Abandoned ferry Upper Canada

[Guest]

They merged them to keep the topics together and organized. Rather than starting a topic again go and post to the original and it will show up on the current index page.

For some reason the "Powers That Be" seem to have removed it (I can't find it anymore - Yesterday I looked it over & it was the 1st topic on pg. 16.

[PDBLK25]

"Odysseus" there was another thread on the Upper Canada located about 16 pages back in the "Information Search". For some reason the "Powers That Be" seem to have removed it (I can't find it anymore - Yesterday I looked it over & it was the 1st topic on pg. 16. I recall from it that there were no environmental issues, that she may be aground aft, she has a bad stern bearing (the molds for which are in the Engine Room. The big sticking point on her sale seems to be the (unreasonably high - In my opinion) selling price of $85,000.00.

[Odysseus]

Good post, and thanks for the picture included in your message.

I think this may have been discussed before, but I can't recall when. As I recall, the issues with whoever might want to claim the vessel or purchase it might have something to do with potential environmental matters. Like potential existing fuel on-board and any abatement needed. If I remember right, there might also be matters about registry and where it was built, so that might limit potential buyers as well.

Like I said, it seems like there was a previous discussion on here about this vessel. Just can't recall when and can't seem to find it even though I tried looking back.

Maybe some of the other more frequent posters here can help with this topic. I'm open to suggestions/corrections to facilitate this discussion.

[Guest]

She is a beautiful vessel isn't she it's too bad someone won't restore her to original condition we need to save these old gals

[PDBLK25]

The 90' ferry Upper Canada that lies aground in Lorain's Black River is not that mysterious. She has been listed as "for sale" on Scruton Marine's web-site for many years at $85,000.00. See
http://www.scrutonmarine.com/PV2024.htm
"Peggy" is handling sale of this vessel.

[PDBLK25]

She is still listed for sale on Scruton Marine. If you are really interested give Peggy a call....

Sorry "jswilson" and Peggy, I can't afford to spend $85,000.00. Wish I could - I like the looks of that little ship (even in the 2013 picture). Didn't mean to get anyone's hopes up. What I was doing was mainly an intellectual exercise. After going through a llarge percent of the Bowing Green Web-Site & seeing so many fine steel ships with their Dispositions listed as "abandoned", I wanted to find out if a truly abandoned ship - no owner, unencumbered by Maritime Liens - actually existed (still afloat). The 1st (and only) possibility that came to mind was the Upper Canada. The ex-Bill Hoey has no owner, but I am sure she is encumbered by Dozens of Maritime Liens (raising, towing, dockage fees, maybe even Mechanics' Liens).

[canaljim]

Forgot that was on the Scruton site. I've known Peggy and the family for years, been in Port Dover many times by land and sea. In 2001 when I saw the Upper Canada all it really needed was minor repair, some paint and a stern bearing. Too bad, she's a neat little boat, got lots of good memories. It was always fun getting your car on first as you had to back it all the way into the center in the rear. The engine room door was always open so watched the engineers or if I knew the Captain, rode in the wheelhouse. Had a lot of time on Her and Wolfe Islander II.

[jswilson]

She is still listed for sale on Scruton Marine. The boat sure looks a lot better in the photos posted to the ad. It has been listed for a very long time. If you are really interested give Peggy a call, I am sure she would like to arrange a sale and finally get a commission after having it listed all those years.
http://www.scrutonmarine.com/PV2024.htm

[canaljim]

I would assume the same guy owns her that I met in 2000, he works out of Lorain. I know the Captain that brought her across from Canada. The stern bearing was a vibration problem. The mold for the bearing is in her engine room. As I recall the owner originally had a buyer in the Caribbean that was going to convert it to a yacht.

[hayhugh3]

I note that the davits are swung out, so someone intentionally tried to launch the lifeboat. Most lifeboats are quite hard to sink because on built-in floatation. If the stern tube bearing is the problem, there is probably water inside the hull and the reason she is aground.

[Guest]

Many thanks to "canaljim" & his brother. That was an extensive & invaluable Website. The most important details were provided by Mac MacKay: Her Canadian Registry was allowed to lapse on Jan. 14, 2008, and she does not appear in U.S. Registry as Upper Canada. Other info. indicates she was towed to her present location around 2003 & has not been touched since. My conclusion is that she is abandoned. This brings up a can of worms in Maritime Law. The unknown owner my be subject to suit about the Ship in personem a suit that isn't a problem to us. However, the ship may be subject to Maritime Liens in rem (against the thing), and these can cause great problems to anyone claiming ownership of the vessel. These Liens belong to the ship. Whoever owns the ship also gets her Maritime Liens (wages owed the crew, debts for fuel, torts (accidents, deaths, etc.) repairs, food & supplies & other "necessaries"). No one may be claiming ownership due to these liens. However, the parties owed usually have a U.S. Marshall arrest the ship until the liens are paid off; or the ship is put up for sale & the proceeds used to pay the Lien-holders. The fact that the ship hasn't been arrested is a good sign. As no one claims ownership, and she appears unencumbered by liens, she may truly be abandoned (a very rare situation). And because she is not at a dock, she hasn't built up Dockage Fees.

[canaljim]

She's twin screw. I got wind she was for sale and went down to see her in 2000, had all the engines and generator running, took some video I still have around here somewhere. She needed a stern bearing as I recall. Looked a lot better then of course. I rode her a lot when she ran from Wolfe Island to Kingston Ontario in the 60's and early 70's with Wolfe Islander II. The big Wolfe Islander III took over in 1976. Lots of memories of that time. My brother ran across this website:

http://stevebriggs.netfirms.com/osmrm/x ... nette.html

[RCRV]

What engine did she have? Is it still in her?

[STish]

Still there in the same place and in about the same shape, a little more rust than in 2009. The starboard lifeboat has fallen off

[Middle rouge]

Still there. Don't know it's condition.

[PDBLK25]

Is the Abandoned car-ferry Upper Canada still sitting in Lorain? If not, what happened to her? What condition is she in now?