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3. KNOW YOUR SHIPS - 1998 Member Roger LeLievre advises that the 1998 edition of Know Your Ships is now available. The 128-page softcover follows recent format of ship listings and items of marine interest, and features a large number of excellently re­ produced colour photos. A stunning 1997 photo by Roger of EDWARD L. RYERSON appears on the front cover. As usual, the 1998 edition is available from many marine booksellers, or by addressing Marine Publishing Co. Inc., P. O. Box 68, Sault Ste. Marie, Michi­ gan 49783, U. S. A. The price is U. S. $12. 95 plus $1. 30 packing and postage. Marine Publishing also has a Website, and the home page may be visited at www.knowyourships.com * * * * * MARINE NEWS The preparatory work has been proceeding for the creation of CANADIAN TRANS­ FER from the bow and midbody of HAMILTON TRANSFER and the stern of CANADIAN EXPLORER. At Port Weller Dry Docks, CANADIAN EXPLORER has been readied for the cutting of her hull where the hull of NORTHERN VENTURE was joined to the stern of CABOT in the 1983 reconstruction. As well, the pilothouse has been being stripped out in preparation for its removal. (CANADIAN TRANSFER will be navigated from HAMILTON TRANSFER's original bow pilothouse. ) Meanwhile, at Hamilton, HAMILTON TRANSFER has been lifted on two drydocks placed toge­ ther, and her hull has been cleaned and painted black, with the name CANADI­ AN TRANSFER painted on her bows. Her stack and aft deckhouse have been re­ moved, and the engine has been cut up and lifted out, so the engine will not, apparently, be going to a museum as had been proposed. The black hull paint extends to a point just forward of the old aft cabin, so that would seem to be where the hull cut will be made once the TRANSFER is on the dry­ dock at Port Weller. At the time of this writing, it was hoped that the tow of the TRANSFER from Hamilton to Port Weller could be done on April 29th. Work has been proceeding at Port Weller on another major reconstruction, that being the self-unloader conversion of ALGOWEST. So far, the work has all been below decks, and none of the above-deck unloading gear has yet been installed. We understand that the work on ALGOWEST now is scheduled for completion in July. We now have more information on the major ship reconstructions for which Ca­ nada Steamship Lines has contracted with Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd. The original announcement of the agreement was made on March 24th, but the only ship identified in the original press release was J. W. McGIFFIN, which will have her new bow and midbody added by Port Weller Dry Docks over the coming winter. The remaining four ships are to follow, one rebuilt at Port Weller each winter, the firm part of the contract being for three ships and the remaining two under option. We had to guess as to identity of the four ships to follow the McGIFFIN through the rebuilding process, and we did get three of the four correct, and even in the right order, but we totally missed out on the fifth. We now have confirmation that H. M. GRIFFITH will be rebuilt over the winter of 1999-2000, JEAN PARISIEN in 2000-2001, and LOUIS R. DESMARAIS in 2001-2002. The final ship will be the 1969-built TADOUSSAC, whose reconstruction is scheduled for the winter of 2002-2003. This last one will be the most interesting of the rebuildings, as TADOUSSAC is not a stem-winder but has her bridge forward. We must assume that the reconstruction will, in her case, involve the relocation of her bridge aft. In the April issue, we identified the ships which opened the Welland and Sault Ste. Marie canals for the 1998 navigation season, but we were not yet in receipt of a report for the St. Lawrence canals. We can now confirm that the first Seaway transit of the season was made by Algoma Central's ALGOBAY which was downbound in ballast for Sept Iles, Quebec. The first salt-water ship of the season was the Polish ZIEMIA TARNOWSKA, bound for Cleveland. http://www.knowyourships.com