Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Am I correct in thinking that another reason that the St. Clair was built to its current dimensions of 770 X 92 was the fact that along with hauling coal to the St. Clair Power Plant, it was built to the shorter dimensions to be able to get into the Monroe Power Plant especially with the shallow draft limitations as well? Sorry if I am incorrect on my thinking but, at least that is what I thought that I had read and heard at one time? Any further information on this is appreciated. Thanks very much in advance for any type of help.

Why did the St Clair (and the Roger Blough) have only one propeller and all 1000 footers have 2?

Two of my friends worked in ASC’s office here in Buffalo & both told the exact same story about the turn in the river. The way they explained it, St. Clair was a prototype design that was later used as the basis for the Bayship footers.

If I'm not mistaken the 770 x 90 dimensions of the St. Clair was due to Bay Shipbuilding not having a drydock big enough for a 1000-foot vessel at the time of this vessel's construction. Growing up in the Marine City area during the mid-1970s I remember hearing talk of this ship being built to these dimensions because there was either concern of the ability of a 1,000 footer to make a 180 degree turn in the St. Clair River to land at the Detroit Edison dock at Recors Point or the Coast Guard would not permit such a maneuver in the river at the time. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Maybe it was just local gossip by the usual armchair experts.