Boatnerd Discussion Forum

The Ryerson has been laid up for a short while compared to the length of time it was before coming back out in mid 2006, and just about every year prior to then was full of speculation as well.

Guest wrote:I get the feeling she will be scrapped soon. As the company continues to try to improve it's bottom line, the cost of keeping an idle ship is a drain. Plus the last year it ran, it lost a lot of money due to the economic crash, so they will never fit it out again without a contract with guaranteed tonnage and risk losing money like that again.

A couple of obvious reasons why it is very unlikely she will sail again anytime soon, if ever at all.

1) She's steam. Hard to find engineers, expensive to power up again, etc, etc..

2) There are self unloaders (even a couple of ASC diesel ones, if I remember correctly) that would certainly see work first, I would presume.

It's a shame, but we have to remember that as pretty as she is, she was built to haul ore; to do a job. Unfortunately, she's worth more as scrap.[/quote]

I really doubt you're right. For starters, several steamers have been repowered on the US side over the past 5 years and several more are now idle. I doubt there is a shortage of qualified sailors familiar with steam plants. If anything, there is now an excess.

If anything, the situation is brighter now for the Ryerson. The company was reminded just how potentially valuable this asset can be after being idle for a decade or so. I doubt her reactivation lost money, or she'd of gone to the wall rather then sailing for several seasons. Cargos are rising and the economy is improving. She's their insurance policy for the future and is more valuable in that role then as scrap. I doubt we've seen the last of her suddenly as 2010 comes to a close.

hayhugh wrote:Inland had that color scheme long before the Ryerson came out.

I have a postcard of the Sykes in that color scheme. The post mark is July 31, 1951.

Inland had that color scheme long before the Ryerson came out.

I believe the Colors were the only thing they gave an input on,on the Ryerson,and the other inland boats.

I believe what's being referred to there is something that was mentioned several years ago on this site. Don't remember all of the details, but if I recall correctly the gist of it goes something like this: the naval architects responsible for the Ryerson looked to a team (or several teams) of graduate students in a field like design or architecture to come up with themes / ideas regarding the enhancement of the vessel's aesthetic appearance vs. a more standard lake freighter of the era.

Norskellunge wrote:Per the video: The Ryerson was designed by a college student? What's the story on that?

I was surprised to hear that too, never had heard it previously

Per the video: The Ryerson was designed by a college student? What's the story on that?

Here's a video I shot of the Ryerson (along with the American Victory & the Adam E Cornelius) laid up at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconson if anyone was interested.

Filmed this past July 29th

I agree that the Ryerson is a pretty ship and definitely one of a kind. I guess everyone has their favorites. Mine are the Snyder and Boyer, what a great Texas House design. Also the Middletown and the Lee A. I have heard so many rumors about the Ryerson over the years including seeing drawings of the self unloading boom that was supposed to be installed several times. I suspect that she will sit until needed, or just sit until someone either sells her for scrap or she just rots away. I don't see her sailing again unless she is converted to a self unloader and I would assume at the same time re-powered.

Brent wrote:We already have enough museum ships that are barely surviving. If there were to be another museum ship I would suspect that it would be a self unloader just so there are atleast one or more of each type. If you think of it logically, what is there really to see on a museum ship. Other then the Pilot House and Engineroom, the rest is just a big empty space. I don't get what everyones fascination is with the Ryerson. Am I missing something here?

The fascination is that the Ryerson has great lines. Put it simply she is a good looking boat. Compare it to a good looking woman, special treatment based on her looks. May not be politically correct, but that's reality.

Brent wrote:We already have enough museum ships that are barely surviving. If there were to be another museum ship I would suspect that it would be a self unloader just so there are atleast one or more of each type. If you think of it logically, what is there really to see on a museum ship. Other then the Pilot House and Engineroom, the rest is just a big empty space. I don't get what everyones fascination is with the Ryerson. Am I missing something here?

An interesting spin i have never thought of. Perhaps there might be an opportunity for an onshore museum with an engine room and pilot house alone and then some sort of video display of the rest?

As individuals we all tend to keep stuff we think someone might like to see someday but a lot of what I keep is really just... junk.

Guest wrote:A couple of obvious reasons why it is very unlikely she will sail again anytime soon, if ever at all.

1) She's steam. Hard to find engineers, expensive to power up again, etc, etc..

2) There are self unloaders (even a couple of ASC diesel ones, if I remember correctly) that would certainly see work first, I would presume.

It's a shame, but we have to remember that as pretty as she is, she was built to haul ore; to do a job. Unfortunately, she's worth more as scrap.

You're assuming here. The same thoughts were put forth during her last lengthy lay-up, all based on guess-work and unsubstantiated rumors. The owners made no move to scrap her then; I see no reason why their thinking on that has changed this time around.

We already have enough museum ships that are barely surviving. If there were to be another museum ship I would suspect that it would be a self unloader just so there are atleast one or more of each type. If you think of it logically, what is there really to see on a museum ship. Other then the Pilot House and Engineroom, the rest is just a big empty space. I don't get what everyones fascination is with the Ryerson. Am I missing something here?

Maybe the Ryerson will get lucky 1 more time and end up on display in a Museum..

A couple of obvious reasons why it is very unlikely she will sail again anytime soon, if ever at all.

1) She's steam. Hard to find engineers, expensive to power up again, etc, etc..

2) There are self unloaders (even a couple of ASC diesel ones, if I remember correctly) that would certainly see work first, I would presume.

It's a shame, but we have to remember that as pretty as she is, she was built to haul ore; to do a job. Unfortunately, she's worth more as scrap.

Guest wrote:what about being used in the cement industry?

Over capacity already with cement boats. And is no call for a 730' cement carrying steamer.

what about being used in the cement industry?

Northup wrote:

Guest wrote:I get the feeling she will be scrapped soon. As the company continues to try to improve it's bottom line, the cost of keeping an idle ship is a drain. Plus the last year it ran, it lost a lot of money due to the economic crash, so they will never fit it out again without a contract with guaranteed tonnage and risk losing money like that again.

What are the chances she could be sold to a Canadian company like Lower Lakes Towing or Vanguard?

Very low, the Ryerson's holds are designed specifically for ore and are very bad for unloading grain.

Guest wrote:I get the feeling she will be scrapped soon. As the company continues to try to improve it's bottom line, the cost of keeping an idle ship is a drain. Plus the last year it ran, it lost a lot of money due to the economic crash, so they will never fit it out again without a contract with guaranteed tonnage and risk losing money like that again.

What are the chances she could be sold to a Canadian company like Lower Lakes Towing or Vanguard?