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PAUL H. TOWNSEND A produ at Weld mar 7 shipbuilding the Paul H. Townsend was built as a type C1-M-AV1 small cargo ship designed by e Commission for short coastal runs not requiring fast ships. Launched as Woy Coll the vessel began trading in September 1945 renamed Coastal legate, operating under charter to the Southern Steamship Co. of Vessel Phsicehe: Pa. However she entered service too late to see war service. Coastal Delegate was acquired by the Huron Transportation Co. of Detroit S otli ht ‘on Nov.7, 1951 and was converted in 1952-53 to a self-unloading cement Pp Q) carrier. The conversion was started at the Bethlehem Steel Co. Shipbuild- ing Div. of Hoboken, N.J., with the vessel eventually brought to the Great Lakes via the Mississippi River system for the conversion to be completed at the Calumet Shipyard, Chicago. On April 30, 1953, the new carrier was christened Paul H. Townsend at Detroit in honor of Mr. Paul Henson Townsend, who was elected president of Huron Portland Cement in 1953. With the conversion, her capacity dropped to 5,200 tons. Her self-unloading system moved the cement by screw conveyors discharging at a rate of only 536 tons per hour. During the winter lay-up of 1957-58, the Paul H. Townsend was rebuilt and lengthened 108 feet, moving the wheelhouse forward and giving the vessel a distinct, if not top-hea\ ce. The rebuild was completed by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ashtabula, Ohio, vand increased the small laker's cargo capacity to her current 7,850 tor ae Townsend has remained with the bell Hee — ne service ‘on the Great Lakes, afleet the the banner oftnland Lakes Management Inc, pie Mich (an affifate of Ane ine Inland Lakes ‘operates and manages the vessels under a contract with Lafarge North A\ Even though the Townsend is the only diesel-powered vessel in the feet! her smaller capacity has . her laid up at various, gies i her larger fleetmates pipet and, until recently, J.A.W. Iglehart the efficient articulated tug/barge peters carrying eee predicts the Townsend did not see service in 2006. Even though she received a fresh coat of paint, her future as an active carrier on ae Great Lakes is 7 question. With her larger fleetmate J.A.W. iglehart entering long the near future is unlikel George Wharton Paul H. Townsend in 1954 (top) and laid up in 2006 at Muskegon. (Mike Nicholls) 42 KYS‘07