Chilmark selectmen will appeal the U.S. Coast Guard’s denial of the town’s insurance claim for the Menemsha boathouse, the board decided Tuesday night.

The selectmen learned two weeks ago of the denied insurance claim, and while not unexpected, it nevertheless prompted outrage from the selectmen who said the Coast Guard’s claim that the fire started on the town’s drive-on pier was incorrect. A multi-agency investigative report released last February ruled the cause of the fire undetermined and pointed to the area connecting the town dock and Coast Guard dock as the origin of the fire.

Selectman and board chairman Frank Fenner said the testimony he gave in the weeks following the fire was inconsistent with what he found in the final report, and at their meting Tuesday the selectmen questioned the validity of the report.

“They were saying that they didn’t have any contrary information . . . and I personally looked at [the dock] right in beginning of the fire and none of that was in that report,” Mr. Fenner said. “I’m calling into question what they put into record as my response.”

Selectman Jonathan Mayhew said he was not aware of anyone who actually signed the testimony given to the Coast Guard investigative team.

The selectmen have two appeal avenues, either to the Coast Guard directly or through the U.S. District Court, and will meet with town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport at their next regularly scheduled meeting on April 17.

“I know we have written letters disputing this letter we received but we’ve been offered two specific channels for official appeal and I’d like to explore that at our next meeting and make a decision which one which we should use,” selectman Warren Doty said.

“It’s necessary, it has to be done,” Mr. Mayhew agreed.