by Guest » May 31, 2017, 5:25 pm
The Presque Isle was to be built for Litton's subsidiary Wilson Marine, but when the later lost the Republic ore-float to Cleveland-Cliffs in 1970, Litton soured on the Great Lakes shipping industry - the lack of orders for thousand footers from other vessel operators didn't help either.
For whatever reason - probably technical - Litton didn't build the drydock at Erie Marine deep enough for a deep-draft tug like the Presque Isle to pass over the drydock sill.
The drydock at American Shipbuilding's Lorain yard only had a depth of 21-feet over the sill.
I've only known the tug Presque Isle to use the drydock at Port Weller for out of water inspections - the bridge wings are removed before she heads to the Welland Canal.
The Presque Isle was to be built for Litton's subsidiary Wilson Marine, but when the later lost the Republic ore-float to Cleveland-Cliffs in 1970, Litton soured on the Great Lakes shipping industry - the lack of orders for thousand footers from other vessel operators didn't help either.
For whatever reason - probably technical - Litton didn't build the drydock at Erie Marine deep enough for a deep-draft tug like the Presque Isle to pass over the drydock sill.
The drydock at American Shipbuilding's Lorain yard only had a depth of 21-feet over the sill.
I've only known the tug Presque Isle to use the drydock at Port Weller for out of water inspections - the bridge wings are removed before she heads to the Welland Canal.