Boatnerd Discussion Forum

[quote=Guest post_id=273686 time=1757692110]
I know it had a steam powered winch that automatically adjusted tension on the tow line. Maybe it was in the bow?

Would they have used steam to keep its cargo of fuel oil less viscous? Tall stack to prevent sparks from igniting cargo vapors?
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As Mr. Lafferty said, the boiler was up in the bow and the stack was tall to reduce the chance of sparking. Though if I recall, the boiler was oil fired so sparking would be minimal. I think not too long before she sank, there was another heating system added in the stern. Yes the steam was there to keep the oil warm.

I know it had a steam powered winch that automatically adjusted tension on the tow line. Maybe it was in the bow?

Would they have used steam to keep its cargo of fuel oil less viscous? Tall stack to prevent sparks from igniting cargo vapors?

The Standard Oil barges had a boiler in the forecastle to supply steam to dual pumps and auxiliaries such as heating and winches. The funnels were very high, 90 feet above the waterline per the Corps of Engineers in 1941 although listed as 75 feet in the 1930s, intended to keep hot cinders as far away from the deck as possible when loading or unloading.

Here are two additional photos of the vessel from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit when it was the Gotham 85. The vessel was built as a four-masted schooner barge in 1913. It appears that the forward mast doubled as a stack for whatever auxiliary power that was provided on the vessel. In later years, the other three masts were removed.

Photo A: Tug Gotham, barge Gotham 84 and Gotham 85, showing smoke coming from all three vessels. Peter Worden collection/MHSD.

Photo B: 1935 view by John Poole/MHSD collection

I was wondering if anyone would know why the barge Cleveco that sank in Lake Erie in 1942 had such a high stack at its bow? What was the reason for the stack? Was it to run an engine to provide some type of power to the barge's pumps, etc.?

I don't have an image of this vessel but the following link is the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes through Bowling Green State University that has an image and some information on this barge.

https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/item/439012