Originally posted by Scorpio71GR The McKee Sons is a large Great Lakes freighter. Many years ago it used to also carry cars across Lake Michigan from Muskegon, Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the winter months when the Milwaukee Clipper could not.
I doubt the McKee Sons could have been used as a Car ferry. As a Self Unloading Steamer or its current setup as a barge it would have been difficult to use the vessel as a car ferry because of the hoppers in the bottom of the cargo holds The cars would have to be carried as deck cargo and would have been loaded and unloaded with a crane. Plus the McKee Sons did not have the capacity or permitted to carry any more than 12 passengers as a ship and is not permitted to carry any passengers as a barge.
The Car Ferry Badger currently does the run between Muskegon to Milwaukee and is the last Great Lakes Ship that still burns Coal in the Boilers
There is a short history of McKee Sons Barge in the Vessel Photo Gallery on the Boatnerd Website
http://www.boatnerd.com/
Last edited by NS_Sailor; 08-29-2017 at 04:34 PM.