Boats with Bicentennial colors

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Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Guest »

Two more from 1976; two from 1977
Attachments
1977 - Fraser, Leon, at Soo June.jpg
1977 - Fraser, Leon, Inbound at Duluth May.jpg
1976 - Williams, Homer, near Duluth.jpg
1976 - Blough, Roger, loading at Two Harbors.jpg
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

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Ray wrote:If accurate, it appears that Inland Steel did decorate at least two ships, would be very interesting to find a picture of the Ryerson.

Here are two images from my collection of Inland Steel's Edward L. Ryerson and Wilfred Sykes in Bicentennial colors. The Ryerson is shown downbound at Mission Point and is from a photograph in my collection, while the Sykes is from a postcard. Although I have not been to the museum in Marysville Michigan for several years, I do recall it having a few pictures of the Wilfred Sykes transiting the Soo Locks in Bicentennial markings on display.
Attachments
PP0096.jpg
3-0102.jpg
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

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Johnstown
Attachments
Johnstown76.jpg
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

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A photo of the Edward L. Ryerson in Bicentennial colours, exiting the MacArthur Lock, downbound, was posted to the Fans of Know Your Ships Facebook page a couple of weeks ago.
Ray
Posts: 221
Joined: December 7, 2014, 9:33 am

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Ray »

While looking for something else I happened across the following paragraph in the mid-summer 1976 (Vol. 8, no. 9) of The Scanner.

"Many of the U.S. vessels sailing the lakes are carrying new colours this year. A number of major American operators have decided to honour the American Bicentennial by painting patriotic designs on their ships and the result has been a photographer's paradise. Notable amongst such operators is U.S. Steel which has put red, white and blue stripes on the bows of all its boats. Most of the line's units also carry assorted blue and red stars on the forecastle and on the pilothouse dodger while some have other designs such as flags, dates and Bicentennial messages on pilothouses, after cabin rails and hatch cranes. One vessel, ARTHUR M. ANDERSON, has a ring of blue stars around the funnel while ENDERS M. VOORHEES and HOMER D. WILLIAMS both carry crossed flags on their stacks. Vessels of other lines also have assorted stars, stripes, flags, eagles and Bicentennial dates on them. Amongst the most impressively decorated are MEDUSA CHALLENGER, WILLIS B. BOYER (with decorations on all levels of her triple-deck bridge structure) and JOHNSTOWN (with, in addition to assorted stars, etc., the portraits of three famous presidents on each side of the texas cabin). Inland Steel's WILFRED SYKES and EDWARD L. RYERSON are also well decorated as is Hanna's ERNEST T. WEIR."

If accurate, it appears that Inland Steel did decorate at least two ships, would be very interesting to find a picture of the Ryerson. Also, are there any photos out there of the decorated stacks on the Anderson, Voorhees, or Williams?
John Decator

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by John Decator »

21 GLF boats sailed in 1976: Affleck, Anderson, Avery, Blough, Callaway, Clarke, Fairless, Ferbert, Fraser, Hatfield, Hulst, Irvin, Johnson, Lamont, Lindabury, Olds, Pargny, Stanley, Voorhees, Watson, and Williams. 6 Bradey boats sailed in 1976: Calcite 2, Munson, Robinson, Rogers City, Sloan and Taylor. 16 GLF boats were idled in 1976, and most did not sail again: Buffington, Clemson, Cole, Dinkey, Farrell, Filbert, Kerr, Morgan Jr, Palmer, Phipps, Roberts Jr, Schiller, Thomas, Trimble, Widener and Zeising. Clymer of Bradley fleet was idled during 1976 but sailed later.
Ray
Posts: 221
Joined: December 7, 2014, 9:33 am

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Ray »

Were any USS boats retired at the end of 1976 with the bicentennial colors intact? I know a number were retired each year beginning in 1977, but I can't think of any retired in 1976.
hayhugh3

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by hayhugh3 »

Concerning Great Lakes Fleet boats: Do to the fact that United States Steel or for that matter Canadian National Railroads names are not prominently displayed on these boats makes upkeep a moot point. Take UPS a vehicle that is seen everyday and associated with their business - you never see a run down/broken windshield/missing fender or rusted truck on the street. I understand they are washed every day and painted once a year. Good advertising, good maintenance for a reasonable cost. Product association is not a factor for the boats on the Great Lakes. Your big oil company's deep sea tankers are a different matter and visibility and upkeep are maintained differently.
Guest 5464

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

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The first time I ever saw Middletown (2006), and her rag-tag appearance, I couldn't believe my eyes! After her notable WWII service, instead of looking proud, she almost seemed embarrassed to be in such a sorry state.
PDBLK25

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by PDBLK25 »

standuffer wrote:"Appalled" is the perfect word to describe my feelings also. Time change, pennys are pinched harder & harder and the beautifully maintained boats of yesteryear are now nothing more than floating dump trucks.
signed.. Not a 'guest'
When I started sailing in the late '70s, companies had already begun "economizing" by reducing spending on their ship's maintenance, but the ships still looked pretty good - even Kinsman, Comet Steamship, the Reoch Boats, and new outfits like Soo River Co. The boats looked "kept up". As the years went by, maintenance always seemed to be the 1st thing cut in attempts to save money. The ships of proud fleets like Inland Steel, Ford. Interlake, Columbia, US Steel & CSL looked seedier & seedier. The Well-Worn, Deferred-Maintenance look became the norm, and I was really saddened to see how bad ships were looking.
A few years ago, I was talking with a good friend who just got his 3rd's ticket, Great Lakes & Ocean. Although he'd attended GLMA; he said there was no way he'd go Great Lakes because "those Beater ships with their short trips would be like sailing a floating Dump Truck" seeing that phrase again brought back those memories.
standuffer
Posts: 294
Joined: March 12, 2010, 8:31 pm

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by standuffer »

Guest wrote:My grandfather started sailing for Pittsburgh SS Co in 1916, and retired as a Captain in 1934. My father sailed with Pittsburgh SS Co from 1936 until 1968, retiring as Chief. My uncle sailed with Pittsburgh SS Co from 1942 until 1978, retiring as Captain. While not as distinctive as Cleveland Cliffs for Inland Steel, nevertheless the Pittsburgh boats were always well painted and nice to see. The bicentennial year was special, and I never saw a boat with the bow paint continued into 1977. Unfortunately that all changed in the late 80's and now I am appalled to see the condition of the Anderson, Clarke and Callaway. Of course, US Steel no longer owns the few remaining boats (compared to 60+ in the 40's and 50's).
"Appalled" is the perfect word to describe my feelings also. Time change, pennys are pinched harder & harder and the beautifully maintained boats of yesteryear are now nothing more than floating dump trucks.
signed... Not a 'guest'
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Guest »

Don't step back to admire your work:
Attachments
painting 1 001.jpg
hayhugh3

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by hayhugh3 »

B.R. = Before rollers, not a roller in sight, just brushes. They are using three stages at a time tho, just about time to spring out the boat to move further aft. Looks a little cool, hats, gloves and heavy jackets..Typical fit-out weather.
Al

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Al »

Painting the hull circa 1951:
Attachments
Image - Ellwood - reduced.jpg
hayhugh3

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by hayhugh3 »

when the staging plank was dropped, especially if one end at a time was lowered and it was at a 30 degree angle
Yep, almost forgot about that! They would usually have a wheelsman tending each staging plank. Just hang on to the rigg'n on your end..
garbear

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by garbear »

Brings back memories of my first fit-out. We had to paint the rudder and there was a small barge tied off so we could stand on when we painted. We were taken there by a row boat. When lunch rolled around there was no row boat. So the only way to get back on the boat was to climb the Jacobs ladder that was hanging over the stern from the fantail. To this day I'll never forget climbing that ladder as it was swinging back and forth in space. With every step I took it just kept swinging. Painting over the side was no treat either when the staging plank was dropped, especially if one end at a time was lowered and it was at a 30 degree angle until the other end was lowered. Quite an experience for an 18 kid working his first job.
hayhugh3

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by hayhugh3 »

HayHugh, how much time did it take to paint the hull of a boat like the Voorhees?
The deck department would paint both sides (winter gang usually painted the bow and stern) the name on the bows and stern and both quarters, prepare for and take all Coast Guards inspections including safety equipment, fire and boat drills during the three days before sailing. The worst part in painting was if you were tied up next to another boat. You would have to slack lines and spring out your boat and drop staging between the boats. You would usually drop the staging about 8/10 feet and paint whatever you could and then drop the staging again until you reached the water line, Long trip back up the Jacobs' latter,
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Guest »

My grandfather started sailing for Pittsburgh SS Co in 1916, and retired as a Captain in 1934. My father sailed with Pittsburgh SS Co from 1936 until 1968, retiring as Chief. My uncle sailed with Pittsburgh SS Co from 1942 until 1978, retiring as Captain. While not as distinctive as Cleveland Cliffs for Inland Steel, nevertheless the Pittsburgh boats were always well painted and nice to see. The bicentennial year was special, and I never saw a boat with the bow paint continued into 1977. Unfortunately that all changed in the late 80's and now I am appalled to see the condition of the Anderson, Clarke and Callaway. Of course, US Steel no longer owns the few remaining boats (compared to 60+ in the 40's and 50's).
garbear

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by garbear »

The 8 years I was on the Clarke we painted the cabins every year. Also the decks and usually every year we'd paint a cargo hold and the underside of the hatches for that hold. The year I was on the Watson, which I have posted before, was also her final full year of sailing, we also painted all the cabins, decks, and we painted a cargo hold. The hulls were also painted most years either by the crew or the 'winter gangs."
Guest

Re: Boats with Bicentennial colors

Unread post by Guest »

HayHugh, how much time did it take to paint the hull of a boat like the Voorhees?
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