You can tell that this is an old laker because the pilothouse is on the bow. This steamship is a fan favorite so there are a lot of photos of it.
Built by American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, OH in 1949 for Inland Steel Co., the streamlined bulk freighter Wilfred Sykes was the first new American-built Great Lakes vessel constructed after World War II. At the time of her launch, she was the largest vessel on the Great Lakes. The Sykes is powered by 2 steam turbine engines producing a combined 7,700 horsepower driving an 18 1/2 foot diameter four-blade propeller giving her a speed of up to 16 mph. Being the first steamship built to burn "bunker C" heavy oil for fuel instead of coal, her fuel tanks can hold 165,000 gallons giving her a cruising range of 4,500 miles. She is also equipped with a bow thruster....The Sykes was the first Great Lakes vessel built with a 70-foot [21m] beam and was also the first laker built capable of carrying in excess of 20,000 tons....The Sykes was designed so that the crew could go anywhere on board without having to step outside (including stairways & passageways. [boatnerd]
I was not aware that bow thrusters and a tunnel between bow and stern dated back to 1949.
The freighter is 678' (207m) long. "
Wilfred Sykes entered service on April 19, 1950, and set a speed record for a trip from Superior, Wisconsin, to Indiana Harbor, Indiana, and also set and reset cargo records for carrying iron ore.....The ship spent the winter of 1974-1975 at the
Fraser shipyard undergoing conversion to a
self-unloader." [
TheTimesHerald]
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GreatLakesShips, Photo from Roger LeLievre Collection and PowerShips, p6
Wilfred Sykes launched at Lorain, Ohio, June 28, 1949.
"The design staff at American Shipbuilding were given simple instructions when the Sykes was ordered, being told to design the largest possible ship to navigate the Great Lakes at the time, without consideration of past design practices. The new ship would prove to be very innovative, introducing design features that would influence Great Lakes ship design for over two decades....In Fall of 2017, the Sykes suffered from boiler issues, resulting in her boilers being rebuilt over the winter at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin." |
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PowerShips
[A 15-page article about the Wilfred Sykes.] |
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Rod Brukick posted
U.S. classic laker and steamer Wilfred Sykes, bow detail, upbound, loaded, on the St. Clair River at East China, MI - August 16, 2023 |
SS Wilfred Sykes posted 10 photos with the comment: "So I finally went downstairs and captured some of the engine room. Quite a few different pictures of the heart of the ship. The place that makes it all happen."
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Laura Henton: High pressure turbine (R) & low pressure turbine (L). Reduction gear in the front. |
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[Some comments identify this as the main condenser.] |
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[Ballast tank levels] |
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MonaRae Cookle: Many valves, for opening, ballast tanks, (water), per my hubby, retired Shipfitter. He’s a young 86 y/o.⚓️ |
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SS Wilfred Sykes: These are the main throttles. Ahead throttle and a stern throttle. Not entirely to sure on anything else because I’m simply not an engine room guy. I know the engineers are running throttles when the captain calls for something on the chadburn. |
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[I've seen the term telegraph used for this. Evidently it is also called a chadburn.] |
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[This would be the high pressure turbine on the left and low pressure on the right.] |
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Bryan Connor: two steam turbines...the one of the right is the high pressure one and the one on the left is the low pressure turbine. Their shafts are going into the reduction gear box.
[Per some comments: Westinghouse turbines of 7700hp] |
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Chuck Zentmeyer posted via Dennis DeBruler Soo Locks
Taken from just outside the no-fly zone over the lock complex using the extreme zoom of the Mavic 3, Sykes in the MacArthur and JRB in the Poe get ready to continue their journey downriver. |
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I Love Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan posted via Dennis DeBruler Soo Locks
1000' x 105' Burns Harbor in the Poe Lock while the 678' x 70' Wilfred Sykes in the MacArthur Lock. Sunday midday 5/23/21. -Jim
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David Schauer posted via Dennis DeBruler Duluth Ore Docks
Sykes at Sunrise One of a handful of steamers still plying the lakes, s/s Wilfred Sykes loading at CN 6 in West Duluth at sunrise this morning. 12/30/2021 |
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David Schauer posted via Dennis DeBruler Superior Ore Docks
A nice flashback to 1953 as the Wilfred Sykes (1949) is viewed loading from the north (west) side of Great Northern Dock 1 in Allouez, Superior. Notice the pilings as a part of a bulwark against the Nemadji River dumping sediment into Dock 1. Basgen Photography
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Nick Johnson
posted five photos with the comment: "
Roger Blough, John J. Boland, and Wilfred Sykes in temporary layup and Michigan Trader nearing completion in Sturgeon Bay, WI. Photos taken 9/1/20." vid
Dennis DeBruler Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding.
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SS Wilfred Sykes posted four photos with the comment: "I was sent these phenomenal pictures yesterday of the Wilfred Sykes and i just have to share them!! Huge shout out to @andrewdeandetroit for sending them over! All photo credit goes to Andrew Russell!"
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Paul Strom commented on the above post
Drummond Island today [Jul 28, 2023]. |
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Mark Bush commented on the above post
Nice! |
Melissa Morris
posted two photos with the comment: "Wilfred Sykes after becoming a self-unloader. Photo credits: Cedric Woodard. Edited by Melissa."
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Tim Keefe posted
The classic Wilfred Sykes passes under Milwaukee's iconic Hoan Bridge this afternoon, 8/26/24, after receiving repairs. This is a shot I had long dreamed of getting but had dismissed as impossible; the boat that got me into boats 25 years ago in the the city that is my "home port" of nearly 20 years, but for only a week longer. |
Billy Willman provided two photos in the comments on Tim's post.
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