Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Didn't the Huron just get side tanks earlier this century?

Baie St.Paul underway now for drydock at Verreault, Méchins. They were probably waiting in Sept-Iles for the drydock to become available.

Baie St. Paul was drydocked at Davie Shipyard in Jan 2015, for reported maintenance and repair work, for about 6 weeks, per the contract.

From what I’ve been hearing mac the salarium as well as the Atlantic Huron are in need of extensive work so one would assume that is the reasoning behind the baie St. Paul strengthening I was aboard the salarium a few years back and she didn’t look too bad for wear but wasn’t in the ship sides or double bottoms either, the Atlantic Huron looks to be in worse shape but one never really knows it always did roll bad and still does but if she is in the shape like her sister Atlantic Erie my bet would be on her going,

We left out the Frontenac too. It was built in '67 and converted to a self-unloader in '72/'73. Other than cargo hold upgrades it's still basically the same hull and motor and she's carried lots of salt and cement clinker.
I watched it pass westbound in the Straits today heading into NW winds gusting to gale force and heavy snow.

From Marine Traffic's website, the Baie St. Paul has been at Sept Isles since December 31, 2018. I don't know what they're doing there but at least that is what their AIS shows and lists presently unless of course it has not been updated!

Guest wrote:The Baie St Paul is being strengthened this winter be run on the east coast of Canada

Is she going in dry dock this winter? I would think so as she arrived on the lakes in late 2012.

Guest wrote:

Duluthian wrote:How do we explain the John D. Leitch and Tim S. Dool? Both of these vessels, which were built in the 60's, are being dry docked this winter for 5-yr inspections, steel renewal, and painting. Seems like an odd investment for a company that is so focused on new builds. Do these boats have a particular design advantage or other strategic purpose that I'm not aware of?

Both ships had mid life renewals including new side tanks as part of widening to 78'. The Dool in '96 and the Leitch in '04. In terms of holds, their original build dates aren't completely relevant.

Forgot to mention the Dool had a new efficient diesel installed in 2007 which will last for many years. And, the Leitch's widening was in 2002, not '04.

Duluthian wrote:How do we explain the John D. Leitch and Tim S. Dool? Both of these vessels, which were built in the 60's, are being dry docked this winter for 5-yr inspections, steel renewal, and painting. Seems like an odd investment for a company that is so focused on new builds. Do these boats have a particular design advantage or other strategic purpose that I'm not aware of?

Both ships had mid life renewals including new side tanks as part of widening to 78'. The Dool in '96 and the Leitch in '04. In terms of holds, their original build dates aren't completely relevant.

Both Tim Dool and John Leitch had major mid-life rebuilds so the hulls were essentially entirely renewed. The other builds in the 70's were all lighter gauge steel for energy and weight efficiency and do not last like the ships from prior to the 60's

The Leitch and Dool have an extended timetable as both ships were modified to prolong their lives. The Dool was widened for increased capacity in 1996, and then repowered around 10 years ago. The Leitch's entire midbody was rebuilt and widened in 2002. So while they were both built in 1967, they are certainly newer than that in several ways.

Guest wrote:The Baie St Paul is being strengthened this winter be run on the east coast of Canada

Could that be to replace Atlantic Huron or Salarium. Not that they would be scrapped necessarily, but maybe assigned to other duties.

How do we explain the John D. Leitch and Tim S. Dool? Both of these vessels, which were built in the 60's, are being dry docked this winter for 5-yr inspections, steel renewal, and painting. Seems like an odd investment for a company that is so focused on new builds. Do these boats have a particular design advantage or other strategic purpose that I'm not aware of?

I'm not a huge equinox fan but I think the trilliums look as good as any all stern arraignment ships built on the lakes or off !

The Baie St Paul is being strengthened this winter be run on the east coast of Canada

Steel renewal is inevitable, especially in the cargo hold areas, likely even before their first 5 year special survey. They will not likely ever be re-powered, correct, but routine maintenance to machinery will always be ongoing. While they may not be built as durable as ships from 50 years ago, they are still a sizable investment for the companies, and they will maintain them to the best practical sense. Sideline observers on shore view them as cheap and disposable, but the new ships are going to be around 25+ years. They could easily be recycled not due to fatigue or wear, but from changing regulations mandating a ship with newer, modern equipment.

Who knows where the Great Lakes/Seaway shipping industry will be in 25 years? Possibly new ships will be built then, or maybe there won't be a need.

Food for thought - In 10 years, people who are not yet into this hobby will find the Trillium and Equinox class to be their favourites. Just as when the floating boxes of the 1970's BayShip and AmShip were new, people then found them ungainly and lacking character, yet many here today have a fondness for them...

Guest wrote:Just a guess but I would be surprised if the new ones will ever get major repairs i.e. steel work re engined, they will run them for 30yrs give or take then build new ones.

Speaking with a chief engineer a couple seasons back, the line of thinking of at least one company seems to be that.

Just a guess but I would be surprised if the new ones will ever get major repairs i.e. steel work re engined, they will run them for 30yrs give or take then build new ones.

Its easy to decide to keep repairing and rebuilding old ships when you have no other option. Canadian company's have the option of building so at a certain point it makes sense to stop spending money on a ship whos design will never let it be efficient. The efficiency of the new Canadian ships will pay off the investment and the indubitable repairs and improvments.

The American ships you mentioned have lived a substantially easier life than the Canadian vessels, some of those coal ships were in the Canal twice a day