MV Cuyahoga Laid To Rest

[Paul Le Wol]

Lake Erie Vlogger has posted a video of MV Cuyahoga being towed to Port Colborne to be scrapped. A sad day on the Great Lakes.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=cGG2Se8MDC4&si=QzVYh7r56Z79FRUt

 

[amateur]

What surprises me is that these ships even made it to this day. 80 Years is quite an age.

 

Jan

[JKC27]

It was quite the tragic end to this classic laker.  A couple fires within months - one at sea not far from me in Lake Erie, and then again in winter layup (this one did major damage) in Ohio.

Interestingly..... this ship's unloading system was still the old bucket style unloading system, as opposed to the modern loop belt systems.  @realworkingsailor would be able to shed more light this likely.

 

As for the age of the ships......  a lot of ships, especially on the American side of the great lakes are at least 40 years old if not more.  Sailing exclusively in fresh water sure helps, and the US fleet sails a much smaller region.  Whereas a good portion of the ships for Canadian great lakes shipping companies will transit the entire seaway and use many more of the locks, which must play at least some part in the shorter life spans on top of visiting the brackish/saltwater parts of the St. Lawrence River.  I will defer to @realworkingsailor again for better insight on this.  Sorry Andy!