Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I see the Saginaw left its layup today (Apr 30) in Sarnia and is enroute to Drummond Island.

algowest wrote: April 27, 2025, 4:19 pm Good afternoon,
Curious about McAsphalt Advantage, entered winter layup in Montreal. Believe this was after a minor fire in forward void space in Hamilton? Anyone hear about her?
Thanks in advance!
Andy

Sorry, Andy. That's a new one for me. Perhaps Denny or someone else has heard something.

Good afternoon,
Curious about McAsphalt Advantage, entered winter layup in Montreal. Believe this was after a minor fire in forward void space in Hamilton? Anyone hear about her?
Thanks in advance!
Andy

Speaking on behalf of the 7000 plus viewers of this topic, many thanks for your time and input. I may be mistaken, but I believe your reporting on spring sailings this year was one of the best and most detailed, to date. Again, thank you so much.

As of 6 PM on April 26, the Calumet had finally left and departed from their lay up berth and dock in Ashtabula. They departed from Winter Lay Up and Ashtabula just early this morning on April 26. Their AIS for now is showing their next destination as Stoneport next. In other Fit Out News, these ships are still in lay up the Oakglen in Owen Sound, Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder still in Erie, Pennsylvania. I’m sorry if I’ve missed anything as I only go by the most active vessels and NOT anything in long-term lay-up. The Saginaw also remains laid up in Sarnia and the Tim S. Dool remains laid up in Goderich while in Toledo, the Philip R. Clarke and Arthur M. Anderson both remain in lay up at Toledo with neither expected to sail this year. Lastly, Algoma Buffalo left sometime this week from lay up in Port Colborne. At first I thought I saw Drummond Island as their next destination yet now I see they’re headed for Duluth-Superior I would assume then to load a cargo of iron ore pellets? That is all the Fit Out News and Information that I have for you all at this time. This quite possibly may also be my last and final report as far as Fit Out News & Information now with just about everybody or almost everybody out sailing now for 2025. I would like to thank everyone for allowing me the opportunity and chance to do these reports this Spring and thanks to the boatnerd volunteers and staff and everyone including all that read and follow these reports. Thanks so much for your trust and faith in me as I’ve done my best to try and keep you all updated here inspite dealing with very important health related issues as well. Hope everyone enjoys and has a great 2025 season and I’ll try and do these reports Lay-Up version of these reports at seasons end. Thanks again everyone as you’re all the best!

Sure thing and you’re welcome Ashland69 and glad I could help you out as well. Be & Stay Well, Safe and Healthy my friend.

Thank you Denny and Guest for the updates.

The Algoma Endeavour and Kathy McKeil both arrived in Montreal on April 24. From the Boatnerd News page, The Endeavour is in Montreal to get a crew changeover along with a change in registration and flag before she enters into the Seaway with Hamilton as her next destination. Kathy McKeil from their AIS is supposed to be headed to Cote Ste. Catherine, QC. once they depart from Montreal and enter the Seaway. Another one also to add to the list of vessels in lay up, the Tug Dorothy Ann and Barge Pathfinder both remain in Erie, Pennsylvania with neither one sailing yet this year and also this season! Haven’t heard yet what their status is so far? Hope this helps out.

Saginaw and Calumet are having ongoing winter maintenance per eyewitness reports. Clearly there is not a lack of cargoes since LLT is chartering Algoma and CSL to carry loads for them. As for the Michipicoten, yes the hull fracture was repaired last summer, but she requires a five-year drydocking before she can be allowed to sail again.

The Dool is rumored to be finished. These rumblings began last year even before her lengthy grounding in the St. Lawrence, which probably proved to be the final nail in her coffin.

Does anyone have any idea why the Saginaw and Calumet are still in layup? Lack of cargoes? Also, does anyone know what the situation is regarding the Oakglen and Tim Dool? Finished? I wonder if the Tim Dool has been sold to Goderich Elevator for grain storage? Back in the 60s and 70s, Goderich Elevator owned a number of old steamers and barges for grain storage. Finally, apparently repairs to the Michipicoten have been completed. Maybe she'll fitout and get back to moving ore to Soo. Lastly, I noticed today (Apr 24), thatAlgoma Endeavour and Kathy McKeil are in the St. Lawrence near Montreal. Any comments appreciated.

Hello boatnerds as this will unfortunately for me be my last and final report for quite a while as I’ll be laid up for the next 6 weeks recovering from health and medical issues related to my foot and heel. I’ll have to go back into the Rehab Center I was in for 6 weeks to recover. However, with this report I’m happy and proud to say that this morning the PRT finally left and departed their Winter Lay Up at BayShip at Sturgeon Bay! The PRT was the last of the 1,000 footers to fit out and sail this Spring! It is certainly great to see and have the Queen back out and running again as most of you know, she’s been my all time favorite ship for over 30 years now and I never ever will get tired or bored with seeing and photographing her. So, sadly this will now end and conclude my news and fit out information for you all. Thanks to you all and everyone for allowing and giving me the opportunity to post the Fit Out information here for you all. I hope that my information was of some use and help to you all this Spring. So, calm seas and fair winds along with bright and sunny days this year everyone. Enjoy the 2025 shipping season and hope you all have a great & safe year as well. Thanks to everyone along with all of our boatnerd volunteers and staff for making and keeping Boatnerd what it certainly is today! 3 Long and 2 Short to all.

As of 4:00 p.m. on April 9, the tug Olive L. Moore has arrived in Ashtabula this morning after departing lay up at first in Erie all on April 9. They are in Ashtabula now to re-connect to their barge Menominee. Also, it would appear from the boatnerd AIS map the American Courage was moved today from the Ironhead Drydock to the Old Interlake Iron Co. Dock in Toledo now. They are laid up with the John G. Munson at the same Dock in Toledo with both vessels due to sail and depart lay up at anytime. Finally two other vessels the Mesabi Miner and Paul R. Tregurtha each should be leaving from BayShip at Sturgeon Bay sometime this weekend. The PRT is due to be up in Superior to load at the MERC or SMET Coal Terminal sometime early next week, while the Mesabi Miner is due up at one of the ore loading ports to load ore pellets sometime either this weekend or next week! That is all that I have at this time. Hope that this information has helped out. Thank You.

In addition to my first post from this morning, another vessel Fit Out to add to the ever growing list of sailings and Fit Outs! The tug Olive L. Moore just left from their Lay Up in Erie, Pennsylvania this morning on April 9. I would assume they are headed for Ashtabula first to re-connect to their barge the Menominee? If I’m correct, I thought I read and heard the Moore dropped off the barge Menominee in Ashtabula before they arrived for Lay Up in Erie? That is all for now. Thanks.

As of 10:30 a.m. on April 9, the Robert S. Pierson is now underway and left from Sarnia and their Winter Lay Up this morning. The Pierson is now headed for Sault Ste. Marie per their AIS. I would guess and assume then that they are headed for the Export Dock at the Soo to load something? That is all of the news and Fit Out information I have at this time. I will update whenever I can once I have received news and or information on any further vessels that leave and depart from Winter Lay Up. Hope that this information helps out. Also, with the Pierson departing their lay up in Sarnia this now leaves just the Saginaw as the last of Sarnia’s Winter Lay Up fleet to sail and to depart.

As of 1:45 pm on April 8, two vessels in Winter Lay Up now have updated their AIS. The Robert S. Pierson laid up in Sarnia shows Sault Ste. Marie as their next destination and they are due up there on April 10 at around noon or so I would assume then to load at the Export Dock. Also, the John G. Munson is now showing Duluth as their next destination and they are due up there to load ore pellets at the CN Ore Dock on April 13 at 0610 hours or at about 6:10 am then. The Munson for now remains laid up in Toledo along with their GLF fleetmates the Great Republic and Arthur M. Anderson along with the Philip R. Clarke. However, the Anderson and Clarke are both not due to sail or fit out for 2025. The American Courage also remains laid up yet in Toledo though their AIS is showing Calcite as their next destination and they are due there on April 9 at 1300 or 1 PM then to load. All ETAs are subject to change due to weather and any ice conditions. One last thing to add, the tug Defiance with their barge Ashtabula departed their lay up recently within the past day or two from Ashtabula. They were headed up to Calcite next to load limestone there. That is all the news and information that I have at this time. Hope that my information helps out. Of note, I will be going off line and will not be reporting here for several days now as I will be very busy this week with lots of medical appointments to attend. No need to worry or to be concerned as my health is ok and I’m doing as well as can be expected for now at least. Thanks for any comments and well wishes everyone and glad I can help out here in anyway that I can. Thanks everyone. Be & Stay Safe and also be and stay healthy as well.

As of 4:30 p.m. on April 7, the Algoma Innovator is upbound on Lake Erie now just off or near Ashtabula, Ohio and on their way up to Goderich where they are expected on April 8 at 1830 or 6:30 p.m. at the Salt Dock there to load salt. They departed from their lay-up in Erie, Pennsylvania then today on April 7. Does anyone know if they got repainted while in Erie at the Donjon Shipyard Drydock? They were supposed to have been in Erie then for their 5-year CG Drydocking and I don't know yet if they ever got repainted or not yet? Also, the American Courage which is currently laid-up still in Toledo should be departing from there and lay-up at anytime now! Their AIS is now updated and it is showing a Calcite destination to which they are expected to arrive there for the moment on April 9 at 1300 or at 1 P.M. and of course subject to change! That is all of the Fit-Out News along with the information that I have at this time. Hope that my information has helped out. Thank You.

In addition to my first post for April 7 today, I have now new and updated information for the 2025 Fit Out and Sail Date List. Here now are the latest updates I have. As of 11 AM on April 7, the Frontenac of CSL has departed from their Winter Lay Up at BayShip at Sturgeon Bay on April 7 this morning and they are now headed up to Thunder Bay to load wheat. The Tug Caroline McKee I’m seeing departed from Chicago on April 5 I assume from Lay Up and arrived in Charlevoix to load in the late evening on April 6. Another Fit Out and sailing was the USEPA vessel Lake Guardian. They left from Milwaukee and lay up on April 5 and arrived in Ludington on April 7 in the morning hours. That is all of Fit Out News and Information that I have at this time and I hope that this information has helped out as well. Thank You.

Good morning all boatnerds and friends. Since my last report from a few days ago there has been one that I am aware of at least anyway, new vessel fit-out and sailing for the 2025 shipping season. Departing from Winter Lay Up in Erie, Pennsylvania on April 5th was the tug Victory and their barge Maumee. They stopped in Detroit to fuel on April 6 and are heading to Calcite next then to load. I am not sure yet if I have covered all of fit outs and sailings since my last report or if I have missed anything? I’ve been very busy since early last week and unfortunately my with crazy schedule it is NOT allowing me very much spare and free time to report on any fit outs and sailings much less sending and posting it here for all of you to read. So, if I miss anything then please accept my apology for that and too for not reporting it to you all here on boatnerd. I’m trying and doing the best that I can for you all but, I’m also playing “with a stacked deck against me right now” and I don’t know when I will get a break or let up on my schedule? It could be a while then and take some time. Thanks for reading and understanding and thanks to everyone and anyone else for their help and contributions in reporting here.

The Edgar b Speer has left layup in Erie pa. 4/4/25 heading for two harbors to load.

As of 10:15 a.m. on April 4, the Edgar B. Speer is now out and running and has departed from their Lay-Up berth and Dock on April 4 in Erie, PA. and per their AIS they are heading to Two Harbors and the CN Ore Dock to load their first cargo of the 2025 season. This also now leaves only two 1,000 footers still in lay-up the Paul R. Tregurtha and Mesabi Miner both of which are still in Sturgeon Bay at Bay Shipbuilding. Also, I don’t know if it is me or not but can’t get any ship photos on the AIS whenever I click them only ASC vessels! Not sure what’s going on here? I can’t read or look at anything on the News Page or Matt Miner’s Salty List! Is anyone else having the same issues that I am having here? Please help if anyone has any answers and can provide any information on this. This all started yesterday like this and on Wednesday night here in Michigan, we had lots of heavy rains and storms. So, I don’t know if this had an effect on the website or if maybe some updating or work on the site? Thanks in advance for any help and information you may have.