Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: April 27, 2026, 7:44 pm To correct my earlier post, I got to thinking and I'm pretty sure that the Gott was already repowered.

I believe that’s correct. Per the ship biography for Edwin H Gott at https://greatlakesships.wordpress.com/edwin-h-gott/, over winter layup 2010-2011 the ship was repowered with 2 MaK 8M43C diesel engines developing a combined max. 19.300 BHP.

To correct my earlier post, I got to thinking and I'm pretty sure that the Gott was already repowered. Plus a quick look at an old Know Your Ships shows that they weren't sisterships anyways where the engine room was concerned (Enterprise diesels as-built on the Gott).

That said, even if the Blough never sails again there's more of these 1970's era engines out there (although not so much on the oceans at this point). Like I said, Interlake made a point to save the Paul R. Tregurtha's Colt-Pielstick engines for the Mesabi Miner and the James R. Barker precisely due to the long lead times on some parts.

16 cylinders on the Interlake ships versus the 18 cylinder engines on the Speer, but you already have a market on the lakes right there since most parts are interchangeable between the two (although obviously the crankshaft isn't going to be one of them that Interlake could put to use). And there's still 18 cylinder models in use around the world in stationary applications.

The American Integrity departed lay up in Erie, PA. today, April 27 and they are showing Two Harbors as their next destination per their AIS. So, other than the Edgar B. Speer which is still in Sturgeon Bay getting new engines put into her, all of the 1,000 footers so far are out and sailing this season for now at least!

Interlake when they repowered the Tregurtha, utilized the old engines as spare parts sources. The lead time for a new crankshaft for instance could keep a ship at the wall for a season.

Doesn't the Edwin H. Gott still have her original engines? Same make and model, iirc.

Mn bob wrote: April 27, 2026, 8:21 am I thought it was said that the bloughs engines didn’t get damaged in the fire. Secondly I really believe the blough is done as the industry is slowing down and with no more coal to haul there are extra hulls available. Right now there is still one footer at the wall and not running yet. Also with the bloughs limited ports she can unload at makes her less likely to come out. Too much money to fix her as well. It’s my favorite ship and I would like nothing more than for glf to fix her and put her back in service just not going to happen!

Additionally, they stripped her pilot house out, no radar or communication/computer systems remain. That should tell you something.

I agree with Mn Bob, the current and future market conditions won’t justify bring out the Blough.

I thought it was said that the bloughs engines didn’t get damaged in the fire. Secondly I really believe the blough is done as the industry is slowing down and with no more coal to haul there are extra hulls available. Right now there is still one footer at the wall and not running yet. Also with the bloughs limited ports she can unload at makes her less likely to come out. Too much money to fix her as well. It’s my favorite ship and I would like nothing more than for glf to fix her and put her back in service just not going to happen!

If those rumors are true, I wonder then if the Blough somehow could be repaired? Not getting my hopes up too high though just yet on her but, you never know.

I heard of a rumor that GLF is saving parts of the removed Pielstick to be used in the Blough.

Looking at the Port Report for March 1, 2026 of photos of the Manitoulin in drydock at Sturgeon Bay, I can see that both the port and starboard engine-room access hatches on deck for the engines are open. (They are located just ahead of the shuttle boom.)

https://boatnerd.com/port-report-march- ... id=1&pid=5

I would guess that the Speer won't be ready for the start of the season - June/July maybe?

The repower is going to be a significant amount of work. It should only be the engines being replaced, keeping gearboxes, prop shafts, etc.

Beyond the engines themselves will be all the piping systems connecting to the engines and the electronic controls. I assume she will head into the dock once the Manitoulin leaves.

There will be plenty of work happening right now: building any structural foundation pieces needed; fabricating pipe spools; etc

Once in dock access needs to be cut to get the old engines out - through the side of the hull? Foundations need to be modified; new engines loaded in; pipe spools installed; repatch the side shell. I don't know if the MAN engines are IMO Tier II or III - if they're Tier III then a urea system needs to be installed, with all the work that goes with that.

Prep work can be done now, but there's a lot remaining once the main part of the tear out starts.

Will the Speer be ready in time for when the 2026 season opens in late March? Noticed on the Port Reports for February 15, the Manitoulin was placed into the Large Graving Dock at Sturgeon Bay on February 13. I would think then, with the Manitoulin now in the Large Graving Dock that the Speer and the engine replacements and upgrade project on her will not be done for quite a while yet! Anyone hear or know more on what’s going on with the Speer and when they expect to begin the project and finish it then? Thanks in advance for any information that anyone may have then.

MAN L48/60CR, rated 9655 HP @ 500 RPM.

How much more HP will the new engines give the Speer? The Gott still has the most HP of any Laker followed by the Speer which is a little bit less.

I heard they are MAN engines, rather than MAK.

Hi Bob, sorry my friend as I don’t know the answers to your questions but I would think that they’d put the same type of engines into the Speer as they did on the Gott a few years ago though. Hey, since we’re on the subject and talking about the Speer it would look and appear for the moment that there are no plans as far as having a new unloading boom installed much like what was done on the Gott during the Winter of 1995/96. I would think if it were to be done on the Speer, there would’ve been some type of news on it then by now. The James R. Barker is still in the large graving dock at Bay Ship and getting their 5-year done. After they are done, I would assume the Speer will then be placed into the large graving dock next so they can begin the change and upgrades to the new engines for her. Had the Speer though gotten a new unloading boom along with new engines, I would think she would’ve laid up sooner than she did so that they could begin the work immediately on the Speer then. When the Gott had her engines upgraded years ago, she went to Bay Ship and laid up early then. I don’t know how long it takes for Bay Ship to do an overhaul and upgrade the engines on the Speer but I would think GLF would want to have it done soon and ASAP so they can get the Speer back out and operating again soon this year! If it’s going to take some time to do the engine upgrades, I wonder then who and what company will pick up the Speer’s cargoes while she’s being worked on? That’s a lot of cargo and tonnage to make up IMO at least anyway. I suppose ASC and their footers can probably fill in while the Speer is getting her engines upgraded as ASC has hauled ore pellets before to Gary & Conneaut. Just my thoughts only here.

Does anyone have any information as to what engines they are installing in the Speer this winter? Would they possibly install the mak engines same as what they put in the gott? Any info is appreciated tia