Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I do believe that a near and dear laker support vessel, the original MACKINAW, was FM powered.

Apparently the Marine Engineer with Canadian shipbuilding and engineering was a huge backer of the F&M engines and wasn't that happy when CSL decided to get away from them beginning with the Rimouski>

Guest wrote:This is a question for Laker Capt but anyone can chime in, if I got this rite the original theory with the FMs was you start out using 2 engines then if more power was needed you brought the other 2 online in theory, now did they stay that way or did they eventually just put them all on line and use the conventional throttle controller witch I have seen on some Canadian Miner had that set up? Another question did the ships with FMs make good speed?

The bridge control of the engines was a fairly complicated thing with gates or slots on it. When maneuvering the four engines would be running but at a slow speed, only two would be clutched in. More speed then go up a notch, three would be clutched in. The last gate at the bottom would clutch in the last engine. You should not go through the gates too quickly giving the engines time to come up to speed and clutch in. When going down the Detroit and St. Clair rivers we would shut down one engine completely to ensure you did not exceed the speed limits and the wash would be small.
It's a long time now since I sailed on a FM engined boat be this is my recollections.

The Canadian side of the lakes had a large number of Fairbanks Opposed Piston propelled ships. Here is a partial listing with the number of engines in (). These engines were installed in Lake Ships, Passenger ships Government Vessels. Iroquois(2), Sarniadoc(2), Calgadoc(2),Imperial Quebec(2),Hopedale(2),Fort Chambly(4),Mondoc(2),Lawrendoc(2)Taverner(2), W.Harold Rea(2)Sir Denys Lowson(4),Simcoe(4)Roy A. Jodrey(4),Mantadoc(4),Algorail(4),Algocen(4),Texaco Chief(2),Agawa Canyon(4),Algoway(4),Metis(2),Coniscliffe Hall(2),Rockcliffe Hall(2),Eskimo(2),Canadoc(4), Hudson Transport(2),Fort St. Louis(4),Hamildoc(2),Kingdoc(2),Saguenay(4),Manitoulin(4),Lawrencecliffe Hall(4),Fort William(4),Labradoc(2), Prindoc(2) and so on, You can see this engine type was widely used .Quite a number of Coast Guard vessels also had FM engines.

Remember being able to hear the Simcoe for sometimes about an hour before it would even come into view on the St Lawrence. The Algocen sounded amazing too

The CG 140-foot icebreaking tugs have two, 1,250-hp FMs in a single-screw diesel-electric setup.

The Fort William had Fairbanks that ship could fly

The vessel is powered by 4 Fairbanks Morse 12-38D8-1/8 opposed piston, single acting, 2-stroke cycle 12-cylinder 2,000 b.h.p. (1,494 kW) diesel engines built by Canadian Locomotive Co. Ltd., Kingston, ON. These engines burn marine diesel oil. The power is geared through a single screw output gearbox to a single KaMeWa 18.7' (5.70m) diameter controllable pitch propeller giving her a speed of 16.1 m.p.h.. The Algocen was originally built with the "side drive" option with 2 additional 12 cylinder Caterpillar D398 700 b.h.p. (523 kW) auxiliary diesel engines built by Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, IL; that, when not being used as electricity generators, could be clutched into the central gearbox to provide additional power. This capability was later disconnected but the engines were not removed. She is equipped with an 800 h.p. (598 kW) bow thruster, My father was Captain of the Simcoe from 1970-77 and was so proud of his ship and last command before retirement. Above is the Fairbanks Morse setup onboard same as the Algocen.

i believe the fairbank morse engines in canada were built under licence bt the canadian locomotives works in kingston ontario and yes the csl simcoe had 4 fairbank morse engines some marine engineers called them fairbanks remorse

Not sure if CSL's Simcoe had FM but it had a great sound

This is a question for Laker Capt but anyone can chime in, if I got this rite the original theory with the FMs was you start out using 2 engines then if more power was needed you brought the other 2 online in theory, now did they stay that way or did they eventually just put them all on line and use the conventional throttle controller witch I have seen on some Canadian Miner had that set up? Another question did the ships with FMs make good speed?

guest wrote:The Colt-Pielstick engines are also manufactured by FM. The Blough, Speer, American Spirit, James R. Barker and Mesabi Miner all have these. I believe there are some Canadian boats that also do.

The Pielsticks are a french design and are a standard V block where the FM's are opposed. Crosley had the license in Canada so they built the Canadian Pielsticks.

They certainly had a very distinctive sound and when all four were online and at full speed, the noise in the engine room was something to behold. The bridge control was a series of slots to control the engines and it took a good deal of practice to get the proper speed clutching and out the engines as needed.

Yeah! Great video! Gotta go now but I'll be watching the whole thing tonight. Thanks for that.

There was no mistake in who went by you in the fog, they were a great sound to hear. The only other one i could tell w/o seeing were the SunDoxford diesel on the “Henry” and the “Benson” ( Ford fleet ) they drummed out the beat that sounded like Makin-Money / Makin Money .

A great video. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

The Colt-Pielstick engines are also manufactured by FM. The Blough, Speer, American Spirit, James R. Barker and Mesabi Miner all have these. I believe there are some Canadian boats that also do.

Whole video of FM powered Lakers.
https://youtu.be/lh5H1mbi1Wo

1. I always thought that Fairbanks-Morse was big into marine engines, yet I've never heard of a laker that had one. Weren't they very good?