Fire aboard Steamer Alpena

[Guest]

Someone on another board said that the Iglehart is damaged (even if they did want to bring her out).
First I've heard of damage to the Iglehart can anyone she'd any light?

[Duluth Guest]

Actually, I would be surprised if they didn't repair her. The cost to the company to get the Iglehart ( an older and smaller vessel than the Alpena) orany of their other mothballed vessels, going again would probably be more substantial than the repairs to the Alpena and time is not on their side to get that work done. The Alpena is 1.) Already at the yard with repairs (investment) already underway, 2.) Larger, 3.) Newer ( marginally), 4.) Recently sailing (current and updated systems / electronics) and otherwise operational with USCG cert. 5.) Repairs partially covered by insurance at lower cost to the owner, 6.) No design completed or started for barging, 7.) No tug to push it as a barge.

I think you'll see it back out next spring.

[lahey]

No body has put out the possibility of smoking yet? Will see when the results of an investigation come out

Are they even allowed to smoke inside anymore?

[Guest]

I agree Hugh I was at Bay Ship in 2010 and security is really tight I recall that one of the ship keepers brought his wife along all the way from the east coast of Canada and was not allowed inside the gate another ship a few deck hands went up town had a couple too many and couldn't even get back in so unless somebody had a boat it's very hard to get past security at that dock

[guest]

No body has put out the possibility of smoking yet? Will see when the results of an investigation come out

[Sheriff Buford]

This may be the catalyst to cut the Alpena down to a barge. Especially since she is a cement hauler. Not trying to be Debbie Downer, but I'd say the odds of her being repaired are slim.

[hugh3]

Never rule out the possibility of unauthorized access. There are documented instances of people - who fortunately were only curious and not malicious, who breached security at other places and gained access to lake boats that were active and or atleast powered up.

I have been in many a shipyard and they have some of the best security around. First you would have to dress like you belong or you would stick out like a sore thumb. I can see someone going aboard a dead ship with no ship keeper but with people working around the clock no one would be able or want to crawl around a ship looking for a place to sleep or try to keep warm.

[lahey]

Since we know it wasn't arson and it wasn't someone welding. Would it be premature to think the fire could've started in the main switchboard, or alteast been electrical in nature?

While in the shipyard the boat would have been on shore power supplied by the shipyard. If there was no hot work being done then of course the switch board is the culprit. How and why is now the question.

Never rule out the possibility of unauthorized access. There are documented instances of people - who fortunately were only curious and not malicious, who breached security at other places and gained access to lake boats that were active and or atleast powered up.

That's why I didn't rule out arson/accidental fire until the fire department declared it wasn't.

[Guest]

What possible effects would the fire fighting measures have on the ship outside the area directly damaged by the fire?

[Guest]

On a boat like the Alpena, would the electrical system be pretty compatible with today's standards, or would there still be a lot of older stuff, like medium and high voltage DC circuits or non 60 hertz AC?

With the heat they are talking about, I can only imagine that most of that area, would be a Glass like area,.... very hard to mount anything..or walk

[Coalburner]

Wasn't she sharing a drydock with the Badger?
That could have been really painful.

[Mr Link]

On a boat like the Alpena, would the electrical system be pretty compatible with today's standards, or would there still be a lot of older stuff, like medium and high voltage DC circuits or non 60 hertz AC?

[Pete in Holland MI]

We can all theorize on what will happen, and what was the cause. Let's not depress ourselves.......yet.

During the era of the sinking of the EM Ford, I think Norm Martinson was head of the vessel department, and he was an old boat guy. That may have helped its recover & rebuilding.

Until we understand the extent of the damage, we have to sit back an wait till proper decisions are made to see what her fate it.

A fire on board during a ship yard stay, there will most likely be insurances to cover the damage, thus little cost to the owners. If it will be converted to a barge, those costs will come out of the owner's pocket. Even if converted to a barge, electrical systems will be needed, thus the electrical will have to be upgraded anyway.

Now, if there had all ready been corporate discussions of a barge conversion, this might be the catalyst to start that process.

Glad to hear there were only minor injuries during the fire, and that the adjacent vessels were unhurt.

It wouldn't suprise me, as long as it is inoperative and still water-worthy, to be re-floated and moved out of dry-dock as preparations are being made for it's future.

Pete

[guest]

As much as I would hate to see it happen...it seems like she'd now be a candidate to make her a barge.

[hugh3]

Since we know it wasn't arson and it wasn't someone welding. Would it be premature to think the fire could've started in the main switchboard, or alteast been electrical in nature?

While in the shipyard the boat would have been on shore power supplied by the shipyard. If there was no hot work being done then of course the switch board is the culprit. How and why is now the question.

[Alex]

Please correct the age of the E.M. Ford from 82 years old to 81 years old. Thank you, Alex

[lahey]

It sounds to me like the fire damage was confined to the Galley, Dining room, Mess hall and crew quarters on the spar deck. More damage in the steering gear and storage area. The electrical area would be the most expensive to repair/replace. All the areas are confined by steel bulkheads, decks, and overheads. Galley - all new cooking gear, crew quarters and most of the other spaces - clean up the fire damage and a coat of paint and replace beds, cabinets,etc. I don't see all that much repairs if the engines are in good shape.

Since we know it wasn't arson and it wasn't someone welding. Would it be premature to think the fire could've started in the main switchboard, or alteast been electrical in nature?

[Alex]

Christmas 1979, a storm hit Milwaukee that pulled the then 82 year old E.M. Ford (former fleetmate to the Alpena) from its moorings, beat it against a dock and ended with being flooded and sitting at the bottom of the slip. It was feared then that the Ford was as good as scrap, but after extensive work and to the delight of shipping buffs, the Ford returned to service July 1980. Just have to wait and see, easier said than done.

[hugh3]

It sounds to me like the fire damage was confined to the Galley, Dining room, Mess hall and crew quarters on the spar deck. More damage in the steering gear and storage area. The electrical area would be the most expensive to repair/replace. All the areas are confined by steel bulkheads, decks, and overheads. Galley - all new cooking gear, crew quarters and most of the other spaces - clean up the fire damage and a coat of paint and replace beds, cabinets,etc. I don't see all that much repairs if the engines are in good shape.

[Sheriff Buford]

Well, I hope the extent of the damage on a very old boat isn't so severe that it's decided to call the boat a total loss and sell it for scrap, ala the Windoc several years ago. It would be really sad to see the end of both the Challenger and Alpena in a span of a couple years.