Chris M wrote:Heard through the grapevine the Sherwin may be towed back to Sturgeon Bay this fall. I wouldn't worry about the Ryerson and for the Spencer I wouldn't be surprised to see her at the end of a tow line, she needs a lot of steel work.
I also heard the sherwin might be reactivated soon, hope that it is true!
Rob, the classic boats being changed or sent away is a bummer to see, few numbers in comparison to the large exodus of boats that left the lakes in the 80s, though these are the last of them, a boat profile unique only to the Great Lakes.
Heard through the grapevine the Sherwin may be towed back to Sturgeon Bay this fall. I wouldn't worry about the Ryerson and for the Spencer I wouldn't be surprised to see her at the end of a tow line, she needs a lot of steel work.
Just a few questions. Is the Ryerson in any danger of being scrapped? Also what about the Sherwin? And finally who currently owns the Sarah Spencer as ive heard she needs alot of work done to her. Just throwing out a few more names. Daniel
I believe shipowners base their decisions on ship costs, repair costs, economic formulas for remaining ship life, and 5 yr survey costs. Combine all of these factors with cargo contracts and tonnage requirements and it's determined which ships sail and which stay in layup. Keep a few viable ships for cargo seasonality also.
I believe some shipowners would rather scrap to keep ships from being used by competitors, even though a sale to competitor would bring more money.
Just to be clear, Algosteel just got her 5-year and new paint, and she likely has at least five years left in her before an equinox boat comes to replace her. The first equinox boat (first two maybe?) is to be a straight-decker, so Algomarine may have bought herself some time as well.
I cannot understand why owners only look to scrap as an exit route for there unused vessels. Surely it makes more sense to planet to reuse an asset rather than have it remanufactured from scratch. Taking the E M Ford as an example the scrap value was less than half the price I would pay for a 250kw steam power plant and yet it had a perfectly good steam plant capable of another 50 years life.
I wish that the Lewis J. Kuber and the James L. Kuber still had their pilothouses intact as they were nice looking ships when they were the Buckeye and Reserve. Also, the barge Pathfinder I wish that she also still had her pilothouse as well. She was also a nice looking boat as the Mauthe.
Oh and I have to mention the Halifax, Canadian Leader, Maumee, Calumet and James Norris! The Canadian "stranger" I really can't consider a classic laker. If you lump the American tug barge conversion because of the way they change the vessels, you can add them to the list of boats we lost in the past as well. The Sarah Spencer and McKee Son's at least still have their pilot house and look, for the most part like the boats they once were.
No big deal, I get mixed up too! Its sad to see all these classic lakers, both American and Canadian going to scrap in the last few years and the years to come. When they say get your pictures in, they mean it! The Provider, Quebecois, Montrealais, Algosteel, Algomarine are definites soon. We know the Gordon Leitch and Algocape are done. They Victory in in question. Its truely a sad time in laker history my friends. :(
kpgubert wrote:I have seen the Valor, and she does look pretty rough. Such a shame, and I believe she is the last Bethlehem turbine powered lake boat around.
Rob wrote:The American Valor is actually not a Bethlehem boat.
This was my fault for not thinking what I was typing. I meant American Victory, not American Valor. The Victory is Bethlehem powered, and I believe the last one after the Michipicoten conversion. The Valor is a Westinghouse. I have seen the Victory, she was the one I was trying to say is in rough shape. I haven't seen the Valor, I hope she is faring better than the Victory.
seadog wrote:algocape and gordon c leitch are now owned by canadian gibson and that isnt a whiskey company
Well that settles that - Algocape and Leitch are both done. What about Halifax? Haven't heard anything for quite some time now or I may have missed some news.
The American Valor is actually not a Bethlehem boat. The two remaining of the 3 lakers built, are the barge Lewis J. Kuber, formely Sparrow's Point and later Buckeye. The other being the Michipicoten, which has been converted to Diesel in the 2010-2011 lay-up. She was originally named Elton Hoyt 2nd for Interlake Steamship. All three Vessels, Johnstown, Sparrow's Point and Elton Hoyt 2nd were built by Bethlehem Steel shipyard at Sparrow's Point MD. The previous two actually sailing for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation and delivering raw materials to their various plants on the Great Lakes. As stated the Elton Hoyt 2nd sailed for Interlake.
ashland69 wrote:My opinion in the matter of the ASC boats is that I feel the American Valor will likely be converted to a barge; the American Fortitude will in all probability be sold to LLT in Canada; and, American Victory will probably be scrapped. That would leave the Adam E. Cornelius to sit in standby mode until her tonnage is required.
I'm not sure about the Valor getting barge conversion, unless K&K gets a hold of her. In recent years there seems to be more of a trend to diesel conversion rather than barge conversion, at least from seeing what LLT and Interlake have been doing.
Would ASC sell to LLT again? If ASC isn't going to put the Fortitude into service it would be nice to see someone else do it; even if it's under a Canadian flag.
I have seen the Valor, and she does look pretty rough. Such a shame, and I believe she is the last Bethlehem turbine powered lake boat around.
But, those are just my musings, no expert opinion.
you need to see the steel in the Discovery, Guardian and Spirit before thinking they will be scrapped, they can weather out any other ships on the great lakes even the new builds.