Cedarville and Maumee?

[Richard Jenkins]

They were "near-sisters", both built to a very similar design, as were most of the Pittsburgh "standard 600-footers" that came out between 1923 and 1930. Visually, the main spotting feature to tell the difference between the 1927 boats and the 1929-1930 boats as built (not including the Myron C. Taylor with her extra guest quarters) was the slightly larger pilothouse on the newer boats. Of course the subsequent rebuilds also made them easier to tell apart, as some were repowered, some were converted to self-unloaders, and some remained straight-deck steamers to the end. Interestingly, although the Cedarville received a streamlined, diesel-style smokestack like those applied to the Calcite II and Myron C. Taylor when they were repowered, Cedarville was still a steamer when she sank.

[Alex]

Both vessels were converted to self-unloaders with their booms at the forward end. The Cedarville was converted in 1957 at Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan, and the Maumee was converted in 1961 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

[Guest]

Thanks! What would you say about the Self Unloader bow? The same?

[Alex]

Yes, they were the same dimensions, but at closest they were fleetmates. The Cedarville was built at River Rouge, Michigan in 1927 and the Maumee was built at Lorain, Ohio in 1929.

[J_Churill]

Wondering if these two boats could be sister ships? Cedarville and Maumee? Dimensions are almost identical? Thanks