Upton argued that such a license was not necessary to safely operate a chain ferry, noting that because the ferry "travels only 100 yards, and does so while connected to a chain permanently connected to shore the entire time, the risks to passengers is minimal and almost completely mitigated by safety procedures". In response to this incident, the city worked with United States Representative Fred Upton to obtain a waiver exempting the Saugatuck Chain Ferry from the Coast Guard captain licensing requirement. At the time, the ferry could only be operated if one of the crew was a captain, licensed by the Coast Guard. In 2018, the ferry did not operate on Labor Day weekend, closing prematurely because all of its captains and most of its crew returned to college. Marilyn Starring coordinated personnel and United States Coast Guard inspections while Bruce provided maintenance for the ferry. After Peterson sold the ferry, it was managed by the husband-and-wife team of Bruce and Marilyn Starring until their retirement at the end of the 2017 season. Around 2005, Peterson sold the ferry to the City of Saugatuck, which continues to operate it. Peterson restored chain ferry service with a new ferry, named Diane after his wife. The ferry went out of business in 1940 after being bypassed by an automobile bridge built upriver and also replaced by a rowboat. In 1897, Jay Meyers became the operator, a position he served in for the next 21 years.
The first ferry operator was 19-year-old Darius Billings. It was opened as a replacement for a bridge that was damaged by flooding and passing schooners. The Saugatuck Chain Ferry was first operated in 1857. The ferry can carry up to 24 passengers per crossing. It operates approximately every 10 to 15 minutes, based on demand, but not in inclement weather. The crew members crank the ferry by hand across the river. It is chiefly crewed by college students. The ferry operates seasonally, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The crossing, which is about 100 yards (91 m), takes approximately five minutes to make. It is the only operational hand-cranked chain ferry in the Great Lakes region, and it is also believed to be the last such ferry operating in the United States.
It connects downtown Saugatuck to Mount Baldhead Park and Oval Beach. The Saugatuck Chain Ferry is a hand-cranked chain ferry that crosses the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck, Michigan.