By Eric Freedman
The U.S. Coast Guard wants to retire its oldest cutter on the Great Lakes, the 57-year-old cutter Buckthorn.
But don’t hold your breath waiting for the replacement of the Sault Ste. Marie-based inland buoy tender because it will take several years.
A new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service says the Coast Guard is waiting for Congress to approve its proposal to replace up to 35 aging cutters, which average 56 years old.
The reason? “Their annual maintenance costs are rising rapidly, they break down frequently and can remain out of operation for periods of 30 to 45 days while being repaired, and they have poor living conditions for their crew members,” the report said.