Coast Guard to test jet boat for use in shallow Arctic Ocean off Alaska’s northern coast

Coast Guard to test jet boat for Arctic Ocean

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Looking to find a small boat that can operate in shallow, silty Arctic Ocean waters off Alaska’s northern beaches, the Coast Guard this month will test a 28-foot jet boat that drafts just two feet.

The boat, manufactured by Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette, La., can operate in two to three feet of water and waves up to eight feet high.

The Coast Guard had planned to test it at Prudhoe Bay but said Friday logistical concerns would shift testing to Cook Inlet near Anchorage.

Lt. Glenn Katsuki (CAT’-skee) says small boats used in the Arctic Ocean last year were susceptible to propeller damage in the shallow seas.

The Coast Guard has increased its presence off northern Alaska as global warming has caused ice to recede for longer summer periods.