1917 Pontiac 2 1984
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Ecorse MI by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Hull 164
Keel laid Oct 9, 1916; launched March 27, 1917
600’ LOA, 580’ LBP, 60’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1900 IHP
Enrolled at Marquette MI
580.0 x 60.0 x 27.9, 8200 GT, 6367 NT US 215048 to:
Grand Island Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Mgr. (home port Grand Island MI)
Entered service May 1917
Fleet transferred 1921 to Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co. (home port to Fairport OH)
Home port to Wilmington DE 1932
Repowered 1955 with steam turbine engine and oil-fired boilers
Remeasured to 7918 GT, 5903 NT
Pilothouse replaced 1971 at Sturgeon Bay WI by Bay Shipbuilding Co.
Remeasured to 5879 NT
Sold for scrap 1984 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne Ont. Towed to Port Colborne ON and wintered there 1984-1985. Resold to Spanish shipbreakers. Arrived San Esteban de Pravia Spain July 24, 1985 with str. Johnstown towed by Polish tug Koral
IMO 5281958
1707
My first ship as an engineer,fall of 1969 ,laid up in Buffalo,at Pillsbury docks filled with wheat.
AB Watchman 1966 and 1967 seasons
AB Wheelsman, 1959 season
I was a “Saltie” up from the deep sea Merchant Marine. I was looking to take the USCG Pilotage exam for the Great Lakes and the St Laurence Seaway. I learned a lot about bridge forward ships and ship handling techniques.
My cabin was next to the chain locker. The first time the ship anchored while I was asleep, I thought we were in a collision with another ship.
When the Great Lakes navigation season over, I returned to my regular seagoing job as Second Mate with Lykes Brothers in Galveston, TX
I sailed as an engineer aboard the pontiac in the 70’s. I’m trying to find contact info for Tony Panza from Mountain Top PA. Tony was oiler and we sailed together a number of years – Tony was the best oiler I ever sailed with
Any contact info would be greatly appreciated