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Calumet River, S. Chicago, IL, June 14, 2009.	Lou Gerard

Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature -- St. Marys Challenger

By George Wharton

Currently holding the honors of being the oldest lake boat still trading on the Great Lakes, the self unloading cement carrier St. Marys Challenger was built as a traditional Great Lakes bulk carrier as hull #17 by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse (Detroit), MI in 1906. This veteran of the lakes was launched February 7, 1906 as the William P. Snyder for Shenango Steamship & Transportation Co. (subsidiary of Shenango Furnace Co.), Cleveland, OH. Retaining her original overall dimensions, the St. Marys Challenger is now powered by a Skinner Marine Unaflow 4 cylinder reciprocating steam engine burning heavy fuel oil rated at 3,500 i.h.p. (2,611 kW) with 2 water tube boilers. The power is fed to a single fixed pitch propeller and the vessel is equipped with a bow thruster. The vessel is capable of carrying 10,250 tons (10,415 mt) in 8 holds at mid summer draft of 21’09” (6.63m). Cargoes of bulk or powdered cement can be unloaded by a fully automated system including air slides, conveyor equipment and bucket elevators feeding a forward mounted 48’ (14.63m) discharge boom.

Of note, the St. Marys Challenger is one of only two remaining U.S. flagged vessels still active on the Great Lakes to be powered by the classic Skinner Marine Unaflow steam engine. The other vessel is the car ferry Badger (2) which is powered by two of these engines and, in turn, remains as the only coal fired vessel still in active service on the Great Lakes.  The only remaining Canadian-flagged steamer powered by a Canadian-built (Vickers) Skinner Unaflow engine is the James Norris.

As the William P. Snyder, the vessel was built with 31 hatches feeding 3 holds capable of holding 10,900 tons (11,075 mt). Original power came from a yard built triple expansion 1,665 s.h.p. (1,242 kW) steam engine with 2 Scotch boilers. The vessel sailed for her original owners until 1926. On July 16, 1916; the William P. Snyder’s starboard bow struck a concrete dock at Superior, WI causing the indenting of two plates, damaging three frames and some internal brackets. The cause was attributed to a strong river current. Then, on November 22, 1917; the vessel received “stress of weather” damage in heavy seas while down bound on Lake Huron with iron ore from Duluth, MN for Ashtabula, OH. Damage resulted in the recaulking and reriveting of various parts of the hull. After the Scotch boilers were replaced with water tube boilers in 1924, the vessel struck an underwater obstruction while departing Sandusky, OH with coal on September 5th, 1925. The resulting damage required the repair of 6 bottom shell plates.

The William P. Snyder was renamed Elton Hoyt II (1) following her acquisition by Stewart Furnace Co., Cleveland, OH on June 26, 1926. Retaining her new name, the vessel was acquired by Youngstown Steamship Co. (Pickands, Mather & Co., managers), Cleveland, OH in 1929. Ownership was then passed to Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland, OH (also managed by Pickands, Mather & Co.) in 1930. The vessel was repowered in 1950 with the Skinner Marine Uniflow steam engine, also receiving two larger water tube boilers. In the fall of 1950, the Elton Hoyt II (1) was involved in a head-on collision with the Enders M. Voorhees during a snowstorm in the Straits of Mackinac causing major bow damage to both vessels.

The vessel was renamed Alex D. Chisholm in 1952 following the launch into the Interlake fleet of the new hull being christened Elton Hoyt II (2). The Alex D. Chisholm continued sailing for the Interlake fleet into the 1960’s before being laid up in Erie, PA. In 1966, the hull was purchased by Medusa Portland Cement for conversion to a cement carrier. This conversion was completed by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI. The conversion included a modern stack and the old coal bunkers being refitted as the owner’s quarters.

The Alex D. Chisholm was renamed Medusa Challenger in 1966. The newly christened vessel was operated by Cement Transit Co., Detroit, MI; a wholly owned subsidiary of Medusa Portland Cement Co. The vessel’s new trade routes involved the movement of powdered cement from Medusa’s Charlevoix, MI location to plants in Chicago, Milwaukee, Manitowoc, Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland, and Owen Sound. This vessel was Medusa’s first large Great Lakes vessel to be put into service.

On December 20, 1976; the Medusa Challenger was forced aground in Lake St. Clair by winds and shifting ice while at anchor due to heavy fog. She was bound for Detroit at the time of the incident. In 1977, the vessel rescued two people from their capsized boat in Lake Michigan. They had been in the water for over 15 hours; a third person being lost. On May 22, 1987; the vessel was the first to load at the new cement dock in Toledo. The Medusa Challenger, on November 20, 1990; was the first vessel to deliver a load to the new Miller Paving Silo in Owen Sound, ON. On October 5, 1997; the Medusa Challenger was hit by a water spout while passing White Shoal Light on the way to Charlevoix, MI. The spotlight on the wheelhouse was lifted from its supports and crew’s bikes stored on deck were vertically lifted.

In 1998, Medusa Portland Cement was acquired by Southdown Inc. resulting in the vessel being renamed Southdown Challenger; the name being painted on the bow April 26, 1999 by Midwest Maritime Corp., Milwaukee, WI. Following the acquisition of Southdown by Cemex, Mexico in 2000; the Southdown Challenger was sold to Wilmington Trust, Wilmington, DE on November 8, 2000 with the vessel being operated by HMC Ship Management Ltd., Lemont, IL (an affiliate company of Hannah Marine Corp.). This last ownership transaction was necessitated to remain in compliance with The Jones Act which requires any vessel carrying loads domestically (in other words, product shipped from a U.S. port bound for a U.S. port) be owned and crewed American. The Southdown Challenger’s crews are employees of HMC and the vessel’s trade routes remaining as before the Cemex acquisition of Southdown.

In the spring of 2005, the Great Lakes region operations of Cemex were acquired by Votorantim Cimentos, Sao Paulo, Brazil for $389 million (US).  Included with this acquisition were 2 cement plants, 8 related distribution terminals, the Southdown Challenger, and the Cemex Conquest; all becoming part of Votorantim Cimentos' North American subsidiary St. Marys Cement Inc., Toronto, ON.  The classic steamer is formally owned by St. Marys Cement's U.S. affiliate St. Marys Cement Inc. (US), Detroit, MI.  On April 28, 2005; the name and registration of the Southdown Challenger was changed to St. Marys Challenger with the new name being painted on her hull before returning to service from her winter lay-up in June. (The barge Cemex Conquest was also renamed St. Marys Conquest in keeping with the ownership changes.)

When the St. Marys Challenger departed her winter lay-up berth in S. Chicago, IL on April 4, 2006, she achieved a major milestone in Great Lakes history by marking her centennial year of continuous operation as a powered carrier.  The classic steamer completed a full season of sailing, laying up on December 11, 2006 at S. Chicago, IL after having spent most of her centennial year plying her trade on Lake Michigan.  Since her centennial, the St. Marys Challenger has continued to operate each year in the cement trades though usually in an abbreviated sailing season contingent on the needs of the construction industry.

Overall Dimensions (metric)
Length	551’ 01” (167.97m)
Beam	56’ 00” (17.07m)
Depth	31’ 00” (9.45m)
Capacity (mid-summer)	10,250 tons (10,415 mt)  at a draft of 21'09" (6.63m)
Power (steam)	3,500 i.h.p. (2,611 kW)

Unloading at S. Chicago, IL, June 15, 2009. Tom Kort	Turning at Muskegon, MI, June 17, 2009. Nathan Leindecker	At the Mart Dock, Muskegon, MI. Nathan Leindecker
Towed by John M. Selvick arriving at Sturgeon Bay, WI for dry docking, Mar. 26, 2009. Blake D. Kishler	Along side the American Century at Sturgeon Bay, Apr. 9, 2009. Dick Lund	Contrast in sizes! Dick Lund
At winter lay-up at S. Chicago, IL, Jan. 27, 2008. Tom Milton	Looking aft, Jan. 26, 2008. Kent Retzer	Looking forward with the John Sherwin in the background. Kent Retzer
Downbound at Port Huron July 26, 2007. Bruce Hurd	Passing under the Bluewater Bridges. Bruce Hurd	Approaching the Great Lakes Maritime Center at Port Huron, MI, July 26, 2007. Frank Frisk
On the St. Clair River, May 13, 2007. Wayne Brown	Approaching Windmill Pointe, Lake St. Clair, May 15, 2007. Alex & Max Mager	Stern view. Alex & Max Mager
On the Detroit River taken from the mailboat J.W. Westcott, May 11, 2007. Jeff Mast	Stern view. Jeff Mast	At the former Lafarge dock, Cleveland, OH. May 12, 2007. David Scali
New markings on wheelhouse to mark her centennial year of sailing the Great Lakes.	Milwaukee, April 23, 2006. Paul Erspamer	Loading at Charlevoix, MI, June 11, 2006. Mike Nicholls
Inbound Grand Haven. Todd Davidson	Unloading in Detroit. Wade Streeter	Looking forward. Wade Streeter
Docking in Detroit.		Grand Haven. Steve Vanden Bosch
Milwaukee. Andy LaBorde	Franz VonRiedel	Downbound Lake Huron. Andy LaBorde
Loading in Charlevoix. Sean Whelan	Another view. Sean Whelan	Detroit River. Mike Nicholls
Unloading in Ferrysburg, MI, Aug. 10, 2005. Rod Burdick	North on Lake Michigan, Aug. 2005. Rod Burdick	Stern view in Manitowoc, Aug. 8, 2005. Rod Burdick
Manitowoc, Aug. 29, 2005. Wade P. Streeter	Skinner Unaflow steam engine. Wade P. Streeter	Chadburn. Wade P. Streeter
Inbound Milwaukee. Andy LaBorde Challenger inbound. Passing under the Hoan Bridge. Passing through the rail road bridge. Tug Virginia on the bow. Approaching the dock. Tight fit. At the dock.	The Southdown Challenger departing lay-up 2001. Andy LaBorde "A team" deckhand Bonita Vinyard & watchman Mike Cushman. Dave Jarvis 1st assistant engineer at the throttle. 3rd Mate Bill Kishel (L) and 1st mate Rocky Groh (R). warming up Milwaukee's Heavy Lift dock. Chief Engineer Mike Laituri. Captain George Herdina. Skinner Uniflow Engine. Engine camshaft. one of the main boiler gauges. Backing out.