The Liston “Huntie” Sprauve ambulance boat left Thursday for Gold Coast Yachts on St. Croix for its routine six-month checkup. Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Marc A. Jerome said Wednesday that the ambulance boat should be back in service sometime next week.
“The Department of Health will work closely with Gold Coast Yachts to ensure that this state-of-the-art ambulance boat is appropriately maintained,” Jerome said in a press release issued Wednesday.
The 55-foot catamaran was built at Gold Coast Yachts on St. Croix. It replaced the ailing Star of Life ambulance boat in April.
This is the Liston “Huntie” Sprauve’s first maintenance visit. Health Department spokesman Eunice Bedminster said the maintenance includes a complete servicing to make sure everything is in shape.
She said that the maintenance is under warranty, but the Health Department is having more seats installed. This will run $5,000.
Until the ambulance boat returns to St. John, the Health Department has hired Limnos Charters to provide transport services between St. John and St. Thomas, Bedminster said. The temporary replacement boat will be stationed on St. John.
Bedminster did not know how much the replacement boat would cost because the person with that information was away, but she said Health negotiated a flat fee for the duration rather than a per-trip basis.
