MADONNA - PROGRESS REPORT 3.0

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Before highlighting construction progress on the new ferry Madonna, here are a few photos showing the Island ferry dock earlier this week during a period of strong southerly winds.

The ferry dock scene above has been more commonplace in recent weeks (but fortunately not a daily occurrence).  Recently, it happens only when southerly winds drive up water levels, splashing over the pier.  For those who remember the fall of 1986, we're not far from that all-time recorded high water level.

A drain was installed in the dock surface not far from the orange STOP marker shown, but now that drain is oftentimes lower than the water level.   Heavy rains this fall over the Lake Michigan basin in September and early October have kept water levels high.  As a result, the decline in water levels typically seen this time of year hasn't happened.



Hoyt and Rich placed concrete barriers along the sheet piling bulkhead to block seas breaking along the waterfront earlier this week.  This activity was undertaken during the height of heavy rains and southerly winds in excess of 35 kts., when the grounds along the waterfront were saturated, and tractor tires sank into the sod.

MADONNA progress

Steve Propsom, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Project Manager, passed along several photos taken recently.  Construction progress is ahead of the estimated schedule by nearly two weeks at this point, due perhaps to good planning and efficient construction methods.  Rollout of the two hull halves could now take place in early December, followed by turnover of each section and return to the shed for unification.

Below are the photos provided to us by Steve.

Large bulkhead (#15, forward of fuel tank) set by overhead crane.

Ship fitters setting a fuel tank bulkhead.

Billy LeMieux, Machine Shop General Foreman, and Rich Ellefson,
Ferry Line VP, examine rudder stocks in the machine shop

 -  Dick Purinton