Seapickle Launch 2012

Due to the recent purchase of our trailer this years launch would be different than previous years. We needed to setup the trailer bunks to fit the hull of our boat instead of the boat that the trailer was previously used for. We arranged to have the boat yard use one of their boat lifts to hoist Seapickle in the air so we could drive the trailer underneath it and adjust the bunks to fit her hull.

Taking Seapickle to the hoist

Sliding the yard trailer out so we can slide ours underneath

Luckily our good friend Greg was available to give us a hand with centering the keel over the center bunks and making the bunk adjustments. It was interesting to see how differently the bunk arrangement was for our hull versus the hull of the Sea Ray 260 this trailer was originally set up for.

Greg keeping an eye on it as it's lowered

Slowly lowering her down

We made the major adjustments prior to sliding the trailer under the boat and after fine tuning the bunk placements we began to torque down 3/4 inch bolts that held them in place.

We had to use a couple of jack stands in order to properly place the bunk in between two hull chines that the strap was skipping over. Once everything was tightened down and the straps removed it was time to tow Seapickle for the first time! The distance of the tow wasn't much to brag about considering the launch was less than a half mile away but maybe it's best to start small.

Heading to the boat ramp!

This wasn't my first time towing but definitely my first time towing a boat of this size. The last boat we towed was our Four Winns 190 Horizon, but luckily for us the weather turned a little sour and we were the only boat at the ramp!

Backing down the ramp

Dana approves of a job well done!

Fog bank rolling in.

 Not long after we moved the boat down the channel to our slip, one of the worst fog banks we have ever seen rolled down the channel off of Lake Michigan. With near zero visibility we decided to postpone our shake down cruise for another time and instead celebrated the day with a delicious perch dinner at Marquette Yacht Club! (If you've never been there - it's the best perch ever! They're only open Friday nights for dinner.  - Dana)