MADONNA CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS 16.0

Washington Island ferry captains visit shipyard Feb. 12. 
With Madonna as backdrop:  Con McDonald, Kraig Krueger,
Erik Foss, Pete Nilolai, Rich Ellefson, Hoyt Purinton
and Dave Heath.  (WIFL photo)

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Construction of the new Washington Island ferry Madonna continues within the large shed #411, a former Palmer Johnson Yachts building now owned by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, located at the south end of the shipyard facility.

Hoyt and Rich were away last week, attending a meeting, and with their absence my photo source was lacking.  However, the work product moved ahead, although it may not show the obvious visual changes seen during the steel erection process, where frames, plating and hull shape shifted dramatically week-to-week.  But progress is there, and in ways that may be obvious only upon closer examination.

Several days ago, a portion of the ferry crew visited the shipyard for a close-up look at the new ferry for the first time (topmost photo).  When they left the Island, a skeletal crew remained to operate the Arni J. Richter, and yesterday the remaining men went to the shipyard, touring both the hull inside and out.  They were guided by Rich Ellefson, Hoyt Purinton and Fincantieri Senior Project Supervisor Steve Propsom, who have been with the project closely from the start.

Madonna main deck, looking aft, on Feb. 13 - Rich Ellefson,
Hoyt Purinton, Joel Gunnlaugsson, Jake Dahlke,
 Jeff Cornell and Tully Ellefson. Insulation materials
are stacked on deck.  (WIFL photo)

A fair amount of time has been spent assembling and adjusting the sundeck, in order to achieve the proper rake and smoothness.  The rather light steel plating that becomes the upper passenger deck can dish and warp, through the welding and fitting process, if steps are not made to eliminate such rippling.  The second of two photos (below) was taken from the upper deck looking aft over the main deck.  Carpenters, electricians, and painters now work daily in various sections of the vessel, staying out of one another's way as much as possible. The soft patch, a steel cover for one of the engine room openings, rests in the center of the deck.

U. S. Coast Guard inspector, shipyard personnel and Ferry Line
representative Rich Ellefson discuss plan details.

In this photo taken from the sundeck, main deck bulwarks, 
the solid ship's rails, are in place. (WIFL photo)

Two workers fit aft bulwarks to match curvature of the deck's shape.

Surface of the sundeck, made of lighter steel, reveals
effort to get smooth surface.  Disk welded to the deck
will help absorb welding heat when passenger
benches are installed, later on.

Although nearly all of today's photos were of work above-deck,
here is a shot of the starboard main engine, through the
main deck access opening. Piping is well along, and the engines
have been mounted in close-to-final position on rails, awaiting
boring of stern tube and  final alignment. 

Compressed air hoses, oxygen and acetylene
hoses, and electrical lines run to various work
stations on the ferry. (WIFL photos)

- Dick Purinton