Although Bolero left my care a week ago, I was anxiously awaiting news of her safe delivery and, more importantly, her launching at the owner's home in Washington state.

She arrived late in the day on Tuesday, September 23, and after several days of work by the owner to prepare the boat, mast, and rigging, was launched in the afternoon on Saturday, September 27, 2008. 

Fortuitously, there happened to be a live webcam onsite directly across from the Travelift site at the boatyard there, and at the appointed hour on Saturday I waited anxiously by the screen to watch--I hoped--the launching live.

It turned out to be quite a wait, but after 3 hours of watching, I finally saw Bolero enter the frame, and shortly thereafter she hit the water for the first time.  I collected images from the webcam during the whole period I watched, beginning around 1300 Pacific time, and ending shortly after 1630.  The launching occurs during the last several frames of the little movie below, which I created using all the images saved during the process.  I have included the entire 3-1/2 hour span so that you, lucky reader, can share in the identical experience.

Click on the link below, or on the image, to begin watching this important film.  Hang tight till the end, and watch for Bolero to appear starting shortly after the Travelift parks to the far right of the screen, in front of the aluminum boat sitting bow out in the parking lot.

An Afternoon in Lopez Island, WA (3.1MB)
(right click/save link as)

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