hugh3 wrote:Seems to me I read/heard that there was a quantity of steel bought and waiting to be used on her at layup. Think that was in the same discussion about keel problems.
I think that the Fitzgerald supposed pending lengthening at Fraser Shipyard and the even more questionable keel problems are two of the best circulated "urban myths" of the Great Lakes boat watching community. As far as I have seen, neither has ever been substantiated with actual unquestionable proof. As for the apparent sightings of steel marked with the Fitzgerald name at Frasers, this may have been simply been slated for some steel work repairs if it did in fact exist. I seem to recall that the loose keel accusations originated with the ship's cook. Here too, I question the validity of such allegations. If the ship was in such a poor condition, why did he continue to sail upon it and only by chance not be on the ship on its final voyage? I'm not doubting that maybe he had learned something while being a shipkeeper on the ship but there still is the question of proof to back up the loose keel theory. How long could a ship have operated in such a condition and why would its crew and owner allow it to do so? Seems like it would have been hard to keep such a fact quiet and there would have likely been a considerable amount of turnover in the crew if such a problem did exist.
Seems to me I read/heard that there was a quantity of steel bought and waiting to be used on her at layup. Think that was in the same discussion about keel problems.
I did not realize she was lengthened the same year in which she sank. Never heard anyone question if there was a direct connection or the possibility of a contributing cause of her hull failure.
You are correct Darryl as indeed she was lengthened at Fraser in 1975 but wasn’t an unloaded until the early 1980s. The Clarke was another one that was lengthened in the mid 1970s and later converted over to an unloaded in the early 1980s. Clarke to my understanding was the last ship to lock through the Soo before they closed the Soo Locks down in the Fitzgerald storm. I’m sure Garbear would know more on this since he was I think on the Clarke at the time?
I see the Anderson is up on Lake Superior today headed for Duluth with a stone cargo from Calcite. You could say I guess it’s fitting that today with it being the 45th Anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking that the Anderson is in Lake Superior just as she was 45 years ago today.