R.R. Branstrom Daily Press A sailboat that was abandoned at an ore dock in Escanaba several weeks ago is now out of the water and in a local boatyard. The ultimate fate of the vessel remains uncertain.

ESCANABA — A sailboat that was abandoned at an ore dock in Escanaba several weeks ago is now out of the water and in a local boatyard. Its owner, from out of the area and new to the boat, got into trouble when he ran aground near Fairport (at the end of the Garden Peninsula) before making it into Little Bay de Noc and walking away.

The 34-foot Catalina, emblazoned with the name “Limin’ Time” on the sides and hailing port “Milwaukee, WI” on the stern, turned up in June improperly tied to an iron ore dock that belongs to the Canadian National Railway but has been out of use since 2017.

Limin’ Time had taken some damage prior to its abandonment — now on dry land, the beaten-up rudder and keel are evidence of contact with shoals — but the worst of it was sustained while it was tied to the dock, according to Alex Sundstrom.

On June 20, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources affixed an abandoned vehicle notice to the vessel, requesting its removal. It continued to sit in the water, knocking against the dock and gradually but rapidly falling into worse and worse shape.

“He did not do a good job tying it up,” said Dan Branson, owner of nearby Vinette Boatworks.

Seeing the Catalina remain at the disused ore dock, getting battered for two weeks and approaching greater danger of sinking, Branson contacted Canadian National to warn them — after all, a wrecked boat off their dock would be their liability.

“Canadian National was not happy,” Branson said.

When it became clear the owner was not going to return, Branson, Sundstrom, and Marine Patrol took action.

“Dan Branson from T. D. Vinette’s talked to the sheriff and asked if we would be able to assist him in getting that over to his slip so he could pull it out of the water,” reported Deputy Jon Smith with the Delta County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol.

Through joint efforts, the vessel was removed from the bay: the Sheriff’s boat towed it, and Sundstrom and Branson used a crane at Vinette Boatworks to lift it out of the water.

“They (Deputy Smith and Sheriff Ed Oswald) were very nice to do that for me, because they’re not obligated at all,” said Branson, who had made the request because he did not have the means to tow it himself. “They did a really good job.”

Now, the battered Catalina sits in the yard at Vinette Boatworks.

Jim Hansen confirmed that he gave Branson permission to put the recovered boat on the cradle meant for Hansen’s 36-foot Catalina, where it currently rests.

Sundstrom relayed that the insurance company totaled the abandoned boat.

As of Wednesday, Branson intended to contact the owner again — he’d spoken with him earlier and learned that the Minneapolis man had just bought the Catalina. Now, the guy is responsible for at least the fees associated with its storage at Vinette.

What will become of Limin’ Time from here is yet to be determined.