Boatnerd Discussion Forum

The schedule for the Saginaw at the Toledo CSX coal dock has changed from my last post. She is currently in Ashtabula and the new time for Saginaw is 3:30 AM Saturday morning in Toledo. I am deeply sorry if you made plans for this evening to see the ship that saved your life, and 2 others, some 52 years ago.

This event occurred Thursday, 29 June 1961. The article was published in the Toledo Blade later that day, on page 19.

The log books of the Bay View Park Coast Guard station for this era would be available through the NARAS, possibly at the Chicago repository. Ms. Clyne is correct: Unless the relevant log of the Boland passed into private ownership, it most likely was jettisoned decades ago.

I'm not sure who manages the Boatnerd fleet pages, but perhaps someone could update Saginaw's page to reflect the repowering? It still lists the power as steam turbine, and I think I may have incorrectly used that as a reference recently when someone asked me if it was still a steamer. (Yes, I should've checked KYS too.)

http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/saginaw.htm

As for the original question, while the John J. Boland was built in Manitowoc, we don't have any of its logbooks here at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. It sounds like quite a few logbooks are currently in private hands, though I hope they'll eventually make their way to archives and museums!

Saginaw is no longer a steamer, she was repowered at the end off 2007

Not that it matters in the context of the question but Saginaw hasn't been a "Steamer" for quite a while. She was re-powered soon after LLT bought her with a 8160 HP MaK-6M43C diesel and a CPP propeller. Normally when LLT has bought a ship they have done a diesel conversion soon after purchase.

After 46 years of service for the American Steamship Company, your John J. Boland was sold to Lower Lakes Towing Ltd in 1999. She sails today as the Saginaw in the Canadian fleet. Her hull color is gray and she is one of the few “active” steamers in service. If you would like to see/photograph your ship again, the Saginaw is scheduled at the Toledo CSX coal dock Friday at 7:30 PM. Her current AIS location is near the St. Clair River and may arrive, in Toledo, much earlier than her loading time. Since you already know where the USCG Toledo Station is from your accident, there is a nature trail next to it where you can see your ship onshore this time.

I wonder if you or anyone on your site might be able to help me. Or can you point me in a direction?

About 1961 (or 62 or 63) I and a couple friends were saved at night from a capsized sailboat on Lake Erie by the John (News article below). The Boland saw my SOS and radioed the coast guard who eventually found us. I have the article, but not the year.

My questions are:
Where is the ship log book?
Would I or someone be able to go through it?
What was the date of the incident? What time were we found? And what was the ship carrying?

I do know:
We were about 5 miles out from Toledo harbor on Lake Erie
The Boland was headed to the Port of Toledo, It was summer.
It was near 2 in the morning on a calm night.