Great lake boats, a good video

[5030]

BIG blue #38 Kone crane was down bound today. Built in Two Rivers Wisconsin. Did you need some rocks dropped in at your lake cottage?

That barge looks top heavy...

 

[MossRoad]

The James Barker early morning departing of Duluth loaded with iron pellets. Running with nearly of 30ft of draft. That's a load!

Doesn't leave much wiggle room....

The canal is maintained at 245 feet (75 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) LWD.

Duluth Ship Canal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[5030]

Doesn't leave much wiggle room....

The canal is maintained at 245 feet (75 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) LWD.

Duluth Ship Canal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Must have some clearance between the mud bottom and the keel because I don't see any churned up mud from the Barker's screw. Only white foam at the stern.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, it's got some clearance, but not much when you consider the big picture. 28' deep channel with a boat that has a 28' draft and YIKES!

 

[MossRoad]

Reminds me that I saw a trash truck stuck yesterday. He came out of a downhill alley and turned uphill onto the cross street instead of downhill. His rear scraped up onto the alley and his back wheels came off the ground. And there he sat.

 

[5030]

Reminds me that I saw a trash truck stuck yesterday. He came out of a downhill alley and turned uphill onto the cross street instead of downhill. His rear scraped up onto the alley and his back wheels came off the ground. And there he sat.

Sounds like Waste Mismanagement...

 

[5030]

Yeah, it's got some clearance, but not much when you consider the big picture. 28' deep channel with a boat that has a 28' draft and YIKES!

If it was that close, the Barker's screw would be making chocolate milkshakes... It's not. Just basically clear foam.

 

[ArlyA]

The JOHN D. LEITCH & ALGOMA SAULT loading rock salt in Goderich Ontario on JUNE 17/18/2021. Nice close up shots of the boats as they are loaded and heading out.
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[ArlyA]

Doesn't leave much wiggle room....

The canal is maintained at 245 feet (75 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) LWD.

Duluth Ship Canal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I could not see the Barker's draft markings, but he was heavily loaded and running deep.

 

[MossRoad]

I could not see the Barker's draft markings, but he was heavily loaded and running deep.

Yep. It was quit impressive.

I looked up it's draft. It's 28' at max. Then I looked up the depth of the Deluth shipping channel. It's also maintained at 28'. That doesn't mean that it's not deeper than 28'. That's the minimum depth, I'm guessing. If water levels drop, or silt builds up, the ships have to load less cargo. That have that issue in the river and harbor at St. Joe, Michigan. The recent high water levels have been a gift to shipping there, as they can take more tonnage, which means more profit per trip, and, less expense for customers.

It just amazes me that a ship that large can navigate areas within just feet of its bottom and sides. We've been to the locks several times. Watching a 1000' ship navigate into the locks unassisted and have just feet on each side and stopping within feet of the end of the lock is a definite thrill to observe.