Fast ferries from Kingston, Southworth face threat of cancellations this fall

Riders from Kingston and Southworth may see their fast ferries canceled more often this fall, thanks to repairs on two boats announced by Kitsap Transit.

Two backup vessels will undergo repairs, scheduled to last until mid-November for one and early 2025 for another, Kitsap Transit said Tuesday . That means, until further notice, if either ferry experiences a mechanical issue that forces it out of service, all sailings may have to be canceled on that route.

The routes each operate with a primary vessel as well as a back up. The Enetai and Commander, built in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and the system's two newest ferries, were both taken out for the same diagnosis – an unanticipated failed part in the jet propulsion system, Kitsap Transit said in a statement. Neither vessel can return to service until the U.S. Coast Guard confirms the part is replaced satisfactorily.

Kitsap Transit said that it could take 15 to 20 weeks for the vendor that manufactures the damaged part to deliver the cast aluminum hull fitting that will later be installed on the vessel when it is later towed to dry dock. The Enetai will be out of service until mid-November, while the Commander will likely be out of service until early 2025 due to shipyard and parts availability and the fact that the part failure wasn’t identified until Monday. Kitsap Transit ferries Finest and Solano will now be the only ferries assigned to the two routes.

In the meantime, riders may also experience delays along the route. The Finest typically runs the Kingston–Seattle route. The Solano is typically reserved for backup and isn’t as fast as either of the benched ships. It may take the vessel longer than the regular 26 minutes to make the Southworth–Seattle crossing, according to Kitsap Transit.

In the event of sailing cancellations while the ferries operate without backup, Kitsap Transit said it will provide extra bus service between Kingston and the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal where riders can access Washington State Ferry routes to Seattle. On the Southworth route, Kitsap Transit will take a different approach and encourage riders to take the King County Water taxi between Seattle and Vashon Island, then the WSF ferry route to the Southworth ferry terminal where Kitsap Transit will route a bus between there and Harper Church Park & Ride.

The announcement comes on the heels of a fire on board a KT vessel Monday , the Admiral Pete, which is on the Annapolis-Bremerton route.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Fast ferries from Kingston, Southworth face threat of cancellations this fall