Launching featured tradtion, ritual, spectators, and celebration. But it also brought technical challenge and danger to workers and vessel alike.
In preparation, a launching crew built a pair of sliding (or launching) ways beneath the schooner. These were topped with a cradle, which was "wedged up" to take the vessle's weight as the blocks beneath were removed. Greasing the ways allowed vessel in its cradle to slide into the Kennebec River, always at high tide.
All could be ruined if the vessel fell off her cradle, or stuck, or overshot her launch and crashed into the opposite shore.
But when all went well, the sponsor christened the new vessel with sparkling wine or flowers. A celebration followed. Whether aboard the newly floating vessel or ashore, guests often discovered that the traditional launch-day punch had a kick, even though Maine was a "dry" state.
[Background photo captions read]
A poster advertising the launch of Wyoming pictures the Fuller Palmer, launched in 1908. Wyoming's launch was delayed a day by an intense December gale.
A crowd gathered for the launch of the 5-masted schooner Grace Martin for Percy & Small's own fleet, July 14, 1904.
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