Boatnerd Discussion Forum

While i agree that the Homer being scrapped has little to do with the question of what would have happened to the Fitz if she had not been lost i am quite sure that she would have ended up in the boneyard just like her sister.

It is true that Columbia held on to the Armco, Reserve, Middletown and Burton thru the 80s downturn. The difference is in the fact that the Fitz was a charter that would have been up in 1983, where as those 4 boats were owned by Columbia. In 1983 when the charter ran out the downturn of the 80s was at its worst. I cannot see them renewing a charter on a boat that wouldn't have had cargo at that time. espically when they had boats they owned sitting around doing nothing. Her charted would have lapsed, no other fleet would have wanted her as everyone was feeling the pinch. NW Mutual, her actual owners, would have had 2 choices. Let it sit around in the hopes of someone wanting her or scrap. As they were not a shipping company i doubt they would see much use in spending money to keep a ship that wasn't bringing them any income. scrap however would atleast bring some cash and the problem would have been over.

Well put, Russ.

Didn't Columbia purchase the Ernest T Weir to replace the Fitz in 78? She made it through the 80s why wouldnt the Fitz have?

The Homer-Fitzgerald comparison is a bit of "apples and oranges". Yes, the Homer became excess capacity when Bethlehem added three footers to their fleet. Bethlehem eventually even sold one of the footers. In addition, Bethlehem phased out/shut down their mill in Lackawanna so they only had the Burns Harbor facility to service. Since Bethlehem was a captive fleet and there was no market for an 800 foot straight decker, the Homer was sold for scrap. They also sold the Sparrows Point and scrapped the Johnstown. The difference is that Columbia was a "for hire" fleet. They could have laid her up for a couple of years and brought her out when economic conditions improved (similar to the Blough), they could have extended her charter (Columbia hauled pellets out of Silver Bay for many years after the 1980's recession) since she serviced ports that still had shore-side unloading equipment, or they could have converted her to a self unloader. After all, Columbia did keep several boats through the recession that were older and (originally) smaller than the Fitzgerald (Armco, Reserve, Middletown, and Courtney Burton). The fate of the Homer is totally unrelated to what the fate of the Fitzgerald might have been.

The Fitz's near-sister, the Arthur B. Homer, is a good example of what wouldve happened to her had she not sunk in 1975. Bethlehem Steel, the Homer's owner, had considered converting her to a self-unloader in the late 70's, although the induction of the thousand-footers Stewart J. Cort, Lewis Wilson Foy and Burns Harbor into the fleet put an end to any hope of that happening. And, because of the bad economic conditions of the time, it was cheaper for Bethlehem to simply lay-up the Homer. She was later scrapped in 1986. Columbia Transportation, the operator of the Fitzgerald, also had one "footer" in their roster by the time her charter was set to expire in 1983, so there is little doubt that she wouldve ended up as scrap metal.

yes, it's been asked over and over on the old board and a site search will reveal past discussions. Many shared the opinion with it's charter ending in 1983, or so, and the downturn in the economy through the 80's it definitely would have been scrapped.

This may have been asked before, but I'll give it a go. If the Fitzgerald had not sunk in 1975 and was still sailing today, what are the chances she would be converted to a self unloader? I seem to recall hearing that there were plans in the works for such a move. If this was to happen, which shipyard would have done the work? I believe the yard that built her (Great Lakes Engineering Works?) was closed by the time of her demise. Any thoughts?