Where's the Goodtime?

SANDUSKY — As of late, it hasn't been such a great time for the Goodtime I. First, unusually high gas prices cut down on the normal amount of trips offered this season. Then, in mid-July, an unexpected engine failure sidelined the ferryboat amid its peak period of summer. Joe Lamb, the boat's owner/operator, recently ordered a new engine and hopes to resume cruises by next week "to salvage the rest of the season." He's eying Tuesday, Aug. 16, for a sunset cruise, to restart trips in 2022. "We were having a good year up to this unfortunate incident," said Lamb, noting people have still boarded the immobile boat for parties and during concerts at Jackson Street Pier. "I can not carry passengers with one engine. The U.S. Coast Guard will not allow us to do so." And some might wonder where it's located, as it's been widely absent from its usual docking space on Jackson Street Pier. Right now, people can find the boat anchored at the end of Putnam Street behind the AMVETS Post 17 property. But once a week, coinciding with concerts taking place at the pier, it does venture over to its normal resting spot to serve drinks, "which has been a huge help," Lamb said when speaking on the financial aspects. The boat's backstory Back in 2021, Lamb made an announcement that — due to a lack of funds — the boat, in its then-current state, wouldn't operate going forward. The U.S. Coast Guard mandated the boat couldn't re-enter waters to carry passengers until making necessary and sizable structural enhancements. The repairs totaled about $300,000. When this occurred, a fundraising campaign began. Dozens of people contributed their own money toward this cause of bringing home a Sandusky waterfront staple. The campaign kicked into overdrive when Sandusky's government, via a taxpayer-funded grant, provided $100,000. Local entrepreneurs Rick and Meghan Hogrefe also kicked in $25,000. The Hogrefes later provided a $45,000 loan to offset the remaining balance. Resuming operations in mid-summer 2021, the Goodtime has since paid off this amount in full, Lamb said. "When we found out Joe had a huge backing already and a significant amount of donations, and then (Sandusky ex officio mayor) Dick Brady said the city was all-in, we knew we had to close the gap," Rick said in 2021. "This was totally done out of love for our little city. Joe and (his spouse) Amy Lamb are great people, too, so it was easy to decide to help." The grant and donations paid for structural upgrades, such as steel work. The recent engine failures circle back to mechanical issues. "We keep up on our maintenance, but things break," Lamb said. "It was an unpredictable act." Brady sympathizes with the Goodtime's bad luck. "The loss of an engine is impossible to predict," said Brady, underscoring how the Goodtime is an important business for Sandusky. Brady then commended the Jet Express and Paladino family for providing rigging materials and a forklift, respectively, to help with this engine repair process. "What does not surprise me is the cooperation the good time has received from their neighbors," Brady said. "Our city continues to be fortunate to have businesses that compete daily with each other but are there for each other when it really matters."