MATTAPOISETT — As residents put their boats in the water on the Fourth of July, the Mattapoisett Harbormaster put its new patrol boat in the water too.

“It absolutely feels amazing,” to have the new boat in the water, said Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh. 

The 28 foot long boat has two 250 horsepower, four-stroke engines which were installed by Atlantic Boats. The vessel also has two diving areas at the bow and stern, as well as a double plating on either end so that the boat can breach land from either end.

Selectman Jordan Collyer was at the launch and said that the boat is a “substantial investment that will serve the town for many years to come.”

Voters at a special Town Meeting in fall 2019 approved the boat’s funding.

McIntosh said that in the last two weeks, his crew worked double time to have the ship ready for the Fourth. They were still working on electronics installations the night before the launch, he said.

“If you have this many people in the water today, you have to have the proper tools,” said Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Silva, who was also at Town Wharf for the launch.

McIntosh said he could not have done this all without the help of the town, the boating community, Lt. Ross Macedo of the town Fire Department for rigging the lights and electronics, Atlantic Boats for their work on the vessel, Village Signs and Town Meeting voters.