In Fitzcarraldo, they pull a steamboat up a mountain; in Rotterdam Junction today, they lowered one from the sky . . . or so it seemed from my spot on the bank of the Mohawk.
The morning started like this, then
trucks came as did the 250-ton capacity crane and caravan of counterweights, red tape got dealt with, and
crowds cheered as Onrust left its cocoon for the first time.
All the beautiful curves seemed ready to glide and then swim.
All 20 tons of Onrust lifted upward on slings and
then down she came
keel touched the wet and
the captain was first to come aboard.
Canal Corp’s tug Waterford and self-propelled crane barge assisted in moving the lead ballast on board.
More Onrust fotos soon. Lots of work fitting out remains for the vessel to arrive in the sixth boro on June 6.
All fotos, Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
8 comments
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May 21, 2009 at 4:24 am
TimZim
She looks lovely!
May 21, 2009 at 7:55 am
bowsprite
Hey!! in the third photo, Onrust is smiling!!! Beautiful account! thank you! Godspeed, Onrust! You are looking very good! (what a nice white bottom paint job! I wonder who did it?? ) Congratulations to you all!
May 21, 2009 at 8:04 am
Mage Bailey
Better than lovely and smiling too. Cheering to see her afloat. Hurrah!
May 21, 2009 at 8:20 am
Brian
Very exciting! Where will we be able to see her, besides at the parade of boats in NYC on June 5?
May 21, 2009 at 11:29 am
Tim
Thanks for all the support and kind words over the past couple of years Tugster!!
In response to Brian, she will be part of the flotilla moving up the Hudson following the celebration in NY Harbor. You can see her at any of the flotilla’s stopping locations noted in the schedule for the Hudson/Champlain 400th Anniversary. Onrust will be a floating historical venue similar to the Half Moon, so there will plenty of opportunities to see her in the future. Once we gain more experience sailing her (most of us volunteers are landlubbers you know;-) the hope is to recreate at least part of Captain Block’s voyage along the coast up to Cape Cod.
May 21, 2009 at 8:31 am
Buck
I had to work and so couldn’t see the ‘launch’ but I hope to get out there to see her in the river this weekend.
May 21, 2009 at 8:51 pm
donna
I am one of the many Onrust volunteers.. On the day of launch , you had showed me the spot along the river edge that you were thinking of taking pictures from . You were right . Perfect pictures ! Thank you
June 27, 2009 at 3:35 am
Maritime Monday 163
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