PORT ELGIN, Canada – From dry land to chilly Lake Huron, a crane rented by members of the Port Elgin Yacht Club lifted 38 boats from their winter berths at the Port Elgin harbour into Lake Huron at Port Elgin harbour, May 7 during the Club’s annual lift-in day.
Port Elgin Yacht Club Commodore Rob Hughes said members shared the cost of renting a crane, from Canadian Crane Rentals, for the annual kickoff of the boating season.
“The house boats and catamarans go in first, then the crane operator starts with the largest sail boats first, and we should be finished by lunch,” Hughes said as he directed operations at the Port Elgin harbour.
“People have been working on their boats over the past couple of weeks, getting them ready to go in – there’s quite a bit of work to do to get them all all polished, shined up and protected, and to make sure they are running and watertight,” he said, adding the next step would be to use the so-called gin pole to install masts.
“Everybody is pretty excited to get back in the water – its always a great day,” Hughes said, adding this season’s events include the annual Commodore’s Sailpast and pot luck supper July 2, and the annual Round the [Chantry] Island Cruise in late August.
