85-669: SS William Clay Ford was a bulk freighter built for hauling material on the Great Lakes . She was named for William Clay Ford Sr. , grandson of Henry Ford . Her keel was laid in 1952 at River Rouge, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works , and she was launched in 1953. The ship was a part of the Ford Motor Company fleet of ore carriers and made her home port at Ford's River Rouge Plant , south of Detroit, Michigan . The first captain of William Clay Ford
170-612: A tank landing craft during World War II. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the lakes, but by the early 21st century, there were fewer than 140 active lakers. By the 1990s, older and smaller self-unloaders and straight-deck freighters converted into tug -barges. The many lake freighters operating on the Great Lakes can be differentiated by how they are used. This may be where the ships may be where they work, their design, their size, or other factors. The ships are not always exclusive to one category. These types include: Some of
255-513: A 10:1 length to beam ratio, whereas ocean vessels are typically 7:1. The size of a lake freighter determines where it may work. The shallow draft imposed by the St. Marys River and Lake St. Clair restrict the cargo capacity of lakers. Poe Lock at the Soo Locks is the largest deep lock at 1,200 feet (370 m) long and 110 feet (34 m) wide. Many of the larger American ships are unable to navigate
340-442: A 45-50 year old service life, outlasting ocean-going bulk carriers. As of 2023, ocean-going bulk freighters average an 11-year lifespan, due in part to the corrosive effects of saltwater. Some of the lakers have been known to have long careers. The SS St. Marys Challenger launched in 1906 and worked independently until 2013. The St. Marys Challenger is still in service as a barge at 118 years old. E. M. Ford had one of
425-574: A Continental Navy ship during the American Revolution. The first ships of the Continental Navy were Alfred , Cabot , Andrew Doria , and Columbus . These were former merchantmen, and their names were assigned during conversion and outfitting. Later, Congress authorized the construction of thirteen frigates, and no names were assigned until after four had launched. The first description that we have of an American warship christening
510-429: A United States Navy vessel. The contemporaneous account does not name her. The first identified woman sponsor was Lavinia Fanning Watson, daughter of a prominent Philadelphian. She broke a bottle of wine and water over the bow of sloop-of-war Germantown at Philadelphia Navy Yard on August 22, 1846. Women as sponsors became increasingly the rule, but not universally so. As sloop-of-war Plymouth "glided along
595-508: A canal. In 1855, the Michigan State Locks (now Soo Locks ) opened, allowing vessels to keep up with demands for iron ore from further east. This would fuel the development of bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. The early lakers often had a wooden hull, or a composite hull of an oak frame wrapped in iron plating. With the depletion of high quality timber near the lake shore, shipbuilders increasingly utilized metal hulls. In 1881 and 1882,
680-447: A considerable engineering challenge as well as a public spectacle. The process also involves many traditions intended to invite good luck , such as christening by breaking a sacrificial bottle of champagne over the bow as the ship is named aloud and launched. There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching". The oldest, most familiar, and most widely used
765-507: A few large harbor locations. Salt and Canadian grain can be hauled to numerous smaller ports of either country on smaller, mostly Canadian, ships, which can also enter the St. Lawrence Seaway with the Canadian ports of Montreal and Quebec City. Because of their deeper draft and freshwater's lower buoyancy , salties often take on partial loads. Conversely, the Seaway allows smaller lakers to access
850-444: A fraction of the time. Around 1916, 600-foot (180 m) vessels more or less became the standard size. After World War II , several ocean freighters and tankers were transported to the Great Lakes and converted to bulk carriers as a way to acquire ships cheaply. The oil tanker Chiwawa became the bulk freighter MV Lee A. Tregurtha In addition, the freighter Outer Island was originally commissioned as LCT-203 for use as
935-406: A launch cradle with bow and stern poppets is erected on these sliding ways. The weight of the hull is then transferred from the build cribbing onto the launch cradle. Provision is made to hold the vessel in place and then release it at the appropriate moment in the launching ceremony; common mechanisms include weak links designed to be cut at a signal and mechanical triggers controlled by a switch from
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#17329234858211020-552: A lever to similarly smash a bottle, of single malt from the Ardgowan distillery at nearby Inverkip . Shipyard ephemera is a rich source of detail concerning a launch and this was often material produced for the audience of the day and then thrown away. Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums has many of these items from Tyne and Wear shipyards. A number can be seen in Commons . The 1900 piece for Eidsvold reproduced in this article lists
1105-680: A mobilized American industry. The historic christening and launching ceremonies continued, but travel restrictions, other wartime considerations, and sheer numbers dictated that such occasions be less elaborate than those in the years before the war. On 15 December 1941, the United States Maritime Commission announced that all formal launching ceremonies would be discontinued for merchant ships being constructed under its authority, though simple informal ceremonies could continue without reimbursement to builders. In recent history, all U.S. Navy sponsors have been female. In addition to
1190-705: A naval lieutenant completed the ceremony with a bottle of sea water. Champagne came into popular use as a christening fluid as the 19th century closed. A granddaughter of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy wet the bow of Maine , the Navy's first steel battleship, with champagne at the New York Navy Yard on November 18, 1890. The effects of national prohibition on alcoholic beverages were reflected to some extent in ship christenings. Cruisers Pensacola and Houston , for example, were christened with water;
1275-454: A religious element was returned to naval christenings by Princess Alexandra , wife of the Prince of Wales , when she introduced an Anglican choral service in the launching ceremony for battleship Alexandra . The usage continues with the singing of Psalm 107 with its special meaning to mariners: They that go down to the sea in ships; That do business in great waters; These see the works of
1360-401: A shallow angle rather than perpendicular, even though this requires a longer slipway when launching. Modern slipways take the form of a reinforced concrete mat of sufficient strength to support the vessel, with two "barricades" that extend well below the water level taking into account tidal variations. The barricades support the two launch ways. The vessel is built upon temporary cribbing that
1445-483: A single large superstructure island at the stern. Lake vessels are designed with the greatest block coefficient to maximize the vessel's size in the locks within the Great Lakes/St Lawrence Seaway system. Therefore, ship designers have favored bluff bows over streamlined bows. Another distinguishing feature of lake vessels versus ocean vessels is the cargo hatch configuration. On the lake vessels,
1530-521: A stop to them for a time in Protestant Europe. By the 17th century, for example, English launchings were secular affairs. The christening party for the launch of the 64-gun ship of the line Prince Royal in 1610 included the Prince of Wales and famed naval constructor Phineas Pett , who was master shipwright at the Woolwich yard. Pett described the proceedings: The noble Prince… accompanied with
1615-415: A vessel to the water. It is a nautical tradition in many cultures, dating back millennia, to accompany the physical process with ceremonies which have been observed as public celebration and a solemn blessing, usually but not always, in association with the launch itself. Ship launching imposes stresses on the ship not met during normal operation and in addition to the size and weight of the vessel represents
1700-659: A woman performing the launch. Ceremonial practices for christening and launching ships in the United States have their roots in Europe. Descriptions are not plentiful for launching American Revolutionary War naval vessels, but a local newspaper detailed the launch of Continental frigate Raleigh at Portsmouth, New Hampshire , in May 1776: On Tuesday the 21st inst. the Continental Frigate of thirty-two guns, built at this place...
1785-409: Is arranged to give access to the hull's outer bottom and to allow the launchways to be erected under the complete hull. When it is time to prepare for launching, a pair of standing ways is erected under the hull and out onto the barricades. The surface of the ways is greased. ( Tallow and whale oil were used as grease in sailing ship days.) A pair of sliding ways is placed on top, under the hull, and
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#17329234858211870-560: Is known for having last contact with Edmund Fitzgerald and was the first vessel on-scene to search for the Edmund Fitzgerald . MV Paul R. Tregurtha currently holds the title " Queen of the Lakes " as the largest ship on the lakes since launching in 1981. The modern stern-ender was first launched MV William J. Delancy and measures 1013.5 feet (308.9 m). Onoko was the second iron-hulled laker, launched in 1882. At 302 ft, Onoko
1955-530: Is that of Constitution at Boston, October 21, 1797, famous as "Old Ironsides." Her sponsor was Captain James Sever, USN, who stood on the weather deck at the bow. "At fifteen minutes after twelve she commenced a movement into the water with such steadiness, majesty and exactness as to fill every heart with sensations of joy and delight." As Constitution ran out, Captain Sever broke a bottle of fine old Madeira over
2040-419: Is the end-on launch, in which the vessel slides down an inclined slipway , usually stern first. With the side launch, the ship enters the water broadside. This method came into use in the 19th century on inland waters, rivers, and lakes, and was more widely adopted during World War II. The third method is float-out , used for ships that are built in basins or dry docks and then floated by admitting water into
2125-495: The American Midwest . The navigation season typically begins in late March and ends mid-January due to the formation of ice on the lakes. The largest lake freighters can travel up to 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) and can carry as much as 78,850 long tons (80,120 t) of bulk cargo. SS Edmund Fitzgerald , which sank in 1975, became widely known as the largest and most recent major vessel to be wrecked on
2210-427: The Great Lakes of North America . These vessels are traditionally called boats , although classified as ships . Freighters typically have a long, narrow hull, a raised pilothouse , and the engine located at the rear of the ship. Lakers have been used since the late 19th century to haul raw material from docks in the Great Lakes and St Lawrence Seaway regions to the industrial centers of Ontario , Quebec , and
2295-534: The Midwest . Iron ore makes up a majority of the cargo shipped annually. The 1940s saw the rise in the use of taconite pellets, as sources of higher quality ore diminished. Other destinations include coal-fired power plants , highway department salt domes, and stone docks, where limestone is unloaded for the construction industry. U.S.-flagged freighters carried the largest portion of the trade, accounting for two-thirds of all cargo by weight. U.S. hulls carried most of
2380-427: The puja ceremony at launch. In the 20th century, ships were launched with a lady breaking a coconut on the bow of the vessel, which is sometimes followed by a small Puja . Japanese ship launchings incorporate silver axes which are thought to bring good luck and scare away evil. Japanese shipbuilders traditionally order the crafting of a special axe for each new vessel; and after the launching ceremony, they present
2465-521: The stern was a long, unbroken deck lined with hatches spaced 24 feet (7.3 m) apart (to match the chutes of the gravity ore dock in Marquette, Michigan ). The falls of the St. Marys River forced ships to portage their cargo 1.25 miles (2.01 km) around the falls. In an effort to make shipping more efficient and profitable, Michigan representatives appealed to the federal government for funding to build
2550-514: The submarine V-6 with cider. However, battleship California appropriately received her name with California wine in 1919. Champagne returned in 1922, but only for the launch of light cruiser Trenton . Rigid naval airships Los Angeles , Shenandoah , Akron , and Macon were built during the 1920s and early 1930s, carried on the Naval Vessel Register , and each was formally commissioned . The earliest First Lady of
2635-444: The unusual case in 2001 where a drawbridge ran into the Canadian grain carrier Windoc causing a fire). To prevent collisions and groundings, the Great Lakes are well-served with lighthouses and lights, and floating navigation aids. The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard maintain stations around the Great Lakes including icebreakers and rescue helicopters . The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies maintain
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2720-519: The 1975 loss of Edmund Fitzgerald , thousands of ships and thousands of lives have been lost, many involving vessels in the cargo trade. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum uses the approximates 6,000 ships and 30,000 lives lost. David D. Swayze has compiled a list which details over 4,750 well-documented shipwrecks, mostly of commercial vessels and a list of known names of over 5,000 victims of those sinkings. Maritime historian Mark Thompson reports that based on nautical records, nearly 6,000 shipwrecks on
2805-533: The Atlantic Ocean. The larger, newer ships are restricted to the upper lakes. Lakers feature a design distinct from their ocean-going counterparts. Because of the R. J. Hackett (1869), lake freighters typically had the bridge and associated superstructure at the bow. Additionally, a second island would be located over the engine room in the stern. In 1974, Algosoo was the final vessel designed this way. The more recently built lakers, like CSL Niagara , have
2890-517: The Bowmore distillery on the island of Islay instead of champagne because the ship had been built and launched in Scotland. The Duchess of Rothesay similarly launched HMS Prince of Wales by pulling a lever which smashed a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky at the side of the ship. At the 2024 launching of CalMac ferry Glen Rosa , newly-qualified welder Beth Atkinson named the ship and pulled
2975-606: The Great Lakes occurred between 1878 and 1994, with about a quarter of those being listed as total losses with a total of 1,166 lives lost. The most recent losses of modern lakers were: The salties Prins Willem V and Monrovia sank in the Great Lakes during the 1950s; both in collisions with other ships. The saltie Francisco Morazan was a total loss after running aground off South Manitou Island on November 29, 1960. Another saltie Nordmeer grounded on Thunder Bay Island Shoal in November 1966, but before it could be refloated, it
3060-467: The Great Lakes. The lake freighter's recognizable design emerged from many years of innovation in Great Lakes shipping. By the late 1860s, most bulk cargo was still carried by unpowered barges and sailing ships . Often, these ships had accessible deck hatches, useful for loading and unloading cargo. Around this time, passenger steamboats were gaining popularity for their steam-powered shipping abilities, which were faster and more reliable. In 1869,
3145-482: The Lord Admiral and the great lords, were on the poop , where the standing great gilt cup was ready filled with wine to name the ship SO soon as she had been afloat, according to ancient custom and ceremony performed at such times, and heaving the standing cup overboard. His Highness then standing upon the poop with a selected company only, besides the trumpeters, with a great deal of expression of princely joy, and with
3230-636: The Lord, and His wonders in the deep. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II named the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 after herself, instead of the older liner RMS Queen Elizabeth , by saying, "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second . May God bless her and all who sail in her." On 4 July 2014, the Queen named the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth with a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky from
3315-565: The Spectators) this noble fabrick was completely to her anchors in the main channel, in less than six minutes from the time she run, without the least hurt; and what is truly remarkable, not a single person met with the least accident in launching, tho' near five hundred men were employed in and about her when run off. It was customary for the builders to celebrate a ship launching. Rhode Island authorities were charged with overseeing construction of frigates Warren and Providence . They voted
3400-523: The United States to act as sponsor was Grace Coolidge who christened the airship Los Angeles . Lou Henry Hoover christened Akron in 1931, but the customary bottle was not used. Instead, the First Lady pulled a cord which opened a hatch in the airship's towering nose to release a flock of pigeons. Thousands of ships of every description came off the ways during World War II , the concerted effort of
3485-415: The axe to the vessel's owner as a commemorative gift. The axe is used to cut the rope which tethers the ship to the place where she was built. Sponsors of British warships were customarily members of the royal family, senior naval officers, or Admiralty officials. A few civilians were invited to sponsor Royal Navy ships during the nineteenth century, and women became sponsors for the first time. In 1875,
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3570-467: The birth of a vessel; and people throughout history have performed launching ceremonies, in part to appeal for good fortune and the safety of each new vessel. In Canada, Aboriginal peoples will perform ceremonies at the launching of vessels along with other methods of launching. French ship launchings and christenings in the 18th and early 19th centuries were accompanied by unique rites closely resembling marriage and baptismal ceremonies. A godfather for
3655-538: The blackness of a storm which had already claimed as a victim the steamer Edmund Fitzgerald , to search for possible survivors of that disaster, exemplifying the finest traditions of the maritime profession. In 1979 the hull of William Clay Ford was lengthened 120 feet. In 1984 ownership was transferred to the Rouge Steel Corporation. In December 1984, she hauled her last load of cargo from Duluth, Minnesota , to Rouge Basin, south of Detroit . In 1985 she
3740-542: The bravery and valor demonstrated that night by Captain Don Erickson and his crew, they were presented with many accolades including a plaque bestowed upon them by the Great Lakes Maritime Institute recognizing their role in the search for Edmund Fitzgerald . It reads: On the night of November 10–11, 1975, these men voluntarily left a safe harbor to face the dangers of gale force winds and vicious seas, in
3825-401: The ceremonial platform. On launching, the vessel slides backwards down the slipway on the ways until it floats by itself. Some slipways are built so that the vessel is side-on to the water and is launched sideways. This is done where the limitations of the water channel would not allow lengthwise launching, but occupies a much greater length of shore. The Great Eastern designed by Brunel
3910-476: The ceremony of drinking in the standing cup, threw all the wine forwards towards the half-deck, and solemnly calling her by name of the Prince Royal, the trumpets sounding the while, with many gracious words to me, gave the standing cup into my hands. The "standing cup" was a large cup fashioned of precious metal. When the ship began to slide down the ways, the presiding official took a ceremonial sip of wine from
3995-427: The cup, and poured the rest on the deck or over the bow. Usually the cup was thrown overboard and belonged to the lucky retriever. As navies grew larger and launchings more frequent, economy dictated that the costly cup be caught in a net for reuse at other launchings. Late in 17th century Britain, the standing-cup ceremony was replaced by the practice of breaking a bottle across the bow. Launching could be said to mark
4080-405: The dock. If launched in a restrictive waterway, drag chains are used to slow the ship speed to prevent it striking the opposite bank. Normally, ways are arranged perpendicular to the shore line (or as nearly so as the water and maximum length of vessel allows) and the ship is built with its stern facing the water. Where the launch takes place into a narrow river, the building slips may be at
4165-483: The first entirely iron-hulled freighters, Brunswick and Onoko , were launched. Around this time, steel was quickly becoming a standard hull material as a result of the Bessemer process making it more affordable, and the first steel-hulled freighter, Spokane , was launched in 1886. Soon both iron and composite hulls were discontinued, while wood was used for smaller vessels into the early 1900s. An early variation on
4250-399: The first modern laker built with all cabins aft (a "stern-ender"), following the lead of ocean-going bulk carriers and reprising a century old form used by little river steam barges and the whalebacks. Algosoo (1974–2015 730 ft, 220 m) was the last laker built in the classic style. Also of note is the steamer Edward L. Ryerson , widely known for her artistic design and being
4335-480: The frigate. Everything being prepared, and the most profound silence prevailing,... At a given signal she glided into the waters, a sublime spectacle of gracefulnes and grandeur. Immediately on touching the water federal salutes were fired from the sloop of war Portsmouth , the revenue cutter Jay and the Aspasia , Indiaman. These were returned by the uniform companies on shore, who fired a feu-de-joye , and marched off
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#17329234858214420-410: The ground to the battery... and were dismissed. As the 19th century progressed, American ship launchings continued to be festive occasions, but with no set ritual except that the sponsor(s) used some "christening fluid" as the ship received her name. Sloop of war Concord was launched in 1828 and was "christened by a young lady of Portsmouth." This is the first known instance of a woman sponsoring
4505-497: The harbors and seaways to limit groundings by dredging and seawalling . November was the traditional last month of shipping before the winter layup (and lake freeze-up). During November, much of the worst weather of the navigation season occurs which has resulted in a disproportionate number of accidents. One study shows that over half of all strandings and one-third of all vessels lost to foundering between 1900 and 1950 were lost during November. The most well-known lake freighter
4590-480: The hatches are traditionally spaced 24 feet (7.3 m) apart. This configuration was needed to match the chutes at loading facilities. Since Great Lakes waves do not achieve the great length or period of ocean waves, particularly compared to the waves' height, ships are in less danger of being suspended between two waves and breaking, so the ratio between the ship's length, beam and its depth can be larger than that of an ocean-going ship. The lake vessels generally have
4675-528: The heel of the bowsprit . Frigate President had an interesting launching on April 10, 1800, at New York: Was launched yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, in the presence of perhaps as great a concourse of people as ever assembled in this city on any occasion. At nine, captain Ten-Eyck's company of artillery..., accompanied by the uniform volunteer companies of the sixth regiment and the corps of riflemen, marched in procession... and took their station alongside
4760-462: The hull of the ship and aid its launching motion into the water, thus this method is arguably safer than other options such as sideways launching. These airbags are usually cylindrical in shape with hemispherical heads at both ends. A Babylonian narrative dating from the 3rd millennium BC describes the completion of a ship: Openings to the water I stopped; I searched for cracks and the wanting parts I fixed: Three sari of bitumen I poured over
4845-473: The inclined plane" in 1846, "two young sailors, one stationed at each side of her head, anointed her with bottles, and named her as she left her cradle for the deep." As late as 1898, the torpedo boat MacKenzie was christened by the son of the builder. Wine is the traditional christening fluid, although numerous other liquids have been used. Princeton and Raritan were sent on their way in 1843 with whisky . Seven years later, "a bottle of best brandy
4930-515: The iron, limestone and cement, while Canadian boats carried most of the potash, and almost all of the salt and grain moved on the lakes. Destination harbors, ship sizes, and legal restrictions greatly affect the pattern of haulage. Large U.S. ships hauled most of the iron ore on the lakes (79%) from U.S. mines to U.S. mills. This reflects the requirement of the Jones Act , as well as the industry using large volumes of material while being concentrated in
5015-476: The lake freighter was the whaleback boat, designed by Alexander McDougall. These had cigar-shaped bodies that barely rose out of the water when fully loaded, and carried bulk cargo on the lakes from 1888 through 1970. The early lake freighters required cargo to be manually unloaded, or with assistance from unloading machinery at the docks. In 1902, Hennepin was the first ship to be retrofitted with self-unloading equipment , allowing its cargo to be landed in
5100-653: The lakes are generally used to transport American-mined ore bound for American mills. Because of the Jones Act of 1920, only American ships can carry ore from American mines to American mills in American ports; ergo, larger Canadian ships are not needed. These are the largest vessels on the lakes. A dozen were built between 1976 and 1981, and all remain in service today. These are all U.S.-flagged vessels between 1,000 and 1,013.5 feet (304.8 and 308.9 m) long, 105 feet (32 m) wide and of 56 ft (17 m) hull depth. Modern lakers are usually designed and constructed for
5185-462: The limitations of the Welland Canal . These vessels vary greatly in configuration and cargo capacity, being capable of hauling between 10,000 and 40,000 tons per trip depending on the individual boat. These smaller boats serve smaller harbors around the lakes which have irregular need for their services. Another reason for the lack of larger Canadian vessels is legislative in nature. Larger ships on
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#17329234858215270-470: The locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which restricts vessel size to 740 feet (230 m) in length and 78 feet (24 m) in breadth. Seawaymax vessels are able to access the Great Lakes and the ocean. The Canadian fleet needs to travel to and from its major cities along the St. Lawrence Seaway, so the largest length for the Canadian vessels is 740 feet (230 m). Lake boats in the 600-and-700-foot (180 and 210 m) classes are more common, because of
5355-498: The longest careers, having been built in 1898 until being sold for scrap in November 2008. Some shipping companies are building new freighters to ply the waters of the Great Lakes. The following are new freighters in use or will be launched for use in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes have a long history of shipwrecks, groundings, storms, and collisions. From the 1679 sinking of Le Griffon with its cargo of furs to
5440-409: The men in the yard during the time of her building, every man with pleasure exerting himself to the utmost: and altho' the greatest care was taken that only the best of timber was used, and the work perform'd in a most masterly manner, the whole time from her raising to the day she launched did not exceed sixty working days, and what afforded a most pleasing view (which was manifest in the countenances of
5525-402: The new ship presented a godmother with a bouquet of flowers as both said the ship's name. No bottle was broken, but a priest pronounced the vessel's name and blessed it with holy water. In India , ships have historically been launched with a Puja ceremony that dedicates the ship to a Hindu god or goddess, and seeks blessings for her and her sailors. Historically, Hindu priests would perform
5610-530: The new vessel as a symbol of blessing. Shrines were carried on board Greek and Roman ships, and this practice extended into the Middle Ages. The shrine was usually placed at the quarterdeck , an area which continues to have special ceremonial significance. Different peoples and cultures shaped the religious ceremonies surrounding a ship launching. Jews and Christians customarily used wine and water as they called upon God to safeguard them at sea. Intercession of
5695-400: The newer classes of lake freighters include: In 2023, 81.4 million tons of cargo were shipped on the Great Lakes. The most common cargoes include taconite , limestone , grain , salt , coal , cement , gypsum , and sand . The cargo is carried in large contiguous holds, not packed into containers. The iron ore transported from the upper Great Lakes primarily supplies the steel mills of
5780-523: The only remaining straight-decker still in active service on the US side of the Great Lakes. In mid 2006, Edward L. Ryerson was fitted out and put into service following a long-term lay-up that began in 1998. Edward L. Ryerson has been in long-term layup since 2009. The William G. Mather was first built in 1925 and served as the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company 's flagship until 1980. In 1987,
5865-503: The outside; To the gods I caused oxen to be sacrificed. It is believed that ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans called on their gods to protect seamen. Favor was evoked from the monarch of the seas— Poseidon in Greek mythology , Neptune in Roman mythology . Ship launching participants in ancient Greece wreathed their heads with olive branches, drank wine to honor the gods, and poured water on
5950-560: The saints and the blessing of the church were asked by Christians. Ship launchings in the Ottoman Empire were accompanied by prayers to Allah , the sacrifice of sheep, and appropriate feasting. Chaplain Henry Teonge of Britain's Royal Navy left an interesting account of a warship launch, a "briganteen of 23 oars," by the Knights of Malta in 1675: Two fryers and an attendant went into
6035-467: The ship arrived in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan on July 6, during the town's tri-centennial celebrations for use as a museum ship. The museum ship displays many relics of the sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald including two of Edmund Fitzgerald ' s mauled lifeboats. Ceremonial ship launching Ceremonial ship launching involves the performing of ceremonies associated with the process of transferring
6120-592: The ship was donated to the Great Lakes Historical Society for restoration and preservation. In 2005, the ship was moved to its present location at Cleveland's North Coast Harbor . Then, in 2006, the ship was acquired by the Great Lakes Science Center for use as a museum ship. The ship is available to tour seasonally. The William A. Irvin served as the flagship of U.S. Steel 's Great Lakes fleet from 1938 to 1975. The William A. Irvin
6205-484: The sum of fifty dollars (equivalent to $ 1,300 in 2023) to the master builder of each yard "to be expended in providing an entertainment for the carpenters that worked on the ships." Five pounds (equivalent to $ 100 in 2023) was spent for lime juice for the launching festivities of frigate Delaware at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , suggesting that the "entertainment" included a potent punch with lime juice as an ingredient. No mention has come to light of christening
6290-519: The vessel, and kneeling down prayed halfe an houre, and layd their hands on every mast, and other places of the vessel, and sprinkled her all over with holy water. Then they came out and hoysted a pendent to signify she was a man of war; then at once thrust her into the water. The liturgical aspects of ship christenings, or baptisms, continued in Catholic countries, while the Reformation seems to have put
6375-414: The wood-hulled R. J. Hackett was launched . It was designed specifically for the iron ore trade and had an experimental design that would soon set the standard for subsequent bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. R. J. Hackett featured a raised pilothouse at the bow , situated on top of a set of cabins, and a boxy hull to maximize cargo capacity. Between the raised forecastle and engine funnel at
6460-537: Was Edmund Fitzgerald , which sank during a storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Gordon Lightfoot 's ballad, " The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald ", publicized the incident. The Edmund Fitzgerald became the largest ship on the lakes at 729 feet (222 m) when launched in 1958. In addition to this, the ship was regarded for its "DJ Captain", Peter Pulcer, who frequently played music to entertain onlookers. SS Arthur M. Anderson . launched in 1952,
6545-566: Was John Jameson Pearce of Dearborn, Michigan. William Clay Ford was one of two ships involved in the initial search for the SS ; Edmund Fitzgerald , along with the SS Arthur M. Anderson on 10 November 1975. The Anderson and Ford had made it to safety at Whitefish Bay , but went back into the storm at the request of the Coast Guard to look for survivors of the Fitzgerald . Because of
6630-514: Was Launched amidst the acclamation of many thousand spectators. She is esteemed by all those who are judges that have seen her, to be one of the compleatest ships ever built in America. The unwearied diligence and care of the three Master-Builders... and the good order and industry of the Carpenters, deserve particular notice; scarcely a single instance of a person's being in liquor, or any difference among
6715-526: Was broken over the bow of steam sloop San Jacinto ." Steam frigate Merrimack earned her place in naval history as Confederate States of America ironclad Virginia , and she was baptized with water from the Merrimack River . Admiral David Farragut 's famous American Civil War flagship steam sloop Hartford was christened by three sponsors; two young ladies broke bottles of Connecticut River water and Hartford, Connecticut spring water, while
6800-416: Was built this way, as were many landing craft during World War II . This method requires many more sets of ways to support the weight of the ship. Sometimes ships are launched using a series of inflated tubes underneath the hull, which deflate to cause a downward slope into the water. This procedure has the advantages of requiring less permanent infrastructure, risk, and cost. The airbags provide support to
6885-628: Was further damaged in the same storm that sank the Morrell and was declared a total loss. Ships on the lakes have been involved in many lesser incidents. Lakers have been subject to frequent groundings in ports and channels because of varying lake levels and silting , collisions with objects (such as the 1993 collision of the Indiana Harbor with the Lansing Shoals Light Station ), icing in during winter trips and shipboard fires (including
6970-677: Was renamed US 266029 , her registry number, as a newly renamed USS Chiwawa SS William Clay Ford was put into the fleet. In August 1986, US 266029 was towed from her moorings to the Detroit Marine Terminal where the pilot house was removed for display and exhibition, at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Detroit's Belle Isle . The hull was scrapped in Port Maitland, Ontario , in 1987. Lake freighter Lake freighters , or lakers , are bulk carriers operating on
7055-592: Was retired in 1978 and purchased eight years later by the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center and is available for touring. The SS Meteor , the last surviving whaleback ship, floats as a museum less than a mile from where it was launched in Superior, Wisconsin . The ship is permanently land-berthed on Barker's Island. Valley Camp launched as Louis W. Hill in 1917 and transported cargo until retiring in 1966. Two years later, in 1968,
7140-402: Was the last laker built with a steam turbine on the lakes. Wilfred Sykes (1949 – 678 ft, 207 m) is considered to be the first of the modern lakers, and when converted to a self-unloader in 1975 was the first to have the equipment mounted aft. Since then all self-unloading equipment has been mounted aft. Algoisle (formerly Silver Isle ) (1962 – 715.9 ft, 218.2 m) was
7225-470: Was the longest ship on the lakes and became the first bulk carrier to hold the unofficial title of "Queen of the Lakes". The title that has been passed down to record-breaking lake freighters since. SS Carl D. Bradley held the title for 22 years, longer than any other laker of the classic design. Ford Motor Company 's Henry Ford II and Benson Ford of 1924 were the first lakeboats with diesel engines . The Canadian grainboat Feux-Follets of 1967
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