Meet Bella, the keg pontoon boat

Kegs aren’t just for holding beer, but keeping a boat afloat. There was a new craft on the water during Bell’s Bayview to Mackinac Race:  Bella, a pontoon made out of old Bell’s kegs.

Bella rode the Black River in Port Huron on Boat Night, the eve of the sailboat race. She was a hit among sailors and other onlookers, several wondering if they could have some of the beer they thought was inside the kegs. 

Bella was first commissioned in the early 2000s for the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin. Made out of Hoff-Stevens kegs welded together into pontoons, the boat was reassembled by Jeff and Tom, two of our facilities managers, and was brought out for this year’s race.

They studied photos and reached back into Jeff’s memory to reconstruct the boat from nearly two decades ago.

Bella made around 4 passes back and forth down the river. What’s next for the little keg pontoon that could? She will be back on the water ways. Keep an eye out at future Bell’s events near you, Bella could make an appearance.