Photo gallery: ‘Crane Day’ no fun as sailboat lifted from Great Salt Lake marina
The Great Salt Lake State Park removes 1 of 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Great Salt Lake State Park brought out the big crane on Saturday as more than 20 boats were removed from the Great Salt Lake Marina due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult.
Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involved cranes lifting 23 sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021.
Founded in 1877, the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs west of the Mississippi River. At its peak, the Great Salt Lake Marina was home to hundreds of boats and a thriving sailing community.
Additional boat removals are expected in June.
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Deseret News photojournalist Tess Crowley was there to document the event.
Sandy Jarvis runs her scrub under water as she cleans her boat “Exodus” to prepare it for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
A boat is lifted by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Derrick Howes operates a crane to remove 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Boaters prepare their boats to be lifted by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Sandy Jarvis climbs up to meet husband Dennis Hartley as they prepare their boat “Exodus” for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Dennis Hartley prepares his boat “Exodus” for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Volunteers and boaters take a break for lunch as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Brian Kenney volunteers to help lower a boat onto the parking lot after a crane lifted it as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The Great Salt Lake State Park removes 1 of 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Boaters and volunteers prepare boats to be lifted by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Sandy Jarvis hands items up to husband Dennis Hartley as they prepare their boat “Exodus” for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The Great Salt Lake State Park removes 1 of 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Jimmy Ludlow helps lower his boat with volunteers as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Sandy Jarvis scrubs her boat “Exodus” to prepare it for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Boater Suzanne Stradling, right, hugs Linda Leth, who lives at the Great Salt Lake Marina part-time, left, as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Stradling’s boat is one of the boats that will be removed. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Dennis Hartley prepares his boat “Exodus” for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Volunteers help lower a boat onto the parking lot after a crane lifted it as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Boaters and volunteers prepare boats to be lifted by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
A dog waits as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Sandy Jarvis scrubs her boat “Exodus” to prepare it for storage after it was lifted out of the marina by a crane as the Great Salt Lake State Park removes 23 boats from the Great Salt Lake Marina, due to critically low lake levels that make sailing difficult at the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina in Magna on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Known informally as “Crane Day,” the operation involves cranes lifting sailboats with deep keels out of the marina and placing them into dry storage because water levels are too low for safe navigation. Similar crane operations were required during periods of low water in 2015 and 2021. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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