Tag Archives: Great Lakes fishing tug

Converted Great Lakes Fishing Tug makes fishing possible for the disabled

A specially designed boat is connecting those with physical challenges to the joys of fishing on the water. “It’s amazing. I can’t believe it took so long for someone to come up with this idea,” Sean Ferry of Erie said about At The Lake Ministries in Erie. The nonprofit group converted a former commercial ship into a fishing boat that accommodates wheelchairs.,, Now they have a large ship that can handle groups of people who are facing similar challenges and spend a day outdoors.,, Volunteers, including some who are trained welders, electricians and painters, worked to convert the 53-foot ship into a passenger watercraft. It was built in 1980 and was the last commercial fishing vessel built by Paasch Marine Services (200th hull).  The ship was formerly owned by the Munch family of commercial anglers and they named it the Jo-Ann M in honor of the family’s matriarch. Wilson said it’s only fitting the name stays with the ship. Video, photos, >click to read< 08:08

Elsie J. – A 1945 Great Lakes fishing tug gets a new life as a tour boat in Michigan

After Chris Jensen returned home to South Haven, Mich., from World War II with a broken back, he was told he might never walk again, let alone resume his commercial fishing career.  But Jensen recovered and soon bought a 48-foot fishing tug that plied the waters of eastern Lake Michigan for more than three decades. He named the boat Elsie J for his daughter. The ship’s crew pulled in loads of whitefish, perch and oily chubs, which were popular for smoking.  >click to read< 10:59

Historic Great Lakes fishing tug Palmer dismantled at former Azarian Marina

A crew from Vassh Excavating and Grading began work Friday to dismantle the historic Palmer, a 90-year-old commercial fishing boat. The Great Lakes fishing tug was carved out of the ice on the Root River in January after the boat sank at its slip at the Pugh Marina in late December near the State Street Bridge. The crew began work to demolish the 47-foot long, 13-foot-wide Palmer by hauling debris out of the boat. After they complete their work, only the metal shell of the Palmer will remain. Once all the boat’s debris has been removed, the shell will be hauled from the former Azarian Marina site off Water Street. When demolishing the boat, Vassh’s crew began to uncover a treasure trove of historic items, including three steering wheels in nearly perfect condition, eight porthole windows, a lamp from 1896, various old wood carvings and books from the 1920s. They also located the original 1926 lights, a Case motor and Twin Disc transmission. click here to see images, video, and read the story  13:24

In photos: Historic Great Lakes fishing tug Palmer is removed from the Root River

The Palmer, a Great Lakes fishing tug, is removed from the Root River Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, after the boat sank in late December near the State Street Bridge. The boat is a wood-hulled commercial fishing boat built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1926. According to the website Fishing Vessels of the Great Lakes, it was built for Alfred Shellswick of Waukegan, Ill., who fished with it until 1935. Click here to view 22 more photo’s 08:44