Ships Of The Great Lakes 2 Book Set

Ships Of The Great Lakes: An Inside Look At The World'S Largest Inland Fleet

Is working on ships, sailing or tugging through the sea-like waters of the Great Lakes something you’ve imagined yourself doing? Whether it’s your dream job or an area of interest, it is no easy task and takes a full crew to power the 1000-footers, steamers, tugs, Seaway and river class vessels. Lapinski gets close and personal with ship-life, from the captain to the cook, from the inner workings of the engine department to the intricacies of navigation, from the work it takes to load and unload large masses of material. A huge variety of ships, a huge variety of jobs, and an even bigger cross section of people, all have helped make the lives of Americans a little easier by bringing in or out the goods through the Great Lakes.

For centuries, millions of tons of cargo have moved across the five Great Lakes. The lakes have always held on to the old-school ways of using single screw tugboats, steam propulsion, and incredibly talented engineers and captains who can maneuver their vessels in and out of tight quarters and winding tributaries.

Although the Great Lakes are holding on to their old ways, big changes are occurring and we are at the end of an era.

Original and historic images show ore boats, tugboats, barges, passenger vessels, and workboats at work on the lakes. Final chapters in the boneyard show the near and ultimate demise of these great ships at the end of an era, with newer construction techniques and technically advanced ships replacing the old-timers.