S.S. Badger repairs wrap up ahead of schedule, first trip set for Friday
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The S.S. Badger is back in business.
Lake Michigan Carferry has announced that the iconic boat will make its first trek of the season on Friday. Previously, LMC had planned for the ship to make its first trip on June 14.
“We are thrilled to welcome our passengers back more than a month earlier than originally anticipated,” LMC General Manager Sara Spore said in a statement. “It’s a testament to the dedication of our staff here and the hard work of local vendors to make sure we are ready to go.”
LMC was forced to shut down the Badger last July after part of its port side ramp system failed and needed months of repairs, prematurely ending its 70th season chartering people across Lake Michigan, between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
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“With the successful construction of two new counterweight structures for the carferry’s ramp system, the Badger is back, better and stronger, ready to carry passengers and transport freight across our marine highway on Lake Michigan,” she stated.
The Badger, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark, can carry 600 passengers and up to 180 vehicles, including RVs and commercial trucks.
The S.S. Badger was launched in 1953. It was built by Christy Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Evening crossings will start in June. The Badger is also planning three shoreline cruises later this summer: July 4, July 24 and Aug. 21.
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