Saturday, June 22, 2019

The Footers: Lakers of 1000 or more feet long

(My notes on shorter (older) Lakers are here.)

If you are here because of the Stewart J. Cort and/or Stubby, then you need to go there.

Because some footers pass through the bridges in Sturgeon Bay going to or from the shipbuilding yard, the "Sturgeon Bay Bridges" notes have quite a few photos of some footers, especially the Mesabi Miner.

Boats optimized for using the largest Soo Lock are at least 1000' long and are called Footers. Since 1983 there have been 13 of them. (Interlake has ordered a new ship from FBS, but it is less than 1000' long so that it can also access some docks that are up some rivers.)
In this video you will see that the ships have a square stern and a blunt, rounded bow. The good news is that the blunt bow maximizes cargo space in the lock. The bad news is that it does not cut through ice very well. It is not unusual at the end of the shipping season for them to get stuck. Then an ice breaker has to be dispatched to help get them to their winter port. Many of these 1000-footers spend the winter at the shipyard in Sturgeon Bay for maintenance work. For example, in 2018 eleven of them were there for the Winter season (Jan-Mar).
(new window)
0:21 Stewart J. Cort, BN (Superior, Wisconsin) 3:04 Presque Isle [the only articulated barge+tugboat of 1000'] 5:28 James R. Barker, BN [It has an interesting sounding horn.] 8:00 Mesabi Miner, BN 10:40 Walter J. McCarthy 12:46 American Integrity 14:46 American Spirit 16:50 Edwin H. Gott (Two Harbors, Minnesota) [This has the longest self-unloading boom at 280' and the most horsepower at 19,500.] 19:52 Indiana Harbor 22:05 Burns Harbor (Superior, Wisconsin) 24:45 Edgar B. Speer 28:39 American Century 32:15 Paul R. Tregurtha, BN [At 1013.5', it is the longest vessel on the Great Lakes. It has the nickname of The Queen of the Great Lakes.]


More info on and photos of the Stewart J. Cort

Some of these ships were built at American/Cleveland Shipbuilding's yard in Lorain, OH. Paul R. Tregurtha is of note not only because it is the longest of the 1000' class, but because it was the last ship built in that shipyard. It was originally name William J. De Lancey.

Lorain Historical Society posted
May 10th 1981, the last ship built in Lorain, the William J. DeLancey departed on her maiden voyage.
Barbara Piscopo And this ship still sails the Great Lakes under the name the Paul R. Tregurtha! To learn more, visit our Children’s Room at the Lorain Historical Society where there is a “cut out replica” of this ship.
Dennis DeBruler Thanks for the name change information. I thought Tregurtha was the longest Laker, so I was confused when I read that DeLancey was the longest.
Rick Shaw I've got miles of welds on that ship.
Aloma Arp I remember this. Steinbrenner shut down his ship building there and began the decline in Lorain.
Justine Schneider Volan Aloma Arp my dad always blamed Steinbrenner for the shipyard and Lorain.
Aloma Arp Justine Schneider Volan
He was right.

The bow and part of the cargo hold of this ship was built in the Toledo Yard and then towed here to complete the ship. It is powered by two 8,560 b.h.p. V-16 diesel engines. "On November 9, 2009 the Tregurtha laid up at Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay WI for a scheduled winter repowering project. Her twin Pielstick diesels were removed and replaced by a pair of medium speed MaK M43C 6 cylinder diesel engines providing a combined 17,120 BHP. Returning to service in April 2010, this re-investment reaffirms Interlake`s commitment to reliable and dependable service to their customers, and ensures a long and productive future for the Paul R. Tregurtha....During winter layup 2017-18, the Paul R. Tregurtha was equipped with an exhaust gas scrubber system to reduce sulfur emissions. Exhaust gas from the engines is sent through a series of absorption sprays that wash and remove impurities, specifically sulfur and particulate matter. That washed exhaust gas then travels through a droplet separator before a clean plume of white steam is discharged into the atmosphere." [Boatnerd has lots of photos]

Interlake Steamship
[Please click the link for info and more photos of the freighter].

Destination Duluth posted
The First and Last (and Longest)...
Stewart J. Cort (the first 1000-footer in 1972) takes a delay at the Port of Duluth while the Paul R. Tregurtha (the last built in 1981 and longest footer at 1,013.5 feet) glides past with coal loaded at Midwest Energy for DTE St. Clair, Michigan. Duluth, MN - April 3, 2023 

There are photos of the Tregurtha at the Port of Monroe getting a load of steel rods after it dumped its load of coal.

Marc Dease added
From the Port Huron Times Herald, October 31, 1986. William J. DeLancey (now Paul R. Trgurtha) gives fleetmate James R. Barker a tandem tow to Sturgeon Bay, WI., after an engine room fire left the Barker disabled. photo by Ralph Polovich PHTH. from the files of Marc Dease.
Zach Harris Never seen a picture of them right next to each other. Guess the Tregurtha really is 12ft longer
Richard Gray Zach Harris 9.5 feet. The DeLancey is also towing, so the Barker is just behind it being pulled along. Look at the pilot houses and see that they don't quite line up.
Craig Bode There is about 4.5 acres floating
Bob Riegel Both built at Lorain AM Ship, about 5 years apart. Barker's the older one.

Bev Shaw shared
 
Ian Ebert posted via Dennis DeBruler

Gene Sonnen posted
Engine on the Edwin Gott .
Tony Chiesa: Kevin Toombs how much horsepower would you guess?
Kevin Toombs: Tony Chiesa 19,578 HP, the most powerful on the lakes. It has a pair of MaK 8M43C Diesels
Richard Gee: Kevin Toombs Yep and Cat killed that Engine Company.
James Long: Her 2nd set of engines.
Christopher Camalick: James Long ya originals were Enterprise DMRV-16-4.
John Mcglashan Sr.: Christopher Camalick correct and they were absolutely the worst engines in the history of heavy oil engines. Literally 1930 technology.
Curtis Emery: I’ve reconditioned the fuel pumps and injectors for these engines several times. They would always come in exceptionally clean compared to other ships we worked on. You could tell the engine room crew really took pride in their work!
Kevin Fix: V 16
Curtis Emery: Kevin Fixstraight 8
Mike Novak: Most powerful ship on the lakes 
Bob Heath: And that picture is only the top of that monster.
James Torgeson shared

6 of 22 photos posted by David Schauer with the comment: "Thanks to Dan Mackey and the generosity of Captain Newland, a few of us were able to visit Interlake's 1000-footer James R. Barker as it loaded at BNSF in Superior. The footer had a change of orders and ended up taking on a load of Hibbing Taconite pellets here for Burns Harbor, an infrequent run for the Barker (fleetmate Cort is best known for this route). I've added a number of images from our visit with specific captions on each photo. It was also a treat to meet Logan Vasicek who is currently assigned to the Barker. 11/15/2022"
[To summarize some comments. The freight can carry 63,000 tons. Each shuttle can load 1,000 tons/hour and there are 18 shuttles. There are also 18 ballast tanks and each has its own pump. Since each ballast tank has its own pump, the boat can load in less than four hours.]
David Schauer shared
a
A view from the bow showing conveyor shuttle booms loading the James R. Barker at BNSF Superior. 11/15/2022

b
Captain Newland of the James R. Barker explains the inner workings of the engine control room. 11/15/2022

c
Cameras aboard the James R. Barker as viewed in the engine control room. The Minion was a nice touch. 11/15/2022

d
Power for the Barker is provided by two 8,000 bhp V-16 cylinder, four stroke cycle, single acting, turbocharged Colt-Pielstick PC2V diesel engines, built by Fairbanks Morse Engine Division of Colt Industries, Beloit, WI.

e
Aboard the James R. Barker looking forward to the bow in the unloading tunnel. When in rough weather you can see the flexing nature of the hull as the footer moves through waves.

f
M/V James R. Barker was the first 1000-foot class vessel constructed entirely on the Great Lakes, where she was built by American Ship Building Company at Lorain, Ohio. The James R. Barker is named for Interlake’s Chairman of the Board and has always been part of the Interlake Steamship fleet.


This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

This photo has been moved to Stewart J. Cort

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