Edgar B Speer

by Ron Haist

Canvas Print

Framed Print

Art Print

Poster

Metal Print

Acrylic Print

Wood Print

Greeting Card

Title

Edgar B Speer

Artist

Ron Haist

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This twin-screw self-unloading bulk carrier was built in two sections. The forward cargo section was built by American Shipbuilding Co., Toledo, OH and was transferred to the Amship yard in Lorain, OH where it was mated up with the aft section. The thousand footer was launched May 8,1980 and was christened Edgar B. Speer on June 4, 1980 for the Great Lakes Fleet of the United States Steel Co., Duluth, MN. She is powered by two Pielstick V-18 cylinder 9630 horsepower diesel engines driving 2 controllable pitch propellers making her one of the most powerful vessels on the Great Lakes. Her rated service speed is 14.75 knots. She is equipped with a bow thruster. The Speer's 20 hatches feed 5 holds where she is capable of carrying 73,700 tons at her maximum mid-summer draft of 32 feet 1 inch. Her unusual self-unloading system consists of a stern mounted 52 foot transverse shuttle unloading boom designed specifically for shore hopper loading.

With the Edgar B. Speer entering service in 1980, seven smaller lakeboats were sent to the scrap yards. These were the Eugene J. Buffington, D. M. Clemson, Thomas F. Cole, Alva C. Dinkey, D. G. Kerr, Governor Miller, and the J. P. Morgan Jr. The Speer's first cargo consisted of 55,000 tons of taconite pellets from Two Harbors, MN to Gary, IN.

Her unique unloading system restricts the Speer's cargo to taconite pellets. The only two locations that can accept the Speer's unloading boom are located in Gary, IN and Conneaut, OH. Her fleet-mate Edwin H. Gott, also built with a similar self-unloader, was converted to a standard self-unloading system with a 280 foot stern-mounted discharge boom thus increasing her flexibility.

In August 2006 the Roger Bough lost its rudder in the lower St. Marys River and anchored near Lime Island. Fleet mate Edgar B. Speer arrived on scene three days later and the Blough was lashed along side the Speer for tow to Gary Indiana, the Blough original destination. The tow departed on August 9 and arrived in Gary on August 11. The Speer left the Blough at anchor while the Speer unloaded, both vessels use the same hopper to unload with their short unloading booms.

The Blough was then towed to Sturgeon Bay for repairs. The Blough was the third boat to lose a rudder in the same area of the St. Marys River in recent years. The other two were the Edgar B. Speer and the Mississagi......

Ron Haist is an award winning artist encompassing a broad range of creative forms.
He has successfully expressed himself using various mediums such as pencil, pen and ink, oils/acrylic, airbrush, photography, poetry and pyrography.
As an artist that captures Canadian scenes, his work has spread throughout North America and Europe.
Growing up in Hespeler, Ontario (now part of Cambridge), his natural surroundings provided endless inspiration to sketch. His subject of choice has always been rural scenes, nature and wildlife. As a boy with a vivid imagination, Ron had snowmen riding horses.
As time progressed his photography skills preserved his subjects for later pieces of art. Ron�s keen and creative eye has also won him photographic awards for outstanding captures.
In the 70�s, airbrushing was yet another form of creative expression and produced many award winning works. All the while Ron was still creating canvas pieces and showing in galleries.
Ron�s natural artistic talent is also found in his words of expression. We have included some of his thoughts and feelings through poetry.
During the past few years, Ron has found himself venturing back into an area of creative expression he used as a boy, Pyrography. This art form has also met with great enthusiasm by viewers and again, has brought accolades and awards.
It is with great pleasure that we share a small glimpse of a diverse artist, through the world and words of Ron Haist.
�Painting is poetry, that is seen rather than felt.
Poetry is painting, that is felt rather than seen�
Leonardo da Vinci