Lyman Davis "block" question

[advtech]

Thanks for the history lesson Ian, I appreciate that. Guess we may never know what that block is. SOS Toronto is working to try and put a good mooring block on the wreck. Do you know of anyone who might be able to assist in doing this correctly (and who works cheap - for a good cause)?

When we put the blocks on the Tiller wreck, we hired Dick Stam of Great Lakes Boat Service in Oakville. He has a crane on board which we used to take the 3-1200 # blocks over to the wreck. We had to cross the lake so towing wasn't an option. The crane is limited to about 2000#.

When we did the blocks on the Sligo and Merrell, the city loaned us a barge. When we picked the blocks up at the cement companies yard, they set them on greased 2x4's and we used come-a-longs to slide them off.

If the block you found is usable (heavy enough and can attach chain) why not use it. I have a 4000# lift bag that should do the job unless it's a monster block. Concrete weighs about 150# per cubic foot. So a 2x2x4 weighs about 2400# dry. In water, it only weights about 55% of it's dry weight, so a 4000# bag can handle almost anything you would find.

In Lake Erie, we've had to take new blocks to the wrecks. Areas like Kingston, have lucked out and have managed to find old Coast Guard blocks which they have been able to move and use.

 

[Axeman]

I deployed the SOS Bouy in the spring and there was plenty of scope and a tag line.

I heard it went missing and was replaced.

sounds like it might need a visit again.

 

[advtech]

Sounds like you do your moorings the same way Kingston does. Lots of scope with a short piece of chain at to top. We tried that down here and found that a lot of markers and floats went missing. When we went to the more expemsive buoys, we decided to make a change.

Staring at the bottom, we have 10' of chain coming off the block. At the top of the chain we attach the 3/4" poly line. We also have a 20 gal air filled container tied in at this point to keep the chain taught to prevent stirring up the bottom. The poly line comes up to 10' below the surface and stops. We have 20' of 3/8' chain welded to the bottom of the mooring buoy. Also attached to the bottom of the buoy is a 25' long piece of 3/4" poly line with a swimming pool lane flat attached at the end with the thimble.

The only scope we have is the extra 10' of chain and the 25' line. We rely on the boats to add extra scope if needed.

Now if any one wants to take or remove our buoys, they either need a good pair of bolt cutters or swim down 10' with a sharp knife or cutters and a wrench.

We have had a couple of our surface tag lines cut but so far non of our buoys have gone missing.

We never have a problem with the local, but every time there was a fishing durby in the area, something would go missing. Hasn't happened since we've gone to this system. Takes a little longer to put them out and remove them but it's worth the effort.

 

[bigz]

MarvinTPA - wonderful shots of the Davis. It has been 21 years since I was on her and 60' viz sure beats the 9' with lights on that we had! I can even see the spot where I hung on to the side of the ship staring at the remains of the deck. Thanks for reviving some memories.

 

[rjkrob]

The "block" for the Lyman Davis was placed in July of 2005 by members of the Toronto Chapter of SOS. To my knowledge, no other block exists, although a long line does run off the stern, apparently to nowhere.

The block we placed consists of ~400lbs of steel plate and weights and is positioned ~50' north off the bow, in ~135' of water.

The tagline from the block to the wreck is 1/" yellow polypropylene and is about 10' off the bottom. At the block it connects to the clevis at the top end of the mooring chain and at the wreck it connects to the starboard-side railing about 30' back of the bow.

The wreck is oriented with the bow facing in a westerly direction.

The SOS buoy is placed by SOS Toronto Chapter members every spring and removed every fall.

Yours in safe scuba diving,



Raimund J. Krob
Member-at-large
Toronto Chapter, SOS

Phone: 416-283-0467
Cellular: 416-427-4500
E-mail: raimund.krob@sympatico.ca
SOS Website: http://www.saveontarioshipwrecks.on.ca/

S.O.S.: Dedicated to the protection, preservation, and promotion of Ontario's underwater heritage.

 

[kllr1876]

i kind of find it sad, my great great grandfathers boat was blown up for cheap thrills and now there isnt a proper line so that divers can find it, for shame sos for shame

 

[Tom R]

The Lyman Davis sits in 130 feet of water just out side the recreational limits, the block there now keeps anchors out of her but as well invites those untrained for deep dive to do so. A double edge sword basically.

You can contact me off list if you wish on your grandfathers boat, I have lots of articles with a few pictures of the saga to burn her or not to burn. One of the interesting facts was the shifting of responsiblities of the ship's destruction. City saying they have no right to stop it, the province doing the same and over 5000 people protesting against it and the same amount watching her burn.

 

[rjkrob]

The block is a 3' by 4' x 1/2 slab of corrugated steel with 2 x 100lb cast iron brake drums added for good measure. The block is located approximately 40' off of the starboard bow and there is a 3/8" polypropylene line leading from the block to the wreck. SOS Toronto Chapter places the buoys every Spring and removes them every Fall.

Raimund Krob.

 

[rjkrob]

Hi Tom!

Give me a call when you have a minute, would you please?

I'd very much like to discuss your concerns further with you and see if there isn't a way we can come up with a win-win solution for all.

Thanks very much!

Yours in safe scuba diving,


Raimund J. Krob
Member-at-large
Toronto Chapter, SOS

Phone: 416-283-0467
Cellular: 416-427-4500
E-mail: raimund.krob@sympatico.ca
SOS Website: http://www.saveontarioshipwrecks.on.ca/

S.O.S.: Dedicated to the protection, preservation, and promotion of Ontario's underwater heritage.

 

[Whimpster]

CUTC was the Canadian Underwater Training Centre which was the only North Sea rated school in North America at the time. It was based on an old tanker named the Fuel Marketer in Toronto Harbour and also had a 70' dive tender called the Lois T.
They used to dive the harbour over the side or through a moon pool in the bottom of the ship if the ice got too thick. The harbour was used for the basic skills. but once that was over, virtually everything was done at 165' out in the lake off the Lois T. They had several moorings (class rooms) out in the lake but I don't think any were shallower than 160.

It was a very busy school in it's day as graduates from all the other North American Schools had to pass through there if they wanted to upgrade to a North Sea rating. They did mostly standard air, chamber operations etc. but got into mixed gas when the Dept. of Labour set the max air depthg at 165.

All the instructors were retired military, ex DCIEM types and when the the city didn't want to renew the leace (lets clean up the harbour front days) they decided it was time to retire for real.

The Fuel Marketer was sold for scrap. The large chamber was donated to Seneca Collage and the Lois T with small chamber was sold to Nadro Marine. It has since been sold again and renamed the Charlie E and sits in Port Colborne Harbor.

Craig Workman of Lake Erie Marine Services leases it for dive charters when he has enough people interested.

In any event, I don't think the block was a CUTC mooring. Both the Sligo and Morell have big blocks on them 2'x4'x8' which I helped put there many years ago. I haven't been there for years, but I was told that the Sligo has a SOS type buoy on it. I don't know about the Morell.

Hi ya all,
Stumbled onto this site and often wondered what happened to the old gal (Fuel Marketer) did my training on the old lady in the winter of 1980/81 had a great bunch of lads to train with and lost a few friends along the way...diver Perry Morrison from T.O lost on the Ocean Ranger February 15 1982.....god speed Perry.
My first post...Dive safe gals & lads..
Great site.

Nova Scotia...Canada