Maumee backing into port

MV Maumee backs in to load salt.
First 20 seconds have bad sun flare, then it clears.

Note the bow thruster working.

Built as the SS Calcite II in 1929, thus 79 or 80 years old, and still productive. She is a near twin of the Calumet, ex Myron C. Taylor, also built in 1929, which went to scrap at the end of the 2007 season.

Originally steam powered, she still has steam deck + anchor winches, and old-style telescoping hatch covers, the same style as those on the museum boat William G. Mather.

The rusty scrapes are common to most Great Lakes freighters, since they transit canal locks and tie up to rough dock facings on a regular basis. The hull steel is so thick that the scrapes don't normally matter, other than appearance.

How many saltie skippers are willing to back their ship upriver with no tug assistance? These guys do it on a daily basis, often in a stiff crosswind with a sea running at the harbor entrance.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Great
• Lakes
• lake
• freighter
• ore
• boat
• steam
• antique

[Fozzymaple]

@BENMNELSON Out of curiosity, and pure ignorance, what makes the salt dock at Fairport Harbor so terrible?

[fallingup7]

If it has a little accident like running into a dock , it will be scrapped just like the camulet. And its a really old ship so that makes it more hard to dock her.

[BENMNELSON]

i think anybody that has made the pull on the stern line there will agree that it is the worst dock ever. we took out the little electrical box next to the tower last time we tied up there in december.

[Xx69roadrunnerxX]

Okay, just wondering. Ive probably seen it before on the Great Lakes, I just dont remeber it.

[cwazymbfan]

Nah this is Fairport Harbor, Ohio.

The ship's name is the Maumee.

Nice video; I've got a couple of her on my page as well.

[Diecuter]

I have seen the Maumee often, delivering and offloading coal to the coal burning power plant on the Niagara River just outside of Buffalo,NY

[angelica14709]

I remember seeing this freighter while fishing on Lake St Clair 55 years ago when  you could eat the fish.

[Xx69roadrunnerxX]

This is on the Maumee river I take it?

[dave0549jv]

the thruster was added in the fifties, around the same time as the self unloading gear.

the current engine is a 12 cyl nordberg diesel, with about 3900 horses.

by the way, the salt dock in fairport is the worst dock... ever.

[grumpyoldsoandso]

Thank-you for the fine video.

Is this a very early example of a bow-thruster fitted to a vessel that is required to manoeuvre in tight spaces, or is it a later fitment? What is the present engine, please?

It's certainly impressive that a vessel of that age is still earning its keep.

Paul