The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026/
Post Your Christmas, Holiday cards on Boatnerd
Feel free to share your boat-themed Christmas and holiday cards by posting them in this thread. Attachments must be under 2 MB.
https://newsearch.boatnerd.com/viewtopic.php?t=178409
Ice jams Seaway traffic near Sorel-Tracy
There’s still a traffic mess of ships stopped due to ice, weather, pilots working overtime along the south canal, beyond Côté Ste. Catherine, Sorel-Tracy. Icebreakers are working to clear the ice with more vessels on their way to help the crews clear the way in front of the St. Catherine lock, where the ice is the thickest. Ships are delayed all along this corridor with end of season closing in.
[Janey Anderson – Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers (LL&R)]
Storms again send lake vessels to seek shelter on northern Great Lakes
On Lake Superior:
American Integrity was anchored south of the Apostle Islands Saturday night. Joyce L. VanEnkevort was anchored in Thunder Bay. John J. Boland, Robert S. Pierson and American Spirit sought shelter in the lee of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Joseph L. Block, American Mariner and Hon. James L. Oberstar were at Marquette.
The St. Marys River
Algoma Guardian and Dirk S. VanEnkevort were on the hook Saturday night off Paradise. Mesabi was in Goulais Bay. Narie and Great Republic stopped off Bay Mills. H. Lee White, Jessica B., John G. Munson, Saginaw, Lee A. Tregurtha and Kaye E. Barker were anchored above DeTour. Wilfred Sykes was upbound in the lower river in the evening headed for Marquette. She will probably anchor once she locks upbound.
Northern Lake Huron
Manitowoc, Calumet and Herbert C. Jackson were stopped north of St. Ignace.
Polsteam adds Polsteam Wigry to its Laker-class fleet
The Polish Steamship Co. (Polsteam) of Szczecin, Poland, recently added a new vessel, Polsteam Wigry (IMO 1027184), to its growing Laker-class fleet of ships. This vessel is the ninth new ship added to the Laker class, with the first being the Polsteam Dabie (IMO 9971850), built in 2024.
Polsteam Wigry is 199.99 meters in length or 656 feet and 23.00 meters in width or about 78 feet wide. She has four deck-mounted cranes for loading and unloading bulk cargoes.
All of the nine Polsteam Laker-class ships were built in China at the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. shipyard located at Shanhaiguan, Quinhungdao. It is expected that Polsteam Wigry will begin trading sometime in 2026.
Another new Laker-class ship, Polsteam Weltyn, IMO 9984845, built in 2025, also was added to the fleet recently.
Denny Dushane
City of Milwaukee car ferry museum ship launches fundraiser for drydocking
Manistee, MI — As historic ships age, they require increasing levels of care to remain safe and stable. The S.S. City of Milwaukee, a 1931 steam-powered railroad car ferry, is no exception. In recent years, several Great Lakes museum ships have experienced serious hull failures, some are even now relying on constant pumping to remain afloat.
While the City of Milwaukee has avoided this, and is in great shape, we are committed to ensuring that this remains the case.
The Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee is pleased to announce that we are moving forward with a multi-year plan to tow the ship to dry dock at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for critical long-term preservation work. Once finished, the ship will return to her current home in Manistee.
This project will mark the City of Milwaukee’s first time out of the water in approximately 45 years. While in dry dock, the underwater hull will be power-washed and sandblasted, all sea chests and underwater openings will be sealed, the propellers will be removed and stern tubes sealed, and the hull will receive two coats of a marine epoxy coating with an estimated service life of 25 years or more.
Additional preservation work will be completed as funding allows.
The S.S. City of Milwaukee is designated as a National Historic Landmark, the highest recognition afforded to historic sites in the U.S., and was named Steamship Historical Society of America’s Museum Ship of the Year in 2020. She is also the last unmodified traditional Great Lakes railroad car ferry in existence, one of the most complete surviving examples of this once-critical industry. Her preservation is not only of national historical importance, but also of significant local value. Today, the ship serves as a major cultural and economic asset for Manistee, attracting thousands of visitors for tours, overnight stays, special events, and the award-winning “Manistee’s Ghost Ship” haunted attraction. These visitors support local businesses, lodging, dining, and tourism, making the City of Milwaukee a cornerstone of Manistee.
Our organization represents more than 40 years of dedication, volunteer effort, and community support. Significant progress has been made to preserve the ship; however, securing the long-term integrity of her hull is the next and most critical step. We can only do this with your support. High-level cost estimates for the project have already been obtained. The current budget is estimated at $1,000,000, covering preparation, towing, shipyard services, and contingency for cost overruns. Funds will be raised through private donations, grants, operational revenue, and public support.
We are currently seeking individuals, families, businesses, and organizations interested in establishing Matching Donation Funds for the project. Matching commitments strengthen grant applications, motivate additional donations, and help secure required matching funds.
We would not be where we are today without your support, and this next vital step will require that commitment once again. If you are interested in contributing or learning more, please visit our website, GoFundMe page, or contact us as planning and fundraising continue. Thank you for your consideration.
Go here to donate:
www.carferry.com/drydock
