Two commercial catamarans will set sail on Lake Superior along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore this summer. Fabricator Moran Iron Works (MIW), headquartered in Onaway, Michigan, built the dual vessels for Pictured Rocks Kayaking to be used for sightseeing and kayak tours. Both the Pictured Rocks Paddler and Great Lakes Paddler vessels are 50’ Aluminum Hull Catamarans equipped with Yamaha 425-HP Outboard Engines that hold a capacity of 48 persons. They feature a slip launch platform, simplifying the process to load and unload kayaks during tours.
“It’s great to work with a company like Pictured Rocks Kayaking that wants to make the overall experience for their customers a smooth, enjoyable one,” said Lee Fayssoux, Sales Manager for Moran Iron Works. “From initial drawings to sea trials and delivery, we are driven by the customer’s end goal for the project.”
These are not the first vessels designed on behalf of the excursion company. In 2020 MIW built one boat hull of this type, Lt. Dan, which the catamaran design has proven itself to be the superior launch and retrieval platform. Stability on moderate seas has been observed during Lt. Dan’s maiden season of 2021. It is expected that these two sister ships will provide the
same comfort and reliability to the Picture Rocks Kayaking experience.
In early May 2022 Pictured Rocks Paddler successfully passed sea trials and was delivered to Munising for deployment use. Pictured Rocks Kayaking owner John Madigan looks forward to receiving the second vessel soon.
“It is a pleasure to work with Tom and his team. They delivered a complicated project on time, on budget, with top quality workmanship,” remarked Madigan.
Kayak and boat tours of Pictured Rocks are available beginning May 27 out of Munising. As the area’s only kayaking outfitter that launches paddlers into the water from a boat, Pictured Rocks Kayaking shows its passengers the best parts of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as kayakers glide by gigantic cliffs, sandstone formations, and sea caves. Pictured Rocks Kayaking began operation in 2016 originally starting with one boat to carry passengers; it’s now grown to four boats. The heart of the operation is safety and comfort. Visit paddlepicturedrocks.com to learn more.