New Passenger/Vehicle Ferry
Mary Ann Market
Miller Boat Line, Put-in-Bay, Ohio
Put-in-Bay (South Bass Island), Ohio
Lake Erie Islands
MillerFerry.com
New Miller Ferry Mary Ann Market is home. See her journey on Facebook, Twitter and MillerFerry.com.
- Named in honor of company owner, matriarch, lifelong island resident Mary Ann Market (1935-2010).
- Drive on/drive off passenger and vehicle ferry, length 140 feet, 38.5 feet wide, draft 7 feet. The fifth and largest vessel in the Miller Ferry fleet, a capacity up to 600 passengers/approximately 28 vehicles.
- Completed by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Seacraft Design.
- The Mary Ann Market project managers are Miller Boat Line Captain Jake Market and Captain David Bianchi.
Passenger Safety and Comfort, Vessel Efficiency Enhancements:
- ADA guided designs of main deck cabin, and layout.
- Additional deck seating outdoors and an enclosed cabin, panoramic views from spacious upper deck, broad stairwells, audio/visual messaging, quiet ride, and easily sanitized surfaces.
- Temperature controlled interiors and upper deck enclosed cabin. Upper deck forward facing and side cabin windows to allow wide vistas.
The Mary Ann Market left Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, WI on Friday, July 8 and arrived to her home port Miller Boat Line, Put-in-Bay (South Bass Island), Ohio Sunday, July 10, 2022. She is now regularly running Miller Ferry Put-in-Bay service in Lake Erie, Ohio. Updates post on Facebook, Twitter, and MillerFerry.com.
- The Mary Ann Market has 3x 800HP Tier-3 Caterpillar C18s, 2100RPM.
- The outboard engines have Twin Disc MGX-5222DC reversing/reducing gears with 4.59:1 ratio turning Michigan Wheel Workhorse 54×52“ props.
- The center engine turns a 54” Hundested A6547 CPP through Hundested’s G1305 integrated reducing and pitch control gear. The CPP has feathering capability.
- Caterpillar engines supplied by Fabick Caterpillar.
- Twin Disc gears through Palmer Johnson.
- Hundested equipment also includes a BT1644 30” 160HP tunnel thruster for the bow. Hundested equipment supplied by Pacific Marine Equipment.
- The vessel is highly maneuverable and powerful due to docking in unprotected docks every 1/2 hour.
- Rudders are articulating rudders supplied by Deflector Marine Rudders.
- Duramax “DryMax” shaft seals. Mathers shaft brakes on outboard shafts.
- Generators are 2x 65KW Northern Lights.
- Vessel is equipped with EMI alarms, steering and ramp hydraulic systems.
- All-Furuno navigation electronics including dual radars.
- 24 camera Axis CCTV system. Zenitel GA/PA system.
- SignalMate nav lights.
- Automatic Identification System (AIS).
Vessel designed by Elliott Bay Design Group with pre-delivery modifications designed by Seacraft Design. Constructed at Fraser Shipyards, Superior WI; completed by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding of Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Virtual 360° Tours
Main Deck
Main Deck Passenger Cabin
2nd Floor Outside Seating
2nd Floor Passenger Inside Cabin
View from the Pilot House
About Miller Boat Line
The Miller Boat Livery was founded in 1905 in the island harbor of Put-in-Bay as a water taxi, fishing charter and ice harvesting company. The company evolved under owners Lee and Mary Miller during the late 1940’s, ’50’s and ’60’s into a ferry boat line with a fleet of four passenger/vehicle ferries. William E. Market (Bill) and his wife Mary Ann of Put-in-Bay purchased the Miller Boat Line in 1978 from Mary Miller. The Markets chose to keep the name “Miller” in honor of the founding family. Bill Market oversaw the construction of four new ferries; the Islander (built 1983), South Bass (built 1989), William Market (built 1993), and Put-in-Bay (built 1997, lengthened 2010). These newer, larger vessels were designed to accommodate more passengers, carry longer and taller construction-type vehicles, as well as increased speed to maintain a more frequent trip schedule. During the 1980’s and ’90’s the older vessels were sold to other Great Lakes ferry companies.
Today Miller Boat Line is owned and operated by Bill and Mary Ann’s children, Julene Market, Billy Market and Scott Market, and also Billy and Scott Market’s children work within the company. The family states, “We look forward to welcoming the new Mary Ann Market, it will be a proud and nostalgic moment to see her operate alongside the other island ferries.”
More company history, ferry, and island information can be found at MillerFerry.com. Put-in-Bay, Ohio information can also be found at VisitPutinBay.com and ShoresandIslands.com.
