There are two lakers that were used in Frankfort, Michigan at the Luedtke Engineering docks in the same manner-although if memory serves, they arrived on site having already had the pilot house and desk house removed. Anyone recall the names of these lakers? Thanks!
It's a very cost effective and time saving way of making a dock or breakwall. Cut off the cabins and spar deck for scrap money, fill the remaining hull with sand and gravel to stabilize and strengthen it, then sink it where you need it.
There are many examples over the years. Sidney Smith in Sarnia, Amasa Stone in Charlevoix, MI, Howard Shaw/Victorious/Douglas Houghton at Ontario Place in Toronto, John Fritz/Bryn Barge/John Roebling at Lsakeview Generating Station also near Toronto just to mention a few. A good strong steel hull filled with gravel will last a very long time and requires virtually no maintenance or upkeep.
She is still there. They cut the pilothouse and aft cabins off some time in the 90's. Since then they have graded dirt and gravel over it for equipment to drive on. Last summer i noticed a good sized hole near the stern that had the shape of a bulbs bow from salty. Not sure when that happened. You can kind of see what looks like a dent in the stern shot. Up close you can see it's a good sized hole.