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Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 3:46 pm
by Denny
They also had the Saguenay's length at being incorrect during the program as well. Her overall length was mentioned at being 750 when in turn it is actually 730 feet. I think they need a reminder that the largest that a ship can go through the Seaway Locks and the Welland Canal is no longer than 740 feet.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 1:37 pm
by LCNerd
After watching the show, I thought that although it had moments of interest, that it really had a limited scope. It's focus seemed to be on relationships of working men behaving badly and cussing like they know little other English! That portrayal may be accurate, but likely does a disservice to those guys--who work hard and dangerous jobs. Of course it's salty--they're sailors! I also thought it was disappointing that the Saugenay's name was digitally fuzzed over. It's not "Deadliest Catch" and it's not "Mighty Ships" but perhaps they'll improve the show if it is allowed to continue to air.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 12:05 pm
by JohnH
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 9:08 am
by Coalburner
I think that "Engineer" that did all the yelling is "wound a little too tight" and probably needs to take some shore leave. He reminds me of a "helicopter mom" at a baseball game. I do think the newby Mate needed to have a "check ride" to see if he could dock a tug, but I was "thrown into the fire" when I first worked on tugs also and with a 3 man crew, there is very little time for anything. I think that little tug was a single screw tug which is hard enough to dock on a good day. The Captains' choice to go out in bad weather didn't help either. NOAA does a fairly good job of predicting weather on the "Lakes" and should be heeded.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 8:29 am
by garbear
Having sailed on boats with no bow thrusters I found that "rescue mission" laughable. I also agree comparing it to the Fitzgerald was disgraceful. Having been 4 hours ahead of the Fitzgerald the night it went down, weather conditions couldn't be compared. I've been in bathtubs with waves bigger than seen in the "rescue mission."
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 22, 2012, 5:02 am
by Bookworm
I found the computer graphics illustration of how a tug & barge might both sink in stormy weather helpful to my understanding of what happened on Lake Huron last week.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 10:30 pm
by Denny
They could also talk more about the historic Great Lakes storms that have hit the regions. For instance in 2013 this will mark the 100th anniversary of the 1913 Great Lakes Storm. Another neat idea is to perhaps do an interview with Mr. Dennis Hale a survivor of the Morrell disaster along with Frank Mays of the Bradley also. At least the viewers would have an idea of what these two men went through in their harrowing experience of survival on water.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 6:10 pm
by Guest
I agree with Denny. The show lacked content. I think what they took an hour to show could have been shown in about 10-15 minutes. Everyone knows that weather plays a major part in great lakes travel and work. They need more information about the lake freighters. A couple of 'OLD SALT' tug boat captains will not save this program. A bit more information on the harbors would help, including currents and the effects of wind while trying to dock ships. Showing more on 'ship handling' would be interesting. Almost anything would help this show.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 2:13 pm
by Denny
I also watched the show on Thursday night and was disappointed at the content of the show. In watching the show, I was hoping for more footage on just life and jobs aboard working tugboats as I would have liked to have seen more scenes from aboard working Great Lakes freighters as well. I think that they should consider showing some footage of life, work and jobs aboard the working ships of the Great Lakes and the types of conditons and weather that they endure each year. Maybe some winter and fall scenese.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 1:32 pm
by MN Boater
Capt R Metz wrote: And usually the bow is painted with a small propeller inside of a circle if the ship is equipped with a thruster, I did not see this on the bow, but maybe I missed it.
Here are a couple of pictures from the show. They show the CSL ship Saguenay does have bow thrusters.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 1:05 pm
by Guest
Capt R Metz wrote: They said the ship was disabled because the bow thruster was not working I only had one ship with a thruster. I had to use my engines and anchors to make the wall. And usually the bow is painted with a small propeller inside of a circle if the ship is equipped with a thruster, I did not see this on the bow, but maybe I missed it.
The CSL Saguenay, the boat "rescued", has a bow thruster. You can see the thruster marking on this photo of her.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 12:27 pm
by Capt R Metz
I did not care for the show at all, to many faults statement. I sail the lake for over 30 years and been to Burns Harbor many times and I knew the tugs very well and we loaded in Thunder Bay ON. and I also knew the tugs very well. In both harbors the tugs refused to come out beyond the break wall in rough weather especially in Burn Harbor, and we always used our tow lines. They said the ship was disabled because the bow thruster was not working I only had one ship with a thruster. I had to use my engines and anchors to make the wall. And usually the bow is painted with a small propeller inside of a circle if the ship is equipped with a thruster, I did not see this on the bow, but maybe I missed it.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 11:54 am
by ashland69
I've seen one. In fact, a friend of mine may have one. We never used one while we sailed the Lakes, but I understand it was used with heaving lines. It made landing a heaving line on shore easier, especially in rough weather.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: July 21, 2012, 8:36 am
by mn brett
While watching the show after My Wife tevo'ed it for Me
(monkey fist!)thunder bay,they didn't throw it,but it was on the end of the line.It had allot of Hipe.But this is the closest I will ever get.So I give it a thumbs up.
standuffer wrote:hayhugh2 wrote:No monkees fist on the Lakes!
I remember seeing one in a locker on the Callaway in '71 but we never, ever did use it.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 30, 2012, 5:07 pm
by mikeglbr
I just saw an ad for this show, it's supposed to be on July 19th, I didn't catch the time though.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 4, 2012, 12:28 pm
by standuffer
Did the rest of your crew tie a rope around your ankle and drag you behind the ship for a while to clean you off? I'll bet you learned real quick what covers to open or leave alone after that!
The above sparked a memory; we used to securely tie a pair of new blue jeans to a heaving line and toss them over the side of the ship, dragging then along for 10 - 20 minutes. Best way I ever saw to break then in. You didn’t want to forget them though, less they be completely destroyed. John
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 4, 2012, 12:18 pm
by Coalburner
Fortunately there was a washdown hose in the engine room. But the silly grins on both of them was priceless. What actually happened was the cover on the tank (this thing was a series of plastic tanks that were supposed to treat the "stuff" before pumping overboard (not sure it was legal in the Great Lakes, but the tug came from salt water) and I overestimated the number of threads on the plastic cap that I was removing carefully. Another lesson, "you can't mold too fine a thread on plastic tanks".
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 4, 2012, 11:54 am
by MN Boater
Coalburner wrote:One thing they should show is the view from the upper lock of the double locks (flight locks) on the Welland Canal looking downriver when the only thing between you and a 90 foot drop is 2 steel gates. Looking up isn't too bad either when there is a laker 90 feet above you. As to the rest of excitment on the Great Lakes, it usually only comes when there is an emergency and you would have had to be there. Like the day our sewer plant covered me in "stuff" when I opened the wrong cover in the engine room. Rule of thumb: If the head is above you and is plugged up, then don't open the inspection cover on the tank below the head! 8 Feet of water column = 3.47 PSI of "stuff". Our cook graciously made a charicature of my efforts to save the sewer plant after the Captain bought the wrong kind of toilet paper.
Did the rest of your crew tie a rope around your ankle and drag you behind the ship for a while to clean you off? I'll bet you learned real quick what covers to open or leave alone after that!
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 4, 2012, 10:10 am
by Coalburner
One thing they should show is the view from the upper lock of the double locks (flight locks) on the Welland Canal looking downriver when the only thing between you and a 90 foot drop is 2 steel gates. Looking up isn't too bad either when there is a laker 90 feet above you. As to the rest of excitment on the Great Lakes, it usually only comes when there is an emergency and you would have had to be there. Like the day our sewer plant covered me in "stuff" when I opened the wrong cover in the engine room. Rule of thumb: If the head is above you and is plugged up, then don't open the inspection cover on the tank below the head! 8 Feet of water column = 3.47 PSI of "stuff". Our cook graciously made a charicature of my efforts to save the sewer plant after the Captain bought the wrong kind of toilet paper.
Re: Great Lakes Warriors - History Channel
Posted: June 2, 2012, 11:10 pm
by gyroplanes
A friend of mine told me he was flying aerial helicopter film work shooting tugs on the Calumet River for a show.
A rival tug company apparently called homeland security about the helicopter filming in harbor waters. I did not get the rest of the story.