On Saturday, 25 April 2009, the longest, highestdisplacement yacht Moonen Shipyards has built, the 38-metre Moonen 124, was brought out of her construction hall and launched into the Lek River. She had been under construction in Moonen's Groot-Ammers hall since 3 May 2008, when her steel hull and aluminium superstructure were delivered by barge, then welded together. During the same period, Moonen also rebuilt the 60-metre Groot-Ammers hall, adding new structural elements and insulation, fully equipping and preparing it for construction or refit of yachts up to 150 feet (about 46 metres) LOA. The move of the yacht-displacing about 275 metric tons in light-ship condition was accomplished by a highly efficient, Saan transporter with more than 150 independently controlled wheels. The transporter slowly positioned her at the river's edge where two highcapacity GPS floating cranes lifted her from the construction cradle and launched her. For several hours during the process, waterway authorities slowed all traffic as the crane's massive anchor chains stretched well across the river. In preparation for the launch, Moonen had already dredged the waters alongside to assure sufficient depth and had driven in mooring pilings close offshore to secure the yacht.
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