Great lake boats, a good video

[ArlyA]

Most boats are again off the open lake today, due to wind. Here is a great drone video taken this spring of the Barker passing through Detroit, while upbound.

 

[jjeff]

Here's a less known November wreck of another great lakes freighter. Sunk in 1958, Pretty well choreographed.

 

[ArlyA]

Yesterday many boats had came off the main part of the lake due to wind. This is a live boat position map.

Trivia question. Can anyone tell me why in the fall and when the wind blow boats might not come off the lake, but in the spring with the same wind, they might stay out. What's the difference?

 

[jjeff]

Yesterday many boats had came off the main part of the lake due to wind. This is a live boat position map.

Trivia question. Can anyone tell me why in the fall and when the wind blow boats might not come off the lake, but in the spring with the same wind, they might stay out. What's the difference?

Ice?

 

[jjeff]

Daniel J Morrel another lake freighter lost in November, 1966 on Lake Huron, couldn't find a video but interesting read.

https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/erry-2018/04/6584b3a8243241/daniel_j_morrell.html

 

[MossRoad]

Yesterday many boats had came off the main part of the lake due to wind. This is a live boat position map.

Trivia question. Can anyone tell me why in the fall and when the wind blow boats might not come off the lake, but in the spring with the same wind, they might stay out. What's the difference?

Maybe they want to be home for the holidays? Or just one more run? Water levels?
Make home port for winter?
Who wants to be stuck in Duluth all winter? (sorry, couldn't resist).

 

[cqaigy2]

I like your Ice idea jjef.

 

[jjeff]

I like your Ice idea jjef.

I remember a few years ago I saw huge pressure ridges formed together looking like icebergs around memorial day on Huron Bay. It was 80 degrees on land, yet you looked out on the bay and huge icebergs we're floating by. Considering some lake freighters aren't made as sturdy as ocean going vessels I theorize a great lakes freighter colliding with a large pressure ridge at around 10-15 knots would be detrimental to it.

 

[cqaigy2]

I remember a few years ago I saw huge pressure ridges formed together looking like icebergs around memorial day on Huron Bay. It was 80 degrees on land, yet you looked out on the bay and huge icebergs we're floating by. Considering some lake freighters aren't made as sturdy as ocean going vessels I theorize a great lakes freighter colliding with a large pressure ridge at around 10-15 knots would be detrimental to it.

I can imagine the wind coming up and pushing those ice floes around would be a navigation hazard for sure.

 

[jjeff]

The original icebreaker Mackinaw could break 11' of ice in reverse.

https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/2438524/the-long-blue-line-big-mac-attack-icebreaker-mackinaw-battles-lake-ice-75-years/

 

[ArlyA]

Trivia question. Can anyone tell me why in the fall and when the wind blow boats might not come off the lake, but in the spring with the same wind, they might stay out. What's the difference?

But there is no ice out there in the fall. It takes much time and cool weather to cool the lake enough to create that. Why the boats will come off in the fall for the same wind, they'll get in the spring, has to do with the waters temp.

 

[MossRoad]

But there is no ice out there in the fall. It takes much time and cool weather to cool the lake enough to create that. Why the boats will come off in the fall for the same wind, they'll get in the spring, has to do with the waters temp.

Ahh... colder water is denser, so they can carry more tonnage?

 

[MossRoad]

Ahh... colder water is denser, so they can carry more tonnage?

Or warmer water they can carry more tonnage? Which one? I do not know.

 

[jjeff]

But there is no ice out there in the fall. It takes much time and cool weather to cool the lake enough to create that. Why the boats will come off in the fall for the same wind, they'll get in the spring, has to do with the waters temp.

Misread your question my mistake. Thought you said the opposite.

 

[cqaigy2]

The original icebreaker Mackinaw could break 11' of ice in reverse.

https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/2438524/the-long-blue-line-big-mac-attack-icebreaker-mackinaw-battles-lake-ice-75-years/

Man, i can't imagine backing then ramming into 11' of ice!

 

[ArlyA]

Man, i can't imagine backing then ramming into 11' of ice!

If might not be the "ramming speed" you think of. They do go forward and backwards, but its a pretty slow processe.

 

[ArlyA]

OK guys, I don' ask very many trivia questions that don't get answered.

The water is warmed all summer long which makes it more volatile to wind. That is a wind at 50mph in the fall, makes waves taller than it does in the spring with cooler surface temps at the same wind speed. So captains take the water temperature in consideration when they go, or stay at safe anchor.

 

[jjeff]

link from the coastguard website said Mackinaw could break 1-2' ice without reversing. unsure of speed, I assume 5 knots or less, it also had ballast transfer tanks, unfortunately Ive only seen Icebreakers do there jobs on videos never in real-life (I did tour the Big Mac in Mackinaw city though), from video I've seen seems like most ride the bow up on the ice and weight of the ship crushes it?

 

[jjeff]

OK guys, I don' ask very many trivia questions that don't get answered.

The water is warmed all summer long which makes it more volatile to wind. That is a wind at 50mph in the fall, makes waves taller than it does in the spring with cooler surface temps at the same wind speed. So captains take the water temperature in consideration when they go, or stay at safe anchor.

I will always remember a late summer storm The front was so big it changed the weather around lake Michigan for a week or more. I remember looking toward the WI shoreline and a half dozen lake freighters were hugging the lee shore of WI. Waves kept increasing along with gusts over 50knots, the minutes literally turned to hours, I had a small corner of my Jib out to try and keep the bow straight which still shredded the uv cover on it, I was still making 15+ knots surfing down waves in a 30' boat trying my hardest to prevent the stern from kicking over, when I got over to MI I kissed the ground in Pentwater. Originally I was trying to get to Frankfort MI from SE WI lol Shortly after I tied up I observed another sailboat coming into harbor that had been demasted. Ive followed weather religiously and have the utmost respect for the Great Lakes since.

 

[RobS]

The Badger is in dry dock! Plenty of pictures on the book of faces, here's a link to an article:

Badger heading to dry-dock Wednesday.