Fab Four

Imagine running your car 20 hours a day, seven days a week, for most weeks of the year. Oh, and your vehicle is at least 18 years old, and has been running the same demanding schedule all those years. Isn't it likely you'd soon find yourself waiting for a tow truck, or at least limping in to the mechanic? That's the kind of rugged regimen four ferries faced in 1998 - and sailed through with flying colors. Cathlamet, Hiyu, Spokane and Hyak all kept up a grueling service schedule without missing a single scheduled crossing. It's a great achievement that points to the skill of the engineers who work to keep the ferries running smoothly. Even more amazing is the fact 1998 was the third year in a row that Cathlamet did not break down while in service. It is believed tiny Hiyu surpasses that mark, but the ferry system has only been keeping formal service statistics for three years. The formula for success? "It takes incredible teamwork and foresight - and a heck of a lot of luck," said Senior Port Engineer Mark Nitchman. "We have great teamwork and foresight on a lot of our vessels in the fleet, yet they're not fortunate to have a perfect record. That's where the luck comes in." Credit goes to all the crew members on these "Fab Four," who are responsible for keeping their ferries shipshape. But ultimately, a rarely seen group is responsible for the boat's machinery - the engineers who work below the decks. On Cathlamet, Staff Chief Engineer Fran Mulcahy has attributed the boat's excellent service record to good communication between the engineers and the deck crews. If something seems to be awry, the deck crews have done a great job of keeping the engineers informed, he says. And his engineers are diligent in their duties of maintaining the vessel and responding to trouble spots. On Spokane, Staff Chief Engineer Don Stewart points to the skill not only of the ferry's engineers, but those at the ferry maintenance facility at Eagle Harbor. He says Eagle Harbor has some of the top people in the shipyard industry. Overall, the Spokane"s success can be attributed to "adherence to a good preventive schedule, and to be honest, a little bit of good luck," says Stewart. "Everybody on this boat has done a great job and kept the machinery up," he says. "And we've been able to avoid unforeseen problems." On Hyak, engineers say the key to success is diligently following the maintenance schedule. Much of that job last year fell on the lap of Tom Little, who served as the ferry's acting staff chief engineer while longtime engineer Ed Ellis was out on medical leave. Ellis established an excellent service plan to keep the Hyak going, said Little. On little Hiyu, unofficial service records show the 31-year-old boat hasn't had a mechanical failure since 1991. Its main engines have logged more than 165,000 operating hours. The boat has been operating as the inter-island ferry in the San Juans during the summer. Now, it's being considered for service on the South Puget Sound Point Defiance/Tahlequah route.