Images from the 1954 Re-Powering

At the start of 1954 the William G. Mather entered the shipyards of Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Manitowoc, WI., and emerged that summer as a very different vessel. Gone were her three coal-fired boilers and quadruple expansion steam engine. In their place was a single marine power boiler and a 5,000 horsepower steam turbine engine. Many other changes took place. Her tall stack was replaced with a "streamlined" casing, many steam auxiliaries (pumps, mooring winches, deck winches, forward anchor windlass...) had been replaced with electric ones along with the entire electrical system being updated.

Other changes involved the complete renovation of the engine room, removal of the coal bunkers and installation of fuel oil bunkers and numerous changes to the aft deckhouse. Many Great Lakes vessels underwent such conversions over the course of their careers. Some underwent even more dramatic changes such as lengthening, conversion to self-unloader, or in the case of vessels like the Cliffs Victory transformation from salt water cargo ship to Great Lakes bulk freighter.

Below are images from the shipyard as the Mather was undergoing her metamorphosis along with dates and descriptions (if they are available).

January 26, 1954.: Good view of the Mather's propeller. Note the shipyard worker in the image to provide scale.
January 26, 1954.: Stern-on shot of the Mather's propeller and rudder.
Feb 27, 1954.: Installation of the new boiler well underway. View from where the fuel oil bunkers. The steam turbine will fill the space in the forground of this photograph.
Feb 27, 1954.: Fuel Oil Bunkers installed.
March 21, 1954.: Main boiler installation continues. Low Pressure turbine in place.
March 21, 1954.: Overhead crane installed as well as low pressure turbine and reduction gears.
March 25, 1954.: Picking up the new "streamlined" stack casing.
March 25, 1954.: Setting the new stack casing in place on the boat deck on a snowy March day.
April 17, 1954.: Steam lines, ventilators, and ladders being installed - compare this image with Feb 27 image of the just completed fuel oil bunkers.
April 17, 1954.: View from top of fuel bunkers. High pressure turbine is now in place and work around the boiler front continues
April 17, 1954.: Work continues on the boat deck around the stack casing and deck house.
Date Unknown.: Note large hole cut in the hull to provide access to the engine room.
Date Unknown.: Looking down the spar deck. Work is proceeding on the new stack - note scaffold around the stack.
June 18, 1954.: View of the "new" engine room from the throttle board looking aft.

In 1954 Richard Sheehy was the paperboy for the boats in the Manitowoc area, including the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company's yards. Because Richard carried a camera with him on his route we have the following photgraphs of the Mather on her way to Lake Michigan to stretch her new legs.

Special Thanks to Richard Sheehy for sharing these photographs with the Museum.

Mather with a tug on the bow backing down the river
Bow view of the Mather
The Mather being pushed down river. The smoke around the forward deckhouse would be coming from the tug on her bow as seen in an earlier photograph.

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This page maintained by

Robert M. Martel,
(bob@urban.csuohio.edu)
Last updated: 25 March 2002