What kind of propulsion system will the Island Home have?
WSDOT will use utilize one ship set of engines from the 144-auto ferry contract for the first Island Home vessel. Because WSDOT already owns the equipment, this will expedite construction of the first vessel, as procurement of the engines typically takes up to 20 months. Changing the propulsion system to anything other than the diesel mechanical system in the current Island Home design will cause a significant delay in design (8-12 additional months). WSDOT has studied various propulsion systems as part of the vessel planning process for the Port Townsend/Keystone route. The Island Home propulsion system has proven reliability, good stopping power, and performs well in rough seas and in tight maneuvering situations. The design does not include an interconnected propulsion system. This feature would add redundancy, but, as designed, each engine has adequate horsepower to stop and maneuver the vessel in an emergency. To redesign this feature would require a minimum of 8–12 months of desi
