MADONNA CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS - 18.0

Looking aft across a boarding gangway.  At this point
the port king post that will support the bow ramp was not yet
installed.  Ramp sections fabricated by an
outside facility will be assembled and then connected with
toggles on the outer ends, and installed by the shipyard
later in the construction schedule.  (Rich Ellefson photo)

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Harbor ice here has receded.  Ice fishermen are all but gone. A party of three experienced a break-through with their machine as the sun was setting last evening.  A six-wheeled unit carrying two men encountered a thin spot not far from the old Ida Bo Inn dock.  It took a bit of work, a long cedar pole as a pry, and a tow from Eric DeJardin's 4-wheeler with chains on rear tires, to retrieve it.  Wet legs appeared to be the only setback, as their machine is designed to float and not sink.

forward bulkhead of engine room looking starboard to port. 
Access ladder to main deck in background, piping manifold
 in foreground, right.

Island maple trees have been tapped, and given the many warm sunny days of recent weeks, the sap supply for cooking to syrup should be plentiful.  Rich Ellefson (when not at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, or at the ferry office) and his family tap trees each year. Their syrup helps fill our pantry shelf annually.

The corona virus has within the past several days closed many public places and cancelled major and minor events across the nation, from the NBA to the NCAA tournaments, and to Wisconsin's public schools (for three weeks, beginning Wednesday, March 18th).

We have yet to experience the first case of corona virus locally.  It will be interesting to see what our local and national situation will be four weeks from now.

Fincantieri's Italian shipyards are closed for a few weeks, given the high number of corona virus cases there.  We hope that won't happen here, but...

So where do we stand on the new ferry Madonna?  

According to regular reports from Rich, work continues on many fronts inside the large 411 Bldg.     Steel work, welding and fitting details, much of it on the upper deck structures, is high priority.  The forward stairway was set in place a day ago, a moment of truth to see how the fit of steps will match up with surrounding support members.  Painters have been spraying during second shift in the forward most voids: two coats of primer, one gray and the second and final in white.  The insulation crew is subcontracted by Bay Shipbuilding, and these men work hours that fit around the main Bay Ship workforce, so that steelwork and other yard trades can continue uninterrupted.

Cabin and upper deck superstructure is coming along.  Name is applied to the
forward fashion plate, with a notch for stairway from uppermost
deck to mezzanine cabin deck.

By March 20, just one week from now,  hot work is to be wrapped up, at least on the hull and exterior surfaces.  The vessel will be rolled across former First Avenue (that portion now incorporated as private Fincantieri property) to the large indoor paint facility.  Once inside, over an approximate three-week time period, all outer surfaces will be coated including the main deck.  Marine coatings as supplied by Sherwin Williams are epoxy formulations and must be applied within the manufacturer's recommended limits for humidity and temperature for superior adherence to bare steel, and also proper bonding between successive coats.  A Sherwin Williams representative will be on hand to verify surface prepping and conditions that will satisfy and guarantee the coating applications.

Pilot house, prior to window openings being cut.
Lower openings are for access to wiring, piping beneath
sole of pilot house.  Height of structure will help to attain
pilot's visibility over bow and stern, without having to leave
main steering and control station. (all photos by Rich Ellefson)

A mid-April date for immersing the hull still looks to be on schedule, as does completion by end of May.

- Dick Purinton