The men and women who serve aboard this vessel are keeping up a long standing tradition of ice breaking on the great lakes...tks for your service...I am a proud and retired coastie that served 21 years...tks again....
This story never gets old.This cutter comes out of Cheboygan Mi. A few miles from my house. It's all Retired now. It makes a great boat to show in the summer for visitors around. Replaced with a Higher end cutter today. You gotta love the United states Coast Guard.
I used to steer CCGS icebreakers in the St-Lawrence river and thereabouts. Hardly ever saw more than 3 or 4 people in those wheelhouses, outside of watch changes.
Once again, and Internet Expert who has no idea what he's talking about. The ORIGINAL Mackinaw was retired and is used as a museum boat. It was replaced with the boat in this video - the NEW ice breaker, Mackinaw. The new Mackinaw is still in service on the Great Lakes.
@@buckhorncortez I'm not one of the Internet Experts you speak of, so I could be wrong about this - but the ship in this video is the original WAGB-83. You can see "83" marked on the bow at the beginning of the video. The video was made in 2002 before it was decommissioned in 2006. It currently serves as a museum ship in Mackinaw City. The new ship is the WLBB-30.
@@buckhorncortez sorry but your the one that’s wrong. This is the original Mackinaw. They didn’t put Fairbanks Morse 8 and 1/8 opposed piston engines in the new Mac. I know I served onboard 77-78
@4:11.. Laughed when I seen where what appears to be the "dead man stick", mostly found on the SAFETY board. Got some good pic's of the Mac during ice trials (for the 140's working in tandem) back in winter of 80/81. It was the Mac, Westwind (many people forgot about this breaker being in the lakes.. home ported out of Milwaukee) Mobile and Katmai Bay.
@@sealawj LOL. I think it was more about those Westwind sailors vs the Mac. I went from a small boat station the Mobile Bay as a SN. Only onboard for a year then went off to RM school, then the Diligence. Ran into the Northwind down in GITMO for REFTRA. Still have my NW hat and patch. Had a RM buddy onboard at the time. The CO of the Mobile Bay (and LCDR) went on to CO the Polar Sea and retired from there. He ended up being head of ICE studies (go figure) at the U of Alaska. 73's
I was a Snipe in the Engineering, boiler flat, keeping her warm. man, was it cold on those Deckies! Bad enuf when we had to hold the rope and fenders, going thru the Sue Ste Marie locks, n2 whitefish bay, hehe
...I'm sixty and have yet to put on snow chains...ever !...you could find me at the beginning of the video back at the harbor sitting in that warm car with the wipers going. Patiently waiting for the boat I just missed to return...someday ?...mail me a postcard let me know how it's going boys!...A.C.Feuerhelm
Yes, lost a blade off one of the rear props in '71 or '72. The boat hopped with that much weight missed. To preserve the bearings that shaft had to be shut down.
How thick are the pressure ridges? How thick is the hull? Spooky at night eh?. Interesting hang out at Locks in summer when international salties slide through. Camp at RV park lets you be close to the action. Freighters waiting their turn, sit in the dark throbbing. Good HD video. Check out lock cams in January for a bit of ice :>)
Sad those awesome Fairbanks Morse engines are now full of concrete, but that was the requirement for the boat to be handed off, just to insure it would never be operable in the wrong hands, especially since the boat was initially designed to keep shipping channels open for raw materials of war.
I've yet to pin down where that rumor comes from but they were never filled with concrete. They could operate right now if they weren't seized from sitting. Source: myself. Current Icebreaker Mackinaw maritime museum ship board member. Spoke directly with the last commanding officer that parked her where she sits today. She was left fully operational when they departed.
Why are all of the Cutters on the Great Lakes Buoy Tenders no maritime defense on the Great Lakes? One cutter here will last 10x's longer than a salt water cutter
Having served on the U.S.C.G. Glacier for two years and three trips north, I can attest to the unique conditions aboard an icebreaker. I was a little disappointed that it took until 42:46 on the video that the engineering spaces were featured. As a snipe, if it weren't for us the line handlers would have nothing to do. Semper Peratus! JVL
Not to sound dumb but how does this ship get through the ice? Let alone break it? Its a lot smaller than Titanic. and I know what happened to the Titanic so I don't understand how a boat can even cut through ice let alone break it without destroying the ship...
Kxng Shyicide the Titanic was ripped open like a tuna can on its side when it collided with a massive iceberg. There are no bergs in the Great Lakes. Also the steel they used on the Titanic wasn’t as thick or of the same type
Breakers are designed to ride up over the ice than use their weight to break, also as shown in video can shift weight side to side and fore and aft. Not just brute force, a lot of engineering involved.
@@scottmueller550 exactly right ..this ships hull was specifically designed to ride over and crush down..ocean breakers are different design shearing force is more of a component..and yes brute power..this ship is 290' with 12000 HP (all engines)..considerably more HP of some of the older ore carriers..oops, just saw the Speer..NOT one of the oldies as ore carriers go..1000 ft, w/2 9600 HP engines..having done some quick research i see that a number of ore carriers have been built or upgraded since i served..the Edmund Fitzgerald was the 'class' of the fleet when i served
@@sgchev no your both wrong. The newer ships do this. Not the Mighty Mac. She has a thick front now, almost 2”, and a front prop 12’ the Mac plows through the ice while the prop lubricates the hull of the ship. It also has a heeling system that can pump 100,000 gals of water from one side of the ship to the other in 90 seconds
I was on a fleet tug out of San Diego, so this is all quite interesting. Why fly the Canadian flag? I know what an anchor ball from the yard arm means. Is 2 of them to indicate a dead Stop? (Since they are not actually anchored?) That's 2 questions. Who has 2 answers?
Sharing the border with Canada, its been a long time tradition to fly the Canadian flag near the bow out of respect. Canadian ships do the same for the American flag
@@scottburns5376 normally on visits to other countries a vessel will fly the flag of the host country from the right yardarm and their national pennant from the stern. On entering the waters as a guest, the vessel will fly the quarantine pennant (Quebec) and switch to the national flag when cleared by authorities, due to more relaxed regulations, this is more custom than formality between the US and Canada.
Legendary? Are you serious......breaking through ice that looks to thin to even walk on does not look legendary.......lololol.......leave to you yanks to sensationalize every insignificant thing you do........you wanna see some real ice breaking, take a look at a real ice breaker thats operating in the northwest passage.......lolol this tiny bit of ice is a joke.
That was a truly shipshape ship. All clean and shiny. Well done, guys!
The men and women who serve aboard this vessel are keeping up a long standing tradition of ice breaking on the great lakes...tks for your service...I am a proud and retired coastie that served 21 years...tks again....
This story never gets old.This cutter comes out of Cheboygan Mi. A few miles from my house. It's all Retired now. It makes a great boat to show in the summer for visitors around. Replaced with a Higher end cutter today. You gotta love the United states Coast Guard.
Fantastic insight to the USCG cutters on the Lakes. Thank for filming and sharing with us boat nerds!!
I used to steer CCGS icebreakers in the St-Lawrence river and thereabouts. Hardly ever saw more than 3 or 4 people in those wheelhouses, outside of watch changes.
Glad she made it to museum ststus!
Great video. Thanks to all!
Thank you from Thunder Bay Ontario Canada.
How this does not have more views is beyond me. Love it 💕
3:44 a rare perspective few get to see! Thank you!
To bad she is retired.
I saw her, tied up at Mackinaw City as a museum ship.
Once again, and Internet Expert who has no idea what he's talking about. The ORIGINAL Mackinaw was retired and is used as a museum boat. It was replaced with the boat in this video - the NEW ice breaker, Mackinaw. The new Mackinaw is still in service on the Great Lakes.
@@buckhorncortez I'm not one of the Internet Experts you speak of, so I could be wrong about this - but the ship in this video is the original WAGB-83. You can see "83" marked on the bow at the beginning of the video. The video was made in 2002 before it was decommissioned in 2006. It currently serves as a museum ship in Mackinaw City. The new ship is the WLBB-30.
Buckhorn Cortez I took a tour of the ship that is the one up at mackinaw the new ship didn’t come in service till 2006
@@buckhorncortez sorry but your the one that’s wrong. This is the original Mackinaw. They didn’t put Fairbanks Morse 8 and 1/8 opposed piston engines in the new Mac. I know I served onboard 77-78
@4:11.. Laughed when I seen where what appears to be the "dead man stick", mostly found on the SAFETY board. Got some good pic's of the Mac during ice trials (for the 140's working in tandem) back in winter of 80/81. It was the Mac, Westwind (many people forgot about this breaker being in the lakes.. home ported out of Milwaukee) Mobile and Katmai Bay.
My father was stationed aboard the Sundew when it made berth in Charlevoix at that time.
That’s when I was going n the Westwind. I remember those trials. They wouldn’t let us and the Mac port in the same town, LOL.
@@sealawj LOL. I think it was more about those Westwind sailors vs the Mac. I went from a small boat station the Mobile Bay as a SN. Only onboard for a year then went off to RM school, then the Diligence. Ran into the Northwind down in GITMO for REFTRA. Still have my NW hat and patch. Had a RM buddy onboard at the time. The CO of the Mobile Bay (and LCDR) went on to CO the Polar Sea and retired from there. He ended up being head of ICE studies (go figure) at the U of Alaska. 73's
My hat’s off to all you “Coasties”!
16 inches and a foot of snow lol love it miss it 77 to 78
I was a Snipe in the Engineering, boiler flat, keeping her warm. man, was it cold on those Deckies! Bad enuf when we had to hold the rope and fenders, going thru the Sue Ste Marie locks, n2 whitefish bay, hehe
I was a snipe too. #3 engine room. 77-78
...I'm sixty and have yet to put on snow chains...ever !...you could find me at the beginning of the video back at the harbor sitting in that warm car with the wipers going. Patiently waiting for the boat I just missed to return...someday ?...mail me a postcard let me know how it's going boys!...A.C.Feuerhelm
Super have seen that ship many times when I lived in Michigan
Good job. Thanks!
The proper designation of the Coast Guard's large ships is "USCGC" because it is a Coast Guard Cutter.
WOW!!!! VERY INTELLIGENT!!!! Thanks!!
05FE17... VERY well done!!! Five (*****) stars.
Awesome Video
God bless America!!!
Well made video.
That's some serious horsepower
May God bless you all the name of Jesus Christ Amen❤
I was in the Coast Guard also 83-95
my home '71-'73
I believe the operational Wing House at 1:40 was added in her later years and was not original.
Yes it was added after
yes..CO,XO ofcr of day had to stand on deck unprotected when i served
Did you know that there was a bad chief on her years ago.
I spent 4 years on her, she was white then. Best time of my life!
Has any of those big pieces of ice ever hit the prop?
Yes, lost a blade off one of the rear props in '71 or '72. The boat hopped with that much weight missed. To preserve the bearings that shaft had to be shut down.
You stop at night? Also, if you really DO stop at night, why doesn't the ice lock the ship in place?
HORSEPOWER!
How thick are the pressure ridges? How thick is the hull? Spooky at night eh?. Interesting hang out at Locks in summer when international salties slide through. Camp at RV park lets you be close to the action. Freighters waiting their turn, sit in the dark throbbing. Good HD video. Check out lock cams in January for a bit of ice :>)
15/8'' thick plate in the bow
Pressure ridges can get to be 20’ thick
I could go for a cup of hot chocolate about now..
Wonder how they start off if surrounded by ice?
Max Stephens ship breaks through it😂
I would like be on that ship . Do you need a old Navy BT2?
Sad those awesome Fairbanks Morse engines are now full of concrete, but that was the requirement for the boat to be handed off, just to insure it would never be operable in the wrong hands, especially since the boat was initially designed to keep shipping channels open for raw materials of war.
I've yet to pin down where that rumor comes from but they were never filled with concrete. They could operate right now if they weren't seized from sitting.
Source: myself. Current Icebreaker Mackinaw maritime museum ship board member. Spoke directly with the last commanding officer that parked her where she sits today. She was left fully operational when they departed.
Wow....just wow. Do you believe everything you read and are told without thinking about it?
Must be hard to sleep with all that ice bashing goin on. Lol
Funny thing thing is, all the officers slept up front where it was the loudest!
Why are all of the Cutters on the Great Lakes Buoy Tenders no maritime defense on the Great Lakes? One cutter here will last 10x's longer than a salt water cutter
Having served on the U.S.C.G. Glacier for two years and three trips north, I can attest to the unique conditions aboard an icebreaker. I was a little disappointed that it took until 42:46 on the video that the engineering spaces were featured. As a snipe, if it weren't for us the line handlers would have nothing to do.
Semper Peratus! JVL
No need to have an armed cutter on the lakes since the U.S. And Canada have been friendly for over a century.
The USA and Canada have a treaty forbidding large armament.
Not to sound dumb but how does this ship get through the ice? Let alone break it? Its a lot smaller than Titanic. and I know what happened to the Titanic so I don't understand how a boat can even cut through ice let alone break it without destroying the ship...
Kxng Shyicide the Titanic was ripped open like a tuna can on its side when it collided with a massive iceberg. There are no bergs in the Great Lakes. Also the steel they used on the Titanic wasn’t as thick or of the same type
Breakers are designed to ride up over the ice than use their weight to break, also as shown in video can shift weight side to side and fore and aft. Not just brute force, a lot of engineering involved.
@@scottmueller550 exactly right ..this ships hull was specifically designed to ride over and crush down..ocean breakers are different design shearing force is more of a component..and yes brute power..this ship is 290' with 12000 HP (all engines)..considerably more HP of some of the older ore carriers..oops, just saw the Speer..NOT one of the oldies as ore carriers go..1000 ft, w/2 9600 HP engines..having done some quick research i see that a number of ore carriers have been built or upgraded since i served..the Edmund Fitzgerald was the 'class' of the fleet when i served
@@sgchev no your both wrong. The newer ships do this. Not the Mighty Mac. She has a thick front now, almost 2”, and a front prop 12’ the Mac plows through the ice while the prop lubricates the hull of the ship. It also has a heeling system that can pump 100,000 gals of water from one side of the ship to the other in 90 seconds
Front bow
Freshwater icebreakers dont have to be as heavy as the ones in the arctic
I can't believe they would let guys off ship onto the ice. Sure it's x thick but that's a lot of risk should anything happen.
where way behind russia has the best ice breakers .i dont who all your bridge men are standing to many on the bridge....thanks for your servive
Go back to school. Your bad grammar gave me a headache.
Man, I know what these folks are doing is extremely important.......but I likin it to watching paint dry......lol
I was on a fleet tug out of San Diego, so this is all quite interesting.
Why fly the Canadian flag?
I know what an anchor ball from the yard arm means. Is 2 of them to indicate a dead Stop? (Since they are not actually anchored?)
That's 2 questions. Who has 2 answers?
Sharing the border with Canada, its been a long time tradition to fly the Canadian flag near the bow out of respect. Canadian ships do the same for the American flag
@@scottburns5376 normally on visits to other countries a vessel will fly the flag of the host country from the right yardarm and their national pennant from the stern. On entering the waters as a guest, the vessel will fly the quarantine pennant (Quebec) and switch to the national flag when cleared by authorities, due to more relaxed regulations, this is more custom than formality between the US and Canada.
Good tuff men in moderated everyday weather 80 below zero hits home every day weather
there smuggling ? wow over alot eaiser during a open border these days
Superior can get ugly!
over the border
8
Legendary? Are you serious......breaking through ice that looks to thin to even walk on does not look legendary.......lololol.......leave to you yanks to sensationalize every insignificant thing you do........you wanna see some real ice breaking, take a look at a real ice breaker thats operating in the northwest passage.......lolol this tiny bit of ice is a joke.
So are you foreigner
Wow
May I suggest a windscreen for the camera's mic?