A free ferry that provides a critical link in state Highway 84 across the Sacramento River between Rio Vista and Ryer Island is out of commission again, this time because of unexpected engine problems.
Caltrans, which is responsible for the ferry’s operation, announced Nov. 15 that it had removed the Real McCoy II from service until at least Dec. 13 “due to mechanical issues with the vessel’s engine.”
It is at least the third time this year that the aging ferry has failed.
In mid-March, the Real McCoy II was removed from service for mechanical repairs. Then in mid-September, the ferry was offline for more than two weeks “due to continued mechanical repair of the vessel.”
Each time, motorists were advised to detour along a series of winding Delta levee roads to reach their destination. Unlike then, however, the current service outage is complicated by the scheduled maintenance of another boat, the J-Mack Ferry, which operates on Highway 220 between Ryer Island and the nearby community of Ryde.
Approximately 137,000 vehicles per year rely on the two Ryer Island ferry connections. A 2022 state audit found that the oft-sidelined Real McCoy II is out of commission nearly one-third of the year.
The result is a 40-mile, nearly hourlong detour for Ryer Island residents trying to reach downtown Rio Vista — a trip that would normally be achieved in less than 20 minutes with the 800-foot ferry crossing of Cache Slough.
The Real McCoy II, which typically makes three crossings per hour 24/7, went into service in 2011 as a replacement for the original Real McCoy, but it has frequently been sidelined by mechanical issues. A 2022 state audit found that it was out of service an average of 116 days a year. In 2020 alone, the ferry was inoperable for 272 days, including a stretch of 101 continuous days after it struck a portion of the dock and required emergency repairs, the audit said.
Approximately 137,000 vehicles per year rely on the two Ryer Island ferry connections, according to the audit report, costing Caltrans about $4 million annually. Caltrans at the time planned to spend $20 million to upgrade the ferry landings, but anticipated changes to state environmental rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could require Caltrans to replace the Real McCoy II, making its continued maintenance a wasted expense.
During the current service outage residents and motorists can continue using Miner’s Slough Bridge to enter or exit Ryer Island, Caltrans said. For the latest conditions, call the Caltrans Ferry Update Line at 510-622-0120, or find additional information on Caltrans’ Delta Ferries webpage.
Bay City News staff writer Pete Young contributed to this story.
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