Click each picture for a fullsize view. (Some may take longer to display.)  •  Aug. 2001    1 2 enlarge Moving Down: (bow on) The carriage was lowered on Friday, June 20th to a point that would expose the Luna to the rise and fall of tides without floating it. The goal was to slowly soak the hull so that it would swell up and reduce any leakage while still on the railway. At launch time this was to about half tide depths, and the tide then rose. enlarge Afloat in the Harbor: On Monday, July 23, 2001, while the carriage was prepared for the next ship to be hauled out, the Luna was refloated around noon and taken to a buoy to swell up. The Luna was doing very well, even just four hours after launch, with small amounts of water entering in through the few small checks and cracks at plank ends. Without the bulwarks, the tug looks a little odd, but her jaunty lines can be seen. enlarge Stern View Afloat: Here is the Luna from the stern, afloat, and swelling up at a buoy in Boothbay Harbor. The massive rim timber can be seen, as can the transition to the broad planking. The stanchions extend aft to the rim timber. A solid counter stern of 8-inch thick timber will be built atop the rim timber and its covering boards. The bolt holds connect the rim timbers and the filler piece between them. The entire rim timber will be rimmed with a massive hull guard, and these holes will be covered.    1 2