Maintenance Deferred, Chappy Ferry Resumes Service

Sara Brown Wednesday, September 4 2013 - 11:19am

<p>A little more than a day after being pulled out of the water for some routine maintenance, the On Time III has been called back to duty making the Edgartown to Chappaquiddick loop.</p> <p>Chappy ferry owner Peter Wells announced this summer that the On Time III, the bigger of the ferry’s two boats, would be out of the water starting Sept. 3 for a Coast Guard inspection and to have the bottom of the boat painted. Mr. Wells said the week after Labor Day was quiet last year and would be the best time to be down to one ferry for between 10 and 20 days.</p>

A little more than a day after being pulled out of the water for some routine maintenance, the On Time III has been called back to duty making the Edgartown to Chappaquiddick loop.

Chappy ferry owner Peter Wells announced this summer that the On Time III, the bigger of the ferry’s two boats, would be out of the water starting Sept. 3 for a Coast Guard inspection and to have the bottom of the boat painted. Mr. Wells said the week after Labor Day was quiet last year and would be the best time to be down to one ferry for between 10 and 20 days.

“I was completely wrong,” Mr. Wells said Wednesday, as the On Time III was headed from Vineyard Haven to Edgartown. The ferry was pulled out of the water Monday evening. By 5 p.m. Tuesday, Mr. Wells said, there were huge ferry lines.

“There were enough people mad at me yesterday,” Mr. Wells said. “I couldn’t really expect them to adjust to my schedule.”

The bottom of the boat was cleaned, he said, and the Coast Guard inspection has been postponed until after the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, which ends Oct. 19.