Mystery Lighthouse Service vessel

Open to discussion on all lighthouses from the Great Lakes and beyond.
T Hynes

Re: Mystery Lighthouse Service vessel

Unread post by T Hynes »

Any luck with your search? I did check contemporary editions of the Merchant Vessels of the United States while at the library this weekend and didn't find any vessel that matched the criteria under the US Lifesaving Service, the Coast Guard or the Corps of Engineers. The COE had some derrick barges on the lakes at that time, but they were stationed at the Soo and didn't match the size criteria. Probably gate lifters at the locks.

Tom Hynes
Keith M Steffke

Mystery Lighthouse Service vessel

Unread post by Keith M Steffke »

I am interested if anyone may know the name and origin of this interesting vessel stationed at the Detroit Lighthouse depot in the spring of 1932. Notice that it has an extreme length to beam ratio, a smokestack at each end (one is surely from a donkey boiler for powering lifting winches), and a large lifting mast for hoisting buoys, recovering weights and markers, etc. Historically, vessels of this kind are usually called some kind of lifting "hoy", i.e. an Anchor Hoy... I questioned if it was powered or simply towed to the site by one of the tenders, as needed, even though there is a rudder; note that many of the non-powered lightships also had rudders for stability and steering, while being towed. It does look like it could almost be an old cross river ferry hull that was converted, but I am having trouble pinning this one down, as it does not appear to be "purpose built".
Thanks for any help,
Keith M. Steffke [email protected]
Attachments
USCG.DetroitDepot.April.11.1932.MysteryHoistVessel.lowres..jpg
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