Historical: MICHIPICOTEN in Drydock, March 2008

Below are photos of the MICHIPICOTEN in drydock at Erie Shipbuilding during March, 2008. The MICHIPICOTEN was in for propeller shaft repairs and various other work.

Photos courtesy of the former Erie Shipbuilding LLC.

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MICHIPICOTEN in drydock.


Another view.


View from inside the drydock.


Starboard-side view of the MICHIPICOTEN.


Close up of the hull resting on the blocks in the drydock, one of the largest on the Great Lakes.


Another view with the KAREN ANDRIE in the background.


With the propeller pulled from the vessel. In the background the barge WITTE 1404 is under construction.

KAREN ANDRIE Video

Below is video of KAREN ANDRIE/A-397 departing Erie last Wednesday with an assist from the skilled professionals at Lakeshore Towing.

ANDRIE, WITH ASSISTANCE, DEPARTS; MANISTEE ARRIVES

After spending the morning preparing to depart Erie Shipbuilding, KAREN ANDRIE and A-397 got underway from Erie Shipbuilding at noon today, with the tug pushing the barge as Lakeshore Towing's tugs FLATTOP and DON HENRY stood by. The two were on hand to assist the ANDRIE before the tug-barge's departure.

KAREN ANDRIE and A-397, along with FLATTOP and DON HENRY slowly made their way into the channel, and around 1250 hours this afternoon the two tugs moved in as the ANDRIE approached the North Pier to set the barge alongside. ANDRIE intended to tow the barge on the open lake, and decided to switch to pull mode in Erie harbor. As the barge A-397 does not have a bow thruster, FLATTOP and DON HENRY were on hand to push the barge alongside the North Pier and held it there as ANDRIE unhooked from the barge and shifted around to the bow. Having taken up a tow line on the barge, KAREN ANDRIE and A-397 departed at 1400 this afternoon for Toledo, Ohio.

I erred in mentioning yesterday that both the ANDRIE and A-397 had received a new coupler system this winter while in drydock. Only the tug KAREN ANDRIE received the JAK coupler system. This occured so that the ANDRIE can be mated with a new barge that Andrie has on order for delivery this November from a shipyard in Mississippi. When this occurs, barge A-397 will be transfered to tug BARBARA ANDRIE, and BARBARA ANDRIE's barge, A-390, will likely be scrapped.

MICHIPICOTEN is now the last remaining member of Erie's layup fleet. Today the vessel was conducting fire and boat drills in preparation for her departure, which will likely be sometime before the end of the week.

Lakeshore Towing continued to dredge at East Avenue today. The company has another day or two worth of work there, two days of dredging work in the East Canal Basin and will then be working at Shades Beach in Harborcreek for about two weeks.

As I was about 90% finished with this entry at 2005 hours this evening, MANISTEE gave a 15-minute security call inbound for the Mountfort Terminal with salt for Fairport Harbor. The vessel was tying up by 2100 and should be unloaded by around 0300.

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Lakeshore Towing Service's towboat TITAN is outbound the piers ahead of the A-397 and ANDRIE.


ANDRIE, assisted by FLATTOP enters the channel.


The flotilla of tugs and a barge.


Closer view of the convoy.


FLATTOP alongside the stern of the A-397.


DON HENRY pulls ahead of the A-397.


DON HENRY.


A-397.


KAREN ANDRIE and FLATTOP.


KAREN ANDRIE.


FLATTOP pushes on the A-397 to bring it closer to the North Pier.


DON HENRY joins the fun.


TITAN passes the ANDRIE and FLATTOP.


Tug KAREN ANDRIE begins to back out of the barge.


Out of the barge.


KAREN ANDRIE manouevers around the barge.


Coming ahead.


Side view. Note the door below the pilot house is open and can


KAREN ANDRIE comes alongside the barge.


ANDRIE takes the tow line.


ANDRIE and A-397 preparing to leave.


Pulling away from the pier.


ANDRIE...


A-397.


Stern view of the KAREN ANDRIE.


Stern view of the barge.


Outbound.


FLATTOP and DON HENRY depart the South Pier bound for East Avenue.


FLATTOP.


Stern view with Lake Erie Biofuels in the background.


MANISTEE inbound.


Framed by the lighthouse and a buoy.


Close up.


Stern view.


Docking.

MAUMEE in Port; MICHIPICOTEN Ready to Go; ANDRIE Out on Sea Trials

MAUMEE arrived in port at 0030 this morning and moored at the Mountfort Terminal with a cargo of salt from Fairport Harbor, Ohio. The vessel unloadied throughout the night and finished as the first rays of dawn peaked over the horizon at 0555 this morning. MAUMEE's crew quickly cast off and departed the Mountfort Terminal, slowly worked her way into Presque Isle Bay and turn on hard starboard wheel to line up with the channel. The Lower Lakes Transportation-owned, 1929-built classic the proceeded slowly through the channel and into Lake Erie on a gorgeous morning more typical of late May than mid-April, bound for Cleveland's Cargill Salt dock to load.

Meanwhile, across the harbor, MAUMEE's Canadian fleetmate, Lower Lakes Towing's MICHIPICOTEN, is in the final stages of fitout at Erie Shipbuilding and this morning the vessel was waiting on inspection from Lloyd's of London and various government agencies. If all goes well the vessel will be departing today or tomorrow.

MICHIPICOTEN was drydocked for the rebuilding of a piece of machinery in the tail shaft, located at the stern near the propeller. This work was supposed to have been done when the vessel received its five-year survey at Bay Shipbuilding in December; however, Bay Shipbuilding, the largest shipyard on the Great Lakes, did not have the capability to do the work, resulting in Erie Shipbuilding winning the contract. Hopefully, the completion of this work will lead the Lower Lakes fleet to do more business with Erie Shipbuilding.

Fit out work continues on tug KAREN ANDRIE and barge A-397. This afternoon at 1555 the ANDRIE departed Erie on sea trials, returning an hour later after completion of them. A-397 received her five-year survey, along with the Hydraconn coupler system installed on the tug and barge over the winter, while in drydock.

An article in today's Buffalo News indicates that scrapping on the LANSDOWNE is almost complete and the remains will be moved later this week to facilitate scrapping. The two rail cars on the stern have been saved by the Illinois Railway Museum.

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MAUMEE completes its turn this morning.


Lining up for the channel.


Entering the channel as the sun rises.


MAUMEE in between the piers.


The bow of the MAUMEE approaching the Erie Pierhead Lighthouse.


Stern view.


Another view.


Into Lake Erie.


KAREN ANDRIE preparing for sea trials.


With the MICHIPICOTEN.


With the A-397.


MICHIPICOTEN fitting out.


Another view, taken from the public dock.