Right at dawn on the Summer Solstice (20 June 2016), Christensen Shipyards launched 50M Silver Lining, the first of two yachts that will be on display at the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
The launch was accomplished using a unique cradle-and-launcher system designed to give the shipyard a safer and more flexible way of getting its yachts into the Columbia River. Christensen manufactured a 140,000-pound steel cradle to which two large FRP flotation boxes are attached. The boxes provide additional lift in low-water conditions and keep the yacht perfectly stable throughout the launch process.
Once the yacht and cradle are floating, the air in the launchers are replaced by water, as in a drydock, and the yacht is able to safely float free on her own. “We named it the Luken Launcher,” says Jim Gilbert, president, after the company’s chairman Henry Luken who conceived of the system.
Christensen’s Silver Lining is a 50M high-volume ABS yacht completed for a previous Christensen owner. Her sister, Chasseur, a 50M ABS and MCA-compliant yacht will be launched using the same system later this week, a testament to the resiliency of the 120-employee-strong shipyard and the efficiency of the new system. Like her sister ship, Chasseur will also be handed over in July, likewise to a repeat Christensen owner.
Two additional 50M yachts are under construction at the shipyard and available for delivery in 24 months or less.
