Boatnerd Discussion Forum

To my knowledge, I don’t ever recall the Frankcliffe Hall receiving a forward mounted unloading boom? I always was under the impression even after her rename to the Halifax by Canada Steamship Lines, that she had an aft mounted unloading boom!

Those examples like the Quetico predate the time period being discussed and date to when bow mounted unloading systems were the standard. And the Frankcliffe Hall/Halifax had a stern mounted system.

After the Frontenac's pioneering conversion over the winter of 1972/73, stern mounted unloading systems became the norm. Other than the plans for the Sherwin that were fully drawn up before the "Great Recession" with work briefly started before cancellation, I can only think of the J. Burton Ayers (a year after the Frontenac) and the James Norris that were converted with a bow mounted unloading system during conversion, post-Frontenac.

New builds also disappeared until their recent reemergence to fill this niche for certain ports, filling the void left as the remaining Maritimers and Algoma's late 60's/early 70's river class vessels marched off to the scrapyard.

jim gallant wrote: November 16, 2024, 10:34 am What about the SS E.B. BARBER

The E. B> Barber was converted back in the sixties, like CSLs Hochelaga. It was Algoma's entrance into the self-unloading business.

Another straight decker converted to a forward selfunloader was the SS THUNDER BAY of 1952. It was renamed STADACONA. Also the SS hochelaga of 1949 was converted into a forward selfunloader. The SS QUETICO was also converted into a forward mounted self unloader then back to a straight decker as the SS WHITEFISH BAY., HALL CORP also converted the SS FRANKVLIFFE HALL into a forwarded mounted selfunloader renamed SS HALIFAX by CANADA STEAMSHIP LINES. We're the more?

Canada Steamship Lines did one but I can’t recall the year or when? The ship I know its name I think was Quetico and later renamed to something? Anyway, I don’t recall the exact story but it was I think once a self-unloader then they converted it into a bulk freighter without the boom? Surely someone has more knowledge of this conversion than I do at the present.

What about the SS E.B. BARBER

From the discussion on the "Fitz Conversion" thread and older discussions of converting the John Sherwin to a forward boom self unloader because of the fuel tank issue.

Out of curiousity, how many modern conversions to self unloaders were done using forward mounted unloader booms - say from the mid-1970s to present. Only one that I can think of is the James Norris, wondering if there were others. (I don't think the Canadian Ranger really counts.)