Both Chappy ferryboats passed their in-the-water safety inspections on Tuesday morning. This included a person overboard drill performed by Captain Liz Villard. The life jacket that served as a victim in the water was safely rescued.

The next step in the yearly inspection process is the out-of-the-water hull inspection of the On Time 3. The day after the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby ends, that ferryboat will head for Vineyard Haven to be hauled out of the water at the Packer Marine railway.

Left behind to carry all of the traffic by itself will be the On Time 2, which is eight feet shorter than its big sister. Plan for more time to get across. There are several things that you can do to make it possible for the On Time 2 to carry three vehicles per trip and therefore make the line move more quickly.

If you have more than one vehicle, use the shorter one. If you have a trailer hitch and you aren’t pulling a trailer, take it out of the receiver. This will often make just enough room on the ferry that a third neighbor will fit on board.

If you have a bike rack or a so-called hitch tray or basket that you aren’t using, take it off. Some of them stick out several feet.

You may make just enough room to get a neighbor on as the third car.