Re: DeTour Old Car Ferry

From: Erik
Location: MN
email:
Remote Name: 68.216.187.41
Date: 06.30.05
Time: 02:55:19 PM

Comments

The ferry your are asking about sailed for the Ann Arbor Railroad first as the steam powered Ann Arbor No.6 and in the mid 50's was rebuilt into the diesel powered Arthur K. Atkinson. (Although most other auxillary functions were still steam). The rebuild was massive in an outward appearence, and the ship was lengthened when being repowered. The vessel had been kind of notrious as the No. 6 and her demons seemed to follow her as the AKA. In the mid 70's she broke a crankshaft mid lake and was towed to Frankfort/Elberta, MI were she laid idle until the summer of 1980 when she was repaired and put back in service. The return to service was short lived however, as the Ann Arbor ended all cross-lake ferry service in April, 1982. She sat in Elberta, then was towed to Kewaunee, WI where she sat for a few years, then back across the lake to Ludington where some ambitious plans came and went (along with some for the former C&O boat City of Midland) In late 2003 the AKA was purchased for use as a "private yacht" and was going to be refurbished. The boat was towed to DeTour, MI where she now sits, and I understand is under arrest for unpaid dockage fees....