Houghton Sheriff’s Department Boat Sinks

The Houghton County Sheriff’s Department’s patrol boat has sunk.

Sheriff Brian McLean tells us the boat had to be hauled out of its slip in the Houghton County Marina recently, after it filled with water.

No official cause has been determined, but McLean says they recently used some grant money to install new motors on the boat. Speculation is that the seals around the bolts may have failed, allowing water to seep in.

During the summer, the boat is used or checked daily; however, McLean said that, with cooler weather, no one had looked at it for five days, which allowed the problem to go unnoticed.

The boat had run smoothly since the new motors were installed, including a trip to Isle Royale for a joint exercise with other law enforcement agencies.

The county’s insurance carrier says the loss will be covered, and McLean hopes the boat will be ready for service again next spring.