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Lengthen Oil Tanker for Lake Service Carrying Capacity Nearly Doubled He SS) MAINE: Ox- FRANKLIN, Texas Co. tank- er, is probably unique among vessels in that she was first shortened and then length- ened all within a period of less than one year. In the spring of 1933 it was decided that the company needed a tanker for the distribution of petroleum products on the Great Lakes. The Martner was selected from its fleet for this purpose. But this vessel was too long to per- mit transit through the locks of the St. Lawrence canals and it was necessary to shorten her. She was built for the United States shipping board, in 1921, by the Staten Island Shipbuilding Co. at Mariner’s Harbor, Staten Island, N. Y. Her original dimensions were: length overall, 311 feet, 6 inches; length between perpen- diculars, 300 feet; beam mold- ed, 43 feet; depth molded, 26 feet; and gross tonnage, 2842. Sometime in May, or early in June, 1933, the Robins plant of the Todd Shipyards Corp., New York, was awarded a contract for shortening the Martner. The forward end was shortened about 52 feet, 8 inches by constructing a new bow which was faired into the old struc- ture well aft in No. 2 cargo tank or approximately 116 feet aft of the orig- inal stem. This eliminated the for- ward fuel oil tanks, cargo hold, No. 1 cargo tank and No. 1 summer tank. The stern counter was also shortened about 3 feet, 10 inches. In shortened condition the dimen- sions of the MAINE were: length over- all, 255’, 9”, length between perpendic- ulars, 247 feet, 7 inches; gross tonnage, 2370; and cargo capacity in barrels, 22,600. She entered service on the Great Lakes sometime in July, 1933. S. S. Maine—Forward end after hauling apart on dock at Great Lakes Engineering Works After operating the MArNre on the Great Lakes for the remainder of the season of 1933, The Texas Co. found that additional carrying capacity was needed. A contract was_ therefore placed in December, 1933, with the Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Mich., to lengthen this vessel 105 feet, 9 inches, amidships. The plans for this considerable re- construction job were prepared by George B. Drake, naval architect, New York, in accordance with the require- ments for classification by Lloyds Register of Shipping. The work was carried out to the special survey of the society under the general super- vision of Gavin Drummond, represen- tative of Lloyds Register of Ship- ping on the Great Lakes. With the additional length the total cargo tank capacity was increased by over 20,000 barrels, or nearly double what it was when she first arrived on the lakes. The new cargo tank capacity is about 43,000 barrels on an estimated draft of 19 feet, 2 inches. Because of the unusually low stage of the water levels on the Great Lakes at the beginning of this season, with a recommended draft of only 17 feet, 6 inches, it will be impossible to use all of this increase. Her permissible load at a draft of 17 feet, 6 inches, will be about 4000 barrels less than the maximum capacity. Dimensions of the Mann, after lengthening, are: 361 feet, 6 inches in length over all; 353 feet, 4 inches in length between perpendiculars; the beam and depth remain the same; and the cargo tank ca- pacity as mentioned above, on full load draft, is now about 43,000 barrels at loaded draft. The propelling machinery was not changed. It consists of a triple expansion, reciprocating steam engine with cylinders 21% x 35 x 59 inches in diameter and a stroke of 42 inches. Steam is supplied by two Scotch type boilers operating at 200 pounds per square inch working steam pressure. The boilers are oil burning. The shipyard furnished four new bronze blades for the built-up propel- ler. It is anticipated that the maxi- mum speed of the vessel as lengthened and with full load will be 14 statute miles per hour. The new part is divided by three transverse bulkheads and one center- line bulkhead into six lower tanks. There are also six summer tanks formed by the sides of the expansion Tanker Maine in dock after lengthening, being towed to dry dock slip MARINE REVIEwW—May, 1934 21