Burlington Ontario Canada
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sherim@thomson-gordon.com

ST. Mary’s Challenger

ST. MARY’S CHALLENGER 

Film Review

If you like vintage machinery, American history and/or old ships this film will be a delight to watch. Built in 1906, the steamer “St. Mary’s Challenger” has sailed for over a hundred years on the Great Lakes in continuing commercial service. As the last surviving steam powered
bulker on the lakes, she represents the end of an era.

Scenes from the pilot house to engine and boiler rooms and all between, show this grand lady at her best for even though she is truly in the autumn of her life, the owner maintains the vessel in immaculate condition. This ship truly represents a working tribute to mechanical
engineering; a living, working museum.

Location

The Challenger steams out of her home port of Charlevoix, Michigan carrying cement for terminals in the ports of Lake Michigan. Not only is the machinery of this hard working ship a symphony in motion, but its crew comprises many who have been on board for up to thirty years. They know the ship as an old friend. Come with us as we sail into and out of
some of the intriguing commercial ports on the lake and get acquainted with daily life on board. Take a trip back in time as we capture what to the crew is routine but to us is an adventure.

The Great Lakes are usually well mannered, but not always, and when nature decides to make life difficult, watch how this crew and their trusty steamer deal with it. It’s man and machine against nature.

Maneuvering in tight spaces demands frequent calls for “Full ahead” and then “Full astern”, with none of the smoke, hesitation and uncertainty common to a modern diesel.

Production

Sadly, this film is incomplete. We took the trailer and plan to several networks and were unable to find a buyer. Depending on the success of KA114 we might take another crack at it.

In 2013 the ship was transformed into a barge. The engine room was destroyed. But we have two years of footage in the can along with some superb on-board content captured mainly on Super-16 film.

An effort by marine historians to “Save the Ship” failed, but we at least captured during the sailing seasons of 2006 and 2008, a real record the last working years of her life, and that film will survive.

Someday, we will finish the story and it will not be a “reality show” of the crew but the story of a proud survivor of the age of steam.