KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The State of Alaska could be getting a 20-thousand dollar repair bill from the city of Kodiak soon, after the ferry Kennicott damaged the fenders on Pier Two while trying to depart in high winds two weeks ago.
Deputy Harbor Master Lon White said the wind was coming at just the right direction to pin the 382-foot ferry to the dock.
The fenders are steel, wood and heavy rubber curtains attached to the face of the pier to protect it from the kind of damage the fenders themselves sustained. Basically, White said, the fenders did the job they were designed for.
White said it was fortunate that no other boats were moored at Pier Two at the time.
White said the harbor staff is estimating the damage to the fender curtains to be in excess of 20,000 dollars, but they are waiting for an evaluation from a contractor for the final amount. He said the state of Alaska would be liable for the damages.
White said 20,000 dollars is cheap compared to what it would cost to repair the pier itself, but it is more than what it would have cost to hire a tug boat to help the Kennicott depart. White said state ferries are designed with maneuverability in mind, given the remote locations of some of communities they serve, but in hindsight, hiring a tug might have been a good idea that day.
