Ferries out of Haines were canceled last Friday, May 5 through the weekend after a bearing housing snapped in the terminal’s ramp lift.
“After some electrical work was completed on the Haines ferry terminal ramp’s Synchrolift, a routine safety test was performed,” said Sam Dapcevich, Alaska Department of Transportation spokesman. “During the test, a ‘pillow block bearing housing’ snapped. We located a spare housing in Ketchikan on Friday, and it was flown to Haines on Saturday.”
The repairs lasted eight hours, but it took three days before the ramp was again ready for use because of the time it took to get the part to town. The first ferry to sail after the breakdown was Tuesday, May 9.
The LeConte, carrying Gustavus track and field athletes bound for a Haines home meet, was turned around.
Dapcevich said mechanics will perform preventative maintenance on the lift later this summer.