The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Plans for repair of the ferry Oscar B. are in process, but it will be some time before the ferry is back in service.

The ferry sucked up sticks and floating debris during high water December 11 and has been tied up since.

Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Chuck Beyer said Tuesday that Elliott Bay Design Group, who designed the vessel, was wrapping up repair plans and would pass them this week to the US Coast Guard for their inspection.

Basically, the proposed plan involves improving the screening for the cooling water intake.

"The design," Beyer said, "will be modifying the existing generator cooling system to allow for improved intake grate on the sea chest to eliminate larger material from entering the sea chest, extending sea chest to allow on board removal of debris from the sea chest; redundant duplex filters to each generator, one to remove any larger debris and one to remove smaller debris, and separate coolant lines to each generator so that if one generator coolant line gets plugged, the other will be on a separate intake line and will function properly.

"The schedule for the repairs is contingent on several factors--the US Coast Guard approving the design; the amount of time it will take to get the parts and materials; and scheduling the repair itself."

Beyer anticipates the repairs will be performed at the Puget Island Ferry Ramp, or possibly the Westport ramp, which is a more sheltered location.

"We are asking that Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, the boat builder, to complete the design, but this has not been confirmed at this time," Beyer said.

Nichols Brothers and the county's engineer and chief mechanic have reviewed the plans.

Meanwhile, the crew is on regular schedule as per the Master Mates and Pilots Union contract and are working on vessel cleaning and maintenance items, Beyer said.