Captain Bill's ...

Thank you for all you do for our community,

Captain Bill’s Legacy is in uncharted territory at the moment: about 12’ above the surface of Seneca Lake. In addition to annual in-water inspections, commercial sailing vessels on federal waters must undergo dry-dock inspections every five year. It’s that time for the Seneca Legacy, and to get it done, owner Mark Simiele turned to talent in the local community.

To accomplish this monumental task, he needed specialized infrastructure. Mark worked with local community leaders and professionals to build an underwater trolley system so that the boat can be removed from the water using winches and placed in cradles waiting on shore.

Hoisting the boat from the Lake was an all-day event that required two captains, two crew members, two divers, and a towing team from T and R Towing with two wreckers. Once ashore, team members went to work building an enclosure to protect the on-shore team from the cold winds of winter.

Inside the enclosure, professionals from Bob’s Welding and Fabrication are working with Captain Greg Updyke, First Officer Dan Kane, and Welder Cody Lakomy to replace bearings, fabricate a new rudder post, and reinforce a couple of spots on the vessel’s bottom with steel plates.

Read the full story at www.explorewatkinsglen.com!