Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I worked on her during the 73 season. great way to see the lakes. Her size permitted her to visit quite a few ports: Montreal, Morrisburg, Kingston, Coburg, Clarkson, Windsor, Parry Sound, Britt [nice trip up the river!] the Soo. Fond memories.

the bulbous bow was more of an accident. the navy originally put it on ships to house a radar unit to find subs. that was not sucessful, but fuel costs went down.

Guest wrote:Its amazing how the appearance of some ships is maintained right up to the time they are retired.

she was a bit of a mess in her last few years in toronto.

You didn't see Great Lakes ships (not salties) w/ bulbous bows until the last couple of decades and considering this ship's primary use was the Great Lakes that's why I found it interesting that even as far back as 1968 she had one.

Guest wrote:Thanks for the link to the great pictures. I find it interesting that a ship of her vintage had a bulbous bow considering it has only been the past couple of decades or so that newer ships w/ bulbous bows have become prevalent.

the bulbous bow was not original. look at the first photos and compare them to the ones with the bulbous bow. completely different bows.

Guest wrote:Thanks for the link to the great pictures. I find it interesting that a ship of her vintage had a bulbous bow considering it has only been the past couple of decades or so that newer ships w/ bulbous bows have become prevalent.

The bulbous bow has been around for a longtime, but in the Imperial London's case, hers was added when she was lengthened over winter 1960-61. It was not original.

The Congar (3) received a bulbous bow during a reconstruction in 1968 at Marine Industries in Montreal while it was named the Imperial London. This project also increased the ship's length by 30 feet. The Imperial Collingwood (later Seaway Trader) also received a bulbous bow when rebuilt in 1969. I'm not sure when bulbous bows first appeared on salt-water but I do know the three ships of Japan's Yamato class were built with bulbous bows. A

Thanks for the link to the great pictures. I find it interesting that a ship of her vintage had a bulbous bow considering it has only been the past couple of decades or so that newer ships w/ bulbous bows have become prevalent.

Imperial Oil Tankers where well maintained. There was never a shortage of Paint as seems to be the case today with a large Canadian fleet today.

Its amazing how the appearance of some ships is maintained right up to the time they are retired.

many memories. worked on her in 58 and 59. thank you for the pics

Thanks. I take it she never operated as a functional vessel after the demise of Johnstone Shipping in the fall of 1982?

Broken up in 2002 at Hamilton and Canadian registry closed 18 February 2003.

Does anyone have any information on the disposition of the tanker Congar (3), which was formerly the Imperial London?