Alternate vessel arriving to relieve ferry on which steering failed

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, June 1, 2005

The ordinarily two-boat Port Townsend-Keystone ferry service relying on a single vessel until midmorning today while Washington State Ferries officials get a replacement for a disabled MV Quinault.

The Quinault’s steering system broke early Tuesday morning and may require extensive dry-dock repair, ferry officials said.

The Port Townsend-Keystone route will continue with a single vessel, MV Klickitat, until the MV Illahee, reaches the terminal, Washington State Ferries officials said.

The Illahee is expected to start with the 10:30 a.m. sailing from Port Townsend, State Ferries said Tuesday night.

Like the Quinault it is replacing, the Illahee is a Steel Electric Class ferry with a maximum vehicle capacity of 59.