Kitsap Transit on Thursday took delivery of the M/V Finest, the refurbished fast ferry that will carry passengers between Kingston and Seattle.
After seven months in the shipyard, the 350-passenger Finest — adorned with a fresh coat of paint and bright orange Kitsap Transit logo — zipped around Sinclair Inlet, spinning donuts in the water and reaching speeds of up to 35 knots.
"It was a great day to bring the boat home, it was very smooth out there," Kitsap Transit executive director John Clauson said. "We're very pleased with the boat being as quiet as it is, as quick as it is. It performed very well."
Kitsap Transit has yet to set a start date for Kingston service, but it expects to announce that date, along with the schedule and information about bus routes serving the ferry, at a "launch preview" meeting Nov. 3 in Kingston.
But a few more pieces need to be in place before the Finest can start carrying passengers.
Kitsap Transit will conduct sea trials over the next several weeks while crew members train on the ferry's safety systems and protocols. A tentative run schedule is in place with King County, but the exact amount of time it will take to dock in Seattle and load and unload passengers still needs to be worked out.
The floating barge where the Finest will dock in Kingston is still being fixed at Foss shipyard in Seattle. The barge should be installed before the end of the month, according to Clauson. Until then, the Finest will be tied up at the Brownsville Marina.
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Kitsap Transit's passenger-only ferry plan initially called for Kingston service to begin sometime in summer 2018. That date has been continuously pushed back due to delays in shipping and unexpected repairs.
Despite the setbacks, Kitsap Transit is still shooting for fast ferry service from Kingston in 2018.
"What we're planning on is it will be in operation before the year is out," Clauson said.
Kitsap Transit bought the 22-year-old catamaran from New York Waterways last year and shipped it to the Puget Sound. Extensive refurbishment work began at Nichols Brothers Boat shipyard on Whidbey Island in March. In all, Kitsap Transit paid about $7.5 million on the Finest, including the purchase, shipping and repair work.
Kingston fast ferry "launch preview" meetings
When: Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Where: Kingston Village Green Community Center
26159 Dulay Rd NE, Kingston
