Hon. James L. Oberstar - Demonstrating Why Lake Boats (Usually) Don't Need Tugs
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- Here is the Hon. James L. Oberstar making her departure from the Graymont dock in Superior, Wisconsin on the morning of June 2, 2024. She had delivered a load of limestone and was headed outbound for Lake Superior, exiting through the Superior Entry on her way to Marquette, Michigan to take on a load of taconite pellets. On her way out, she passes by her fleet mate Mesabi Miner who had just arrived to take a delay at the Lakehead Pipeline dock.
It's not often that we capture the undocking of a ship up close, with lines being released and the ship pushing off. This is because there aren't many docks in the Twin Ports that allow us to get this vantage point. This particular undocking gave us an excellent demonstration of why these lake boats usually don't require assistance from tugboats. The powerful thrusters on board the Oberstar push her safely away from the dock in a matter of seconds. She can then back away from the dock and again use her thrusters to pivot, pointing her in the direction of the Superior entry. Like a lot of maneuvers we see from the lake boats in my videos, they make it look so easy.
I was hoping we might get a salute from the Oberstar as she made her exit onto Lake Superior, but it did not happen this time. The Oberstar seemed all business as she made her way out, rushing off to take on her next job. We've had quite a few visits from the Oberstar so far this season, which is always nice to see. She almost always hauls in limestone for either Hallett 5 or Graymont, then departs empty for Marquette. On some occasions she will load taconite in the Twin Ports or Two Harbors, but Marquette is her favorite port for loading. The ore run between Marquette and Detroit keeps her busy most of the time.
The 806-foot Hon. James L. Oberstar started service in 1959, originally named the Shenango II. From 1967 to 2011, she was named the Charles M. Beeghly as she sailed for Interlake Steamship. In 2011, she was named in honor of the former Congressman from Minnesota who supported Great Lakes shipping and the maritime industry in general. In 2008, her steam turbine was replaced with two Rolls-Royce Marine Bergen 6-cylinder B32:40L6P diesel engines each rated at 4,079 b.h.p. A scrubbing system is in place to remove particulates and pollutants from her exhaust. She can carry up to 31,000 tons of cargo in her five cargo holds. Those holds are accessed by 25 hatches. A gravity-fed conveyor system allows her to unload her own cargo, using a 250-foot unloading boom.
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The invention of Thrusters certainly changed how ships could manuever. Your vantage points for this video were excellent at catching the undocking. Thanks for your time and efforts. 👍
Thank you! There aren’t many docks that offer the public this vantage point. 🙂
Good looking boat, powerful and purposeful yet elegant you’ve captured her to a”T”, those last three shots of her departing past the lighthouse, awesome, just love Great Lakes shipping 🏴🇬🇧…
Thank you! 🙂
Thanks for including the radio chatter concerning the Oberstar's departure from Graymont Dock. And the side views of the Oberstar recalled your video of Michipicotin's "full speed ahead" departure. Here's hoping Michipicotin will be repaired and returned to service. 🙏
I’m also hoping that the Michipicoten is repaired and returns to service. She will likely be making the trip from Thunder Bay to Superior soon, possibly even in the next day or two. They are likely just waiting for calm lake conditions along the route.
I don't care where you see them. In port, on the lakes, in a lock. Lakers are so graceful. Thanks for this fascinating video of the Hon James L Oberstar getting underway and departing the Duluth Superior harbor.
Thanks for watching!
You tell such good stories with your videos. Thanks.
Thanks! I appreciate you saying that. 🙂
i love the oberstar!😊
Good to see a vessel that can and does turn in a canting basin without the use of several tugs and springer lines.
Fascinating, I didn't know a thing about thrusters. I appreciate the info you give. Great video
Thanks Ellen! 🙂
Smooth sailing 🙂
I motored my 38' sailboat past a ship like this in St Joe. To drop their lines they engaged bow thruster towards the pier. That wash threw my 17,000 lb boat sideways like a bath toy. And I was probably 50' away at the start.
Fabulous up close video of the debarkation of an Old Schooler! I am familiar with the thrusters used on Cruise Ships. They
can spin a ship around 180* in their own length!! They can also be used to hold the ship hard against the dock while the various lines are made fast to the bollards in case of opposing winds.
Thank you Samuel!
I tried to sail with interlake, I lasted only 4 days before my body nearly gave out and it made me realize I was a safety hazard. Those bow thrusters are EXTREMELY loud and make a TON of vibration. On my last day, we pulled into dearborn, Mi, the massive diesel engine that powers the bow thrusters woke me up and that was my 3am for 330am call, lol. My room was on the port side, specifically the 2 portholes just above the word "JAMES" was part of my room. Super humid and cold in there, the heater never worked, too. It was nice while it lasted but I need to work out more if I really wanna double down on being a sailor. Food is amazing.
Thanks for sharing that! I always suspected that sleeping might be a challenge on some of those boats. 🥱
@1Long2Short In calm conditions, you can barely tell that you're moving! 16 mph feels like sitting at a stoplight. If you sit very still, even the tiniest waves have an impact on the ship, it causes a tiny bit of a shake. The water breaking around the bow sounds exactly like someone using a pressure washer in a room nearby.
You should have filed a complaint about the heater not working. And tell the Union Stewart.
You should have filed a complaint about the heater not working and tell your Union steward.
It looks like the thrusters were in the dock ! I came to the description to find out if that was the case but they are in the boat it seems.
Love the old school lakers.
Don't think there are many left.
About a dozen currently in service!
That was amazing. The head on view of the departure was great. Thrusters move a lot of water. We see them at work often as we are avid ocean cruisers. They can make a 10 story, 1,000 foot cruise ship handle like a Honda Civic.
Good to know, as I drive a Civic! 😁
@@1Long2Short So do I. 😁👍
I don't think I've seen such a good video of the crew throwing off the lines and pulling up the ladder before this. And from 2:05 on seeing both the bow thruster and the prop working in unison as she pushes away from the dock is a damn good piece of business. 👍 edit: i forgot Obie had a stern thruster also. Thats what we're seeing at the rear when she's leaving the dock
Thanks! I wish I could capture more videos showing this kind of thing, but it usually happens where the public can’t see it. Glad I could bring this footage for people to see. 🙂
Cool, thank you
Thanks for watching!
Nice catch, I don't know anything about these "Lakers" other than what you put in the description (thank-you) but do they all have front and rear thrusters ?
Thanks! Most have bow thrusters, but it’s more common to have both bow and stern thrusters on the lake boats.
I see them all the time in Marquette at the ore docks loading up! You'd know better than I would - is there decent footage out there already of them at Marquette?
I haven’t seen a lot of footage from Marquette. I hope to get over there someday to see it for myself. I’ll post whatever footage I can get! 🙂
Helps when theres little to no wind and little to no current.
It’s somewhat rare when the wind and the current necessitate tug assistance in the Twin Ports. I remember one such day last year. But as my video title stated, they usually don’t need the assistance.
Where was this taken?
Details provided in the video description.
Thats pretty cool! One question I have is that when they are under way do they have a way of blocking those thrusters so as to eliminate drag?
To my knowledge, no. At least not the ones I’ve seen. They usually have a screen to prevent the thruster from ingesting any objects. 🙂
@@1Long2Short thank you. Just something I have thought about.
I wonder if the engineering staff have their accommodations at the stern?
On the classic lakers with both forward and aft accommodations, engine room crew and cooks tend to stay in the stern. Officers and deckhands tend to stay in the bow. Of course, this isn’t set in stone so there may be exceptions. 🙂
I thought commercial vessels are required to sound their horn as they leave the dock.
I think that requirement no longer applies. The ships now make security calls on the radio informing other traffic when they are departing… like what you hear in this video.
The Hon. James L. Oberstar: “Oh Please, I am not just the James L. Oberstar, I am the Honorable James L. Oberstar. You have to say the full thing.”
Then there’s the “Right Honorable Paul J. Martin.” 😄
@@1Long2ShortThen there’s the right honorable 1Long, 2Short, Esquire.🤭🤭🤭
couldn’t see any body on the bridge, perhaps she’s driverless.