Titanic's hull afloat

Titanic launched and afloat in Belfast Lough for the first time , 31 May 1911.

There was great relief in the shipyard when the launch was successfully completed.  Within 62 seconds, Titanic changed from a land-bound structure of steel, to a vessel floating in her natural environment. 

Without her engines, boilers, machinery, funnels, furnishings and fittings, Titanic is riding high in the water.  Within an hour she was towed to the deepwater fitting–out wharf for completion as an ocean liner.