New boats, local operator secured for year-round Tampa Bay Ferry

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay’s ferry service is moving closer to a comeback with two new vessels secured for the route between Tampa and St. Pete.

The boats are expected to bring more flexibility to the service, including more departure options during peak times and a backup option when one vessel needs maintenance.

"It is going to be transformational," Tampa City Council member Alan Clendenin said at a press conference Monday. "This is absolutely one of the best announcements I've been a part of since I've been an elected official."

What we know:

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority just bought the Bay Breeze from San Francisco, and the Clipper from Seattle using a $4.8 million federal grant. The Bay Breeze cost $2.5 million and was built in 1994, and the Clipper cost $2 million and was built in 1990.

The boats are heading on two even bigger boats to a shipyard in Fort Lauderdale in the next couple of weeks to be painted and refurbished before they get to the Tampa Bay Area.

Hubbard’s Marina, a staple in the area for almost a century, helped search the country for the best vessels. Both boats already passed extensive inspections and sea trials.

PSTA owns the boats, and Hubbard’s Marina will operate them.

"My grandfather, back when we were just getting started in the 1920s, used to ferry people from Gulfport out to Pass-a-Grille," Captain Dylan Hubbard said. "So, I feel like this is part of our family's legacy, and we're very honored to be able to carry on that tradition and hopefully bring it to an even higher level with these beautiful vessels that we have getting started and keep it local."

What they're saying:

Hubbard said the new service will also highlight local businesses, with plans to feature food, drinks and products from Bay Area restaurants and breweries.

"This is going to be locals who live here and every part of the service, the amenities, the food, the drink," Hubbard said. "We’re trying to get from ultra-local purveyors to give kind of credence to our area."

The Bay Breeze will be able to carry up to 250 passengers, and has a length similar to the former Cross Bay Ferry vessel. The Clipper will hold up to 149 passengers.

"They’re going to be able to jump on a ferry. They won't have traffic. They're not going to have angry drivers. They're going to be able sit on these ferries and look at our beautiful waters, our beautiful bay, see dolphins playing off the side. I would rather do that than sit on 275 and have drivers swerving and aggressive drivers honking and beeping and sitting in traffic. So, this is a great moment for both communities," Clendenin said.

The exact hours of the ferry service haven’t been nailed down yet, but it will operate seven days a week and year-round.

"Now we have a second vessel, so we can immediately make the service more reliable, and then we can certainly make it more frequent by having, in peak periods, having vessels come from Tampa and St. Pete and kind of crisscross each other and provide double the amount of service," Brad Miller, PSTA’s CEO, said.

The vessels will dock near the Vinoy basin in downtown St. Pete, and the Convention Center in Tampa.

What will be the cost?

Hubbard says the goal is to keep tickets affordable, with prices expected to be around $10.

What's next:

Hubbard said renovations to the vessels will also focus on creating a comfortable experience for passengers traveling across the bay.

A firm launch date has not been announced. Hubbard says if everything stays on track, service could return sometime in October or November.

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