah are canceled to reposition ferries.

WSF anticipates the Sealth will be available in time for 4:20 p.m. sailing from Seattle. The one boat schedule for the remainder of the afternoon is as follows:

From Seattle: 12:35 p.m., 3 p.m.
From Bremerton: 1:45 p.m.

Customers should check E-mail Alerts and the WSF Web site (www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) throughout the day as this situation is progressing. Information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

The Kitsap will be tugged to drydock at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle for repairs on Thursday, March 11.

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