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Greenwich police decommission aging boat; chief seeks $296,000 replacement to maintain marine coverage
Summary
After inspecting hull electrolysis damage, the department decommissioned boat 124 (sold for $7,500) and proposed buying a 25-foot replacement (~$296,000) so the town can keep two boats in service while others undergo maintenance.
Chief Heavy told the board that a planned maintenance inspection of police boat 124 revealed hull damage from electrolysis that made the vessel unseaworthy. The boat was decommissioned and sold at auction for $7,500 after equipment removal.
"When we pulled the boat out of the water, we discovered that there were some significant damage to the hull because of electrolysis and the boat was really not seaorthy," Chief Heavy said. He explained that repairing the 22-year-old vessel to full service would have cost an estimated $265,000 for engines, paint and crane work, making replacement a more prudent option.
Deputy Chief Jim Bonnie said marine operations require multiple boats. He described operational scenarios such as boat fires and multi-boat responses where one vessel must fight a fire while others shuttle people and maintain a safety perimeter; having three boats provides redundancy when one vessel is pulled for maintenance. The department proposed purchasing a 25-foot boat (Boston Whaler-style) estimated at about $296,000 so the town can perform staggered maintenance while keeping at least two boats available for patrol and response.
Officials discussed adding contingency to the CIP estimate and agreed to round capital figures and bring updated CIP sheets back to the capital review process. No final purchase authorization was taken at the meeting; the department asked the board to consider including the replacement in the current capital plan to avoid gaps in marine readiness during maintenance cycles.
