Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I think a couple of the winches of the Spartan went to the Pere Marquette for the forward end. When I was on her we used a large synthetic hawser ran off the windless up forward. The aft winches on the barge were so slow we left a lot of line cranked off and flaked out just so we didn't have to stand around waiting for the line to pay out each time we need some cable.

Some parts are rebuilt and some are crafted but it is always less expensive to retrieve them off the boat if they exist and are still useable.

Why are the parts so rare that they cannot be rebuilt or crafted?

I don't think anyone knows for certain what the future plans are for the Spartan. There have been all kinds of plans and rumors of plans for it over the years and nothing has happened. The only thing the company has really said is that it is being used for spare parts for the SS Badger.

Spartan has no future as a powered vessel. As Deckstir noted, the hull is good but the rest is not. In addition to engine parts, it has also had stuff taken out of the crew & passenger quarters for use on the Badger. Plans have been drawn up for a barge conversion; it will either be that or take off anything else they will be needing & scrapping it out.

The Spartans hull is good, but the rest is pretty rough. If the economy hadn't tanked, she'd have more than likely been barged like the Midland was by now. She continues to supply vital parts for Badger and is referred to as the "Spartan Store" by LMC employees.

Because of the extreme rarity of the Skinners that power the Spartan and Badger, she's used for spare parts and from what I've been told is pretty well stripped, mechanically. LMC keeps the starboard (visible) side painted and looking pretty from a distance, but the port side is rusty and has peeling paint. If you get close to her, yes you can see that grass, but from a distance, she looks like she could be lit up and run again.

What is the future of the Spartan? I was over near the dock the other day and saw she had grass growing on her. Is she kept around for spare parts or a far fetched plan to reactivate her?