S.S. Badger is ready to set sail once again after repairs

The S.S. Badger is ready to set sail once again for its 71st sailing season, now set for Friday, May 17, 2024.

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“We are thrilled to welcome our passengers back more than a month earlier than originally anticipated. It’s a testament to the dedication of our staff here and the hard work of local vendors to make sure we are ready to go,” says Sara Spore, General Manager of LMC. “We know the important role our Badger plays in tourism, travel, and adventure for our port communities of Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. We can’t wait to get back to doing what we do best on the shores of our Great Lake.”

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Last summer, a component of the car ferry's ramping system failed, which caused an early end to the season without the ramp or ferry sustaining any damage.

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But two new counterweight structures for the ramp system have been added, and it is ready to carry passengers and freight across Lake Michigan.

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At 410 feet long, the S.S. Badger is the largest cross-lake passenger and car ferry service on the Great Lakes, and is a large part of the US-10 highway connecting Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Employing 100 employees, 40 of them working between the deck and engine crews.

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