PORT TOWNSEND — Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division will shut down service on Port Townsend-Keystone route beginning Wednesday night and until Friday morning to rebuild one of the 50-car ferry Steilacoom II’s auxiliary generators.
Crews will tie up the Steilacoom II in Port Townsend after completing the 7:30 sailing from Keystone on Wednesday night.
All Thursday sailings are canceled.
Ferry riders are advised to use the Mukilteo-Clinton and Edmonds-Kingston routes for travel between the North Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island. Engineers estimate that the Steilacoom II will be ready to return to service Friday morning.
Port Townsend-Keystone ferry service was canceled from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday of last week because of a failure of one of the two auxiliary generators on the Steilacoom II.
The auxiliary generators are necessary to operate the vessel, as they provide power for all of the vessel’s critical equipment.
After last week’s problem, crews performed preventative work and identified the need for a complete rebuild of the second auxiliary generator. The work must be performed this week to ensure the continuing operation of the generator.
Washington State Ferries officials said the work was being scheduled to take advantage of previously scheduled tidal cancellations on the Port Townsend-Keystone route this week.
The last round trip Wednesday is canceled by tidal conditions.
If crews discover the need for more extensive work after taking apart the auxiliary generator, the service cancellation could be extended.
State Ferris will notify customers as soon as possible if a further delay is necessary.
