"It went very well," said Lt. Cmdr. Charles Cashin, captain of the Sedge and soon to become captain of the Hickory. "The ship went in well, and popped up just like it was supposed to."

Lula Young, wife of U.S. Rep. Don Young, broke the ceremonial bottle of champagne over the Hickory's hull after speeches by her husband and Coast Guard brass, Cashin said.

Then the 225-foot vessel slid into the Marinette River, where it will remain until Cashin and his crew take over later this year.

Photos by the U.S. Coast Guard Photo by the U.S. Coast Guard Lula Young, wife of Alaska congressman Don Young, breaks a bottle of champagne during launching ceremonies.

The bulk of the Sedge crew, including most officers, will board the Hickory in January, with the last group signing on in February, about one month before the ship is officially delivered to the Coast Guard.

"With the Sedge, there was always someone there to train you," Cashin said. "With the new ship, there's no one."