Launching "Phoenix"

[IRGuy]

Here are some pics of the launch of my 1983 B33 FBC "Phoenix" on Thursday, Dec 13, 2012, after undergoing a two year rebuild in a building of the Smith Creek Boatyard in northern Wilmington, NC. On Saturday, the 15th, she was brought about 15 miles down the Cape Fear River and then two miles north up the Intracoastal Waterway to her slip in Inlet Point Harbor, where we live.


She had to be lifted from grade up over some yard equipment and then swung out over a bulkhead and then lowered about 20' to the water. Here she has been lifted off the yard trailer.


Just cleared the bulkhead and now over the water.


Here she has just been lowered into the water.


Me on the bow getting ready to "christen" her.


The actual "christening".. I did not want to break a bottle of champaign on her bow, so instead I poured a bottle of Guinness Stout (my favorite beverage) on her stemhead.


Pouring the Guinness.


In her temporary silp in the boatyard.

The launch and the delivery went perfectly.. no problems at all.. but getting her into my 14' wide slip was embarrasing for me, but I did get her in place after the 5th try.

Thanks to all of you who offered your best wishes for a successful launch and delivery. She is home now and I will begin the final phase of the rebuild.. mostly electrical and interior cosmetic stuff.

[John F.]

Congratulations. She looks great.

[Tony Meola]

Frank

Good Luck. She looks great.

[Harry Babb]

She's a looker for sure Frank

Congrats to you

hb

[Charlie J]

frank
she looks great

[Carl]

Congratulations!

Looks great, enjoy!

Carl

[CamB25]

Nice job, Frank! I hope to see you on the water this year! Watch out for the 13 whaler with a rat on the bow...crazy captain!!

[Rawleigh]

Wow! I bet it was scary to see her fly overhead like that! Beautiful!

[Gert van Leest]

Congratulations!

Looks great, have fun with her !

Gert

[Al]

You won't forget that day. Congrats!

[Bob H.]

Now thats quite the to me from me christmas present...enjoy..BH

[JH_B28]

Congratulations frank.

Like Bob H said, its the best Christmas present one can ever get.

Cheers,


-G

[Capt.Frank]

Frank,
I know you were happy to see her floating again. Seeing your boat on that crane reminds me when my dad bought his B35 down in willington and the crane brake slipped and the boat dropped about a 1' or so. The yard guy in the boat thought he was dead. I realy love travel lifts. Phonix looks great. Hope to see her this spring in Morehead.

Frank

[IRGuy]

Thanks to all of you for the kind words! It has been a two year ordeal indoors doing lots of things to "Phoenix".. When I first approached the boatyard about renting space the owner asked me how long I planned to stay there.. I said about 4-6 months.. he said when people tell him that they usually stay 4-6 years! I stayed longer than I planned, but did a lot more than I had first planned, and she is now a much better boat than I planned.

I can honestly say that today I don't know of anything that needs to be repaired except a bunch of wiring and some interior cosmetic things that I will complete over the winter now that she is back in her slip near our house. I also need to remove the intercoolers and have them checked out.. and I will install thermostatic controls for the engine block heaters i had installed when I first bought her. (My slip is about 50' from a neighbor's screened porch, and I want to minimize any startup smoke from drifting up to their favorite place to sit during the summer.)

It is too soon to say if I will be bringing her up to the Morehead City area for the summer gathering.. I need to get a lot more comfortable running her before I make any distant commitments.

I have been communicating with Charlie W about his thoughts on possibly moving south, and expect to have him visit us here over the holiday..

Cam.. let me know when you will be in Wilm again.. hopefully we can get together. I still need to see your project..

Capt Frank.. the same with you..

And to any of you who are in the coastal southeastern North Carolina area.. let me know and we will be happy to show you what things here are all about.

And yes.. I have given myself a great Christmas present!