Boatnerd Discussion Forum

the steam powered yacht that jack purvis has {had?) originally was on the muskoka lakes and was trucked to the sault others likily have more input than i have

The Em Ford was hand fired up until 1975 when converted to oil. The JB Ford was hand fired until 1976 when also converted to oil. I believe the Harriman was hand fired until final layup. I may be off a year on the dates but they are close. I sailed several Steinbrenner boats thru the 70s that burned coal but not sure which, if any were still hand fired, except as mentioned the 1907 independent.

Lakercapt wrote:I don't know if this will count but the RMS Segwuin which operates on the Muskoka lake is a coal-fired steamship with triple expansive engines.

Jack Purvis of Purvis Marine also used to have a steam powered yacht at the Soo, but I don't know if it is still around or what it burns.

The 600 foot ore carrier Kinsman Independent was hand fired until its demise in 1973. This was the Independent built around 1907. Two firemen per watch. When I was on there in 1973 on the 4-8 watch, the smaller fireman would have 6 eggs for breakfast after shoveling for 4 hours. The bigger guy would always have 8 eggs.

In 1973 the steering engine had issues and we smacked into the rock wall of the Rock Cut and grounded after exiting the Rock Cut. The Blough radioed that they could not stop and would hit us. Fortunately, we were able to get going again and not get hit. And that was the ship's last trip.

At the time, there was still one other smaller (440 footer) boat hand fired with 1 fireman per watch. May have been the Joe Morrow.

I don't know if this will count but the RMS Segwuin which operates on the Muskoka lake is a coal-fired steamship with triple expansive engines.

Nighthunter wrote:The Bradley fleet had the H.W. White, it may have been one of the last hand bombers in the late 60's.

The W.F. White was sold Canadian in 1976 and became the Erindale and scrapped in Port Colborne in 1984. I'm not sure about the fuel it used.

The Bradley fleet had the H.W. White, it may have been one of the last hand bombers in the late 60's.

According to "The Kinsman Line" book, the Pierson was the LAST coal burning steamer in the Great Lakes Canadian fleet. I don't think it was hand fired later in it's long career.

she was the last coal fired canadian registered laker but i do believe she had automated stookers as an aside some steam trains also had automatic stokers also there is a video of a tourist steam train in kamloops bc that is fired with engine oil from oil changes at garages

Its probably not the last but was old smokey the Robert S Pierson hand bombed or did she have stokers? Correct me if im wrong but was she not the last Coal boat in Canada.

Steinbrenner more likely than not, must have run a couple hand bombers into the 1970s. That is if that enters into the equation.

Chief Ed Perrine came to our Carferry Reunion at the SS City of Milwaukee in 2009 & 2010. He was the last Chief Engineer to sail our boat for the Grand Trunk. Very knowledgeable and entertaining man to talk to. We had him down in the engineroom explaining things for about an hour and a half. The man really knows his triples.
Seems like some engineers that sailed the Ford and the Crapo for ILT might be around also.

This raises an interest question I was asked the other day. Are there any engineers around that still know how to operate these old reciprocating steam engines?

The Badger carferry is the last coal-fired steamship on the Great Lakes. It is not hand fired, but it is coal fired.

There are a few Tugs around yet.

The tugboat Edna G. is a coal fired hand-bomber with her original double expansion reciprocating steam engine. She was last run in 1981. While she is completely intact, she isn't in running condition.

I believe the Q.A. Gilmore is also a coal fired steamer with a double compound reciprocating steam plant.

The Crapo had mechanical stokers installed around 1960, so she was no longer a "hand bomber" after that.

The Chief Wawatam was the last hand fired steamer to sail the lakes. Yes the Crapo burned coal, but in 1962, mechanical stokers were installed for firing the boilers. A fireman was still on duty for cleaning the fires and such.

I was hoping for some clarification.

The historical perspectives gallery entry for the Chief Wawatam states that she was the last "hand bomber" to operate on the Great Lakes when she last sailed under her own power in 1984.

Yet the fleet photo gallery history page for the S.T. Crapo states that when her boilers were converted from coal to oil during her 1994/95 winter layup, that she was the "last hand-fired coal burner on the Great Lakes".

Which one is correct?

Thanks
-Leo