NF - Toronto's shipping season has begun

[John Bacon]

http://www.blogto.com/city/2015/04/this_is_what_its_like_on_board_a_redpath_sugar_ship/

[bigugli]

Welland canal was opened on the 2nd

[Steelheadphycho]

That was a great article! Thanks for sharing!

 

 

I'd have said it was sweet, but then I'd get boo'd....

[lew]

Thanks John, I always enjoy reading about different ships.

[OhioFisherman]

Interesting, 70 years after ww2 and they still don't travel much faster than liberty ships.

[bigugli]

Interesting, 70 years after ww2 and they still don't travel much faster than liberty ships.

Heck of a lot bigger than a liberty ship. Liberty ships had an average gross tonnage of 7-10,000 tonnes. Or a 5-7,000 tonne cargo capacity. That salty was carrying close to 20,000 tonnes. The Average tonnage capacity of a laker is 20-26,000 tonnes of cargo.

The other thing to consider is that higher speeds are not cost effective. No different than a car.

Edited April 10, 2015 by bigugli

[Canuck2fan]

If they travelled faster would it not cost more in fuel, making it less profitable?

[bigbuck]

Convoys in the First and Second World Wars travelled between 6-8 knots. No wonder the U Boats had their way with them. The lake is full of freighters now. I counted 5 today out of Jordan.

[lew]

Convoys in the First and Second World Wars travelled between 6-8 knots. No wonder the U Boats had their way with them.

 

 

My dad was in the Navy during the war escorting convoys from Canada to Great Britain and the rule was, they travelled as slow as the slowest ship so as not to leave anyone behind..

 

As you say Bruce, it made them easy targets for the U-Boats and Dad saw far too many ships sunk with a huge loss of life and one night alone 3 ships were blown up with no survivors.

 

This was Dad's ship, HMCS Kitchener

 

Edited April 11, 2015 by lew

[Canuck2fan]

Lew, your dad must have been a very brave guy. In the early part of the war the losses to uboats were terrible... Britain would have surely starved but for the convoys.

 

A friend of my dad was in the merchant marines, in WWII ... He was on two different ships that were torpedoed and sunk. His knees and hips were crippled by the hits, the decks buckling crushed the cartilage in his knees and they couldn't repair them in those days. Even so he said he would sign up again.

 

He never lived long enough for our dumbass government to officially recognize his service in the merchant marines. ANYBODY who served for those convoys was under fire and very brave in my opinion.

 

Interesting read for those who like Canadian history.

 

https://legionmagazine.com/en/2010/07/canadas-merchant-navy-the-men-that-saved-the-world/

Edited April 11, 2015 by Canuck2fan

[Old Ironmaker]

One of the coolest things we did working at the steel plant was docking the Ore boats and being invited on board to eat in the mess. Not in November and December, standing on that dock getting sprayed with 0C water wasn't fun at all. If the ship kissed the dock the 1st mate didn't invite you on board. You have to stand in the bottom of a hold to appreciate the enormity of these "boats". Often we had our guys go down into the holds with one of our loaders to corner clean the ore out as they often would go for grain after off loading iron ore.

 

I always wondered why the crews referred to them simply as boats.

[lew]

Lew, your dad must have been a very brave guy. In the early part of the war the losses to uboats were terrible... Britain would have surely starved but for the convoys.

 

 

Yeah they were brave for sure, both Navy and Merchant Marine and saw things most of us can't even imagine but most of those guys, including my dad, joined for the adventure and probably had no idea what they were getting themselves into. But they stuck it out just like the soldiers & airmen and kicked Hitler's butt.

 

Guys in the Navy at least had weapons to defend themselves, depth charges, hedgehogs and guns, but men in the Merchant Marines had very little and most of their ships had nothing to fight with....and THAT took guts.

 

The story you linked about the Merchant Marine looks like it'll be an excellent read and I'm gonna save it till tomorrow morning with my coffee.

Edited April 11, 2015 by lew

[Old Ironmaker]

Canuck2fan, a fantastic read, thank you.