Gordon C Leitch on final trip?

[torgy1962]

The U.S. Hulett unloaders are not too bad as they are better controlled by the operator in his control compartment adjacent to the clam bucket .

Hulett unloaders have been off the scene for many years now, with the last two standing in South Chicago being demolished last spring.

[fireman12]

Most Canadian lakers load iron ore at the eastern St Lawrence River ports of Quebec City , Port Cartier , Sept Iles , or Havre St Pierre . This puts the ballasted ships in salt water so the ballast tanks take the hit because of corrosion . And , a fair bit of wear and tear results from the unloading of the heavy ore . The U.S. Huelett unloaders are not too bad as they are better controlled by the operator in his control compartment adjacent to the clam bucket . But when a bridge crane is used like the Sorel and Hamilton Steel plants , damage usually results . The clam buckets are wild at times and can impact the cargo hold bottoms quite severely , literally shaking the whole ship . At times the tanks gets holed , both on the db tank tops and the side tanks . As salt water corrosion takes its toll , the tanks get holed more often . The American lakers today rarely go east , one exception being the Ryerson the last 2 years since her parent company also owns the old Dofasco Steel plant in Hamilton . So they don`t get the same kind of harsh treatment with ore loads . And they last far longer .

[Guest]

What is it about that ore that is so hard on a ship? Is it corrosive or just its high density that damages the boat when its being loaded or what? Thanks.

[Guest]

I have to agree, the Leitch must be done. She would have been laid-up at a shipyard for another drydocking this Winter if ULS intended to run her again. There are other docks to tie-up at in Montreal, besides Section 56 and they had her moved there last Spring, before being returned to service in the Fall. Too bad, she was a fine ship.

Its also sad that the shipowners on the lakes always have to be like their ocean counterparts and keep everything secret about their ships. When a laker is being retired, the owners could issue a press release stating the fact. The ships that sail the lakes are so much more followed and well known than any saltie and they become part of the lore of the lakes. Its disheartening that they get retired and sold for scrap and nothing official is said. I just figure a ship that has sailed the lakes for its entire life, provided jobs for local sailors and has been such an important part of the Great Lakes shipping industry should be sent off to the breakers with a little respect.

[fireman12]

Taking everyone`s input to this topic , and more than enough qualified posts to the question ` Is the Leitch done or not ? ` , I`d just like to add this . From my own experience on the lakes for over 35 years , and knowing the Canadian side from TBay to Sept Iles pretty good , I`d say the Gordon C. Leitch is done . More times than not , if a laker ends up at section 56 in Montreal , it`s last tow time . Sadly , as ` new ` as she may be , the Gordon C. Leitch`s week long stay in PWDD was more to just get her to pass inspection for this year`s contract . Any steel work would have taken longer than a week . Unless some one here actually knows the real shape of her internals , I`d guess that the Sorel - Havre St Pierre run was the finishing touch . I worked on a ship on that run in the ` 70s , it ruins cargo hold tank tops and the double bottom framing . Add the bottom steel to the equation and you have an expensive fix to worry about . Anyone who is in the area should try to get some pics to post here . The former Ralph Misener was a forerunner in laker design when Canadian Vickers built her in 1968 and will soon be gone , I`m sure .

[oldseadog]

You have to take this into factor, scrap steel prices are on the rise due to the demand, now is the time to get the most money for scrap. Waiting is not profitable.

[bhale849]

Although she's headed for the notorious Slip 56 in Montreal, I wouldn't count her out yet. As was already mentioned in this thread, she was built stronger than your average Laker, her hatch configuration makes for easier grain loading, her powerplant is uncomplicated; consisting of large, reliable Diesel, and she was launched in 1968. One contributer posted that ULS plans to run Her until the end of 2011, while another said he heard from the crew that she was done. With all due respect to that contributor; it was my experince as a crewmember aboard many Lakers, that rumors (especially ones containing bad news) spread very quickly among the crew, and were often proved wrong by the front office. It's best to wait for Official Word from ULS on this matter.
Other things to consider: $1 Million Dollars was spent getting Her back in shape, and she spent over a week at PWDD (in the dry dock). This indicates substantial work was done on her. Finally, it will be some time before ULS can get suitable replacement tonnage. As this year has shown, ULS needs suitable grain-carriers until then.

[TWilush]

I'd image that the harsh ilmenite ore run she and the Prospector were on for a few years was ultimately what sealed their fates. This was the same run that CSL's Simcoe and Rimouski were on just before their sale and ultimate scrapping was it not?

[Guest]

Gordon C Leitch is due at Section 56 in Montreal this evening (Dec. 28) at about 2130 hours EST for final lay-up. She is enroute from Baie Comeau, after unloading a grain cargo.

Its getting crowded at sec 56, Port of Montreal

About eight or nine years ago, I had the chance to tour the Leitch while she waited to load corn at the Cargill Elevator in Duluth. The thing that caught me by surprise was a member of the deck crew, hanging over the port side of the boat, about mid-ships, who was knocking the rust out of the few rust pits she had in her hull plating and then applying paint. I had never seen that being done on the hull plating of any ship before, just on the deck. The Leitch's hull plates looked so good, with hardly any rust pitting, that I thought she would last forever. Especially compared to some of the other boats ULS had around that time, like the Canadian Trader. But I guess time catches up to all of them.

[oldseadog]

Gordon C Leitch is due at Section 56 in Montreal this evening (Dec. 28) at about 2130 hours EST for final lay-up. She is enroute from Baie Comeau, after unloading a grain cargo.

Its getting crowded at sec 56, Port of Montreal

[Guest]

since it leaves ULS with just three straight-deckers, all steam powered, with one having no bow thruster at all.

Which is the one with no bow thruster?

Canadian Provider does not have a bow thruster.

[Guest]

since it leaves ULS with just three straight-deckers, all steam powered, with one having no bow thruster at all.

Which is the one with no bow thruster?

[Guest]

Gordon C Leitch is due at Section 56 in Montreal this evening (Dec. 28) at about 2130 hours EST for final lay-up. She is enroute from Baie Comeau, after unloading a grain cargo.

[Guest]

TWlish,

It was nice meeting a fellow boatnerd braving the cold yesterday at Lock 2. Glad to catch her on the last trip, and meet a few friends along the way. Here's to a good 2011 season!

Rob oin Buffalo

[Guest]

I was surprised to hear of the Gordon C Leitch's retirement. It was just four years ago, while working the St Lawrence ore trade that a new deeper loadline was approved, allowing the Leitch to be loaded to 31 feet. She was in good enough shape to get the deeper loadline and now just four years later she requires too much steel replacement to remain in service. It must have been a hard four years of service.

The Leitch was a unique vessel, having both a bow and stern thruster and a Kort nozzle around her prop. Her large hatch openings, much like a saltie, made unloading under the rigs easier and sped the loading of grains. (That was orginally designed for the unloading rig she had on deck)She was built a little stronger to allow the vessel to travel farther East on the St. Lawrence River than most lakers were allowed. A single diesel engine was unusual as well, since most diesel boats of that era had two or as many as four engines.

So I find her retirement interesting, since it leaves ULS with just three straight-deckers, all steam powered, with one having no bow thruster at all. I had always thought the Leitch would be the last straight-decker left in service from that original large pool of flat-backs Seaway Marine operated.

[TWilush]

Saw her in the canal today, her crew confirmed that her career is over.

[TWilush]

Should be in the Canal tomorrow.

[Paul A]

At 1320 CST making 12.3 kts at Passage Island Light.

[Phil]

Should be at the Soo locks at 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

[Guest]

I would expect the Leitch to be downbound at the locks around 0600-0700 Sunday morning. She should certainly be downbound at Mission Point in daylight. Rock Cut for sure as well as DeTour. (Maybe someone on the boat would be able to post the exact times...please) Thank you.