MILWAUKEE — A 12-man team with three 65,000-pound cranes will attempt to remove the abandoned boat known as "Deep Thought" from Lake Michigan's shoreline in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
RELATED: Lincoln Memorial Drive in Milwaukee to close Tuesday for boat removal
The vessel, affectionately nicknamed "The Minnow" by locals, has been firmly planted in the sand between McKinley and Bradford beaches for several months.
After six failed removal attempts — including one that left a second boat stuck alongside it — Milwaukee County is taking another shot at moving it this week.
"We are feeling very good," said Jeff Piller, owner of All City Towing, the company tasked with the removal.
All City Towing specializes in removing semi-trucks and their rigs after emergencies and crashes. Piller said the biggest difference in this case is having time to prepare, with several planning meetings organized before the operation.
RELATED: Visitors stop to see Milwaukee's popular stranded boat before removal
"We do this sort of thing every day. This is what we're professionals at," Piller said.
The removal plan involves specialized heavy equipment and careful coordination.
Watch: Towing company confident they can succeed where others failed in removing boat
"We're going to pull it up from the rocks, and then we're going to teeter it over the top of the rocks, at which point when it's on top we'll be able to lift it up and swing it over onto our semi trailer," Piller said.
To facilitate the operation, Milwaukee County Parks will close Lincoln Memorial Drive in both directions between Lafayette Hill Road and East Water Tower Road from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
For spectators hoping to watch the removal, Piller noted there will be a 250-foot perimeter established around the boat during the operation. Anyone looking to observe will need to make their way down the beach to get a view.
The company is confident in their approach despite previous attempts from other organizations.
"We have high stakes. There's been six attempts and no one's been successful. We will be successful on our first attempt," Piller said.
Officials note that the timeframe and potentially the entire operation could change depending on weather conditions.
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