Boatnerd Discussion Forum

A few more, including some repeats.

http://pics.boatnerd.com/v/bnmain/album ... album1650/

Thank you for the info and wonderful pics of this classic laker that has long departed us

The Str. Nicolet was built as the William G Mather in 1905 at the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse MI. It sailed under that name for Cleveland Cliffs until 1925 when it was renamed the J H Sheadle. It operated under that name till 1955 when it was renamed H L Gobeille.
In 1965 it was converted to a self unloader at Manitowoc WI and a trunk deck was installed to make up for lost tonnage due to the type of self unloading equipment.It was now part of the Gartland Steamship Co. and managed by Boland & Cornelius
It was scrapped at Port Maitland ON in 1996'
It was 533' length overall x 60' beam and 31' depth. It had a capacity of 11,140 tons.

Here's a b & w what shot of it upbound at Port Huron in the early 70's. I always thought it was a very unique boat!

Nicolet- US-202542 Built 1905 as the steel hulled, dry bulk carrier, William G. Mather (1) by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, MI, Hull #9, for the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. 513" (LWL), 60' (w), 32' (deep), 6838 gross tons. Single screw, triple expansion steam engine with coal fired scotch boilers. Renamed- J.H. Sheadle in 1925 to clear former name for new vessel. Renamed H.L. Gobeille in 1955. Sold to Gartland Steamship Company 1964, deck trunked and converted to a self-unloader by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. during winter 1964-1965, renamed Nicolet when she fit out 1965. One of the first ships on the lakes with a hydraulically slewed and luffed, tube steel boom and incline belt elevator similar to the system on the Joseph H. Frantz. Gartland Steamship absorbed by the American Steamship Company (Boland & Cornelius, Mgrs.) 1969. Put in at the Dafoe Shipbuilding Co. in Bay City, MI winter of 1973-74, repowered with an EMD model Electro-Motive 20-645 engine (similar to the Richard J. Reiss/Manistee) her boilers were retained for her steering and deck equipment but were converted to oil firing. Suffered a serious fire at the Hans Hansen dock in Toledo, OH December 29, 1979. The fire destroyed her forward super structure. A new stricture was constructed the following spring. Towed from Toledo, OH August 28th, 1996 by the tugs Otis Wack and Illinois for Port Maitland, Canada. She arrived on August 29th for demolition.

Original configuration

As a self-unloader

After fire.

New pilot house

scrap tow

jerjos77 wrote:Looking for pictures and information about the steamship nicolet. I kniw she was scapped in mid 90's but was a frequent visitor on the saginaw river. I've looked in the historical galleries on this site and am unable to find anything

Did you look in the Marine Historical Society of Detroit Photo Gallery? Found in the photo gallery page. there are 4 photos of the Nicolet there.

Looking for pictures and information about the steamship nicolet. I kniw she was scapped in mid 90's but was a frequent visitor on the saginaw river. I've looked in the historical galleries on this site and am unable to find anything