Great Lakes Shipyard Overhauls RV Grayling

June 20, 2011

Photo courtesy Great Lakes Shipyard

Great Lakes Shipyard, Cleveland, OH, finished the 5-year overhaul work on the U.S. Geological Survey Research Vessel Grayling. Under a Fleet Maintenance Contract with the Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI of the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, the Grayling was drydocked and given a detailed inspection, cleaning, tune up, repair and modifications. Some of the major work items included overhauling the generators and engines, painting the hull, and repairing of the exhaust and propulsion systems. The 75 ft. long Grayling was built in 1977 and is home-ported in Cheboygan, MI. The Grayling is the Center's third largest vessel with great geographic range and advanced scientific abilities. Nearly all of the fish population and habitat research in Lake Huron is conducted aboard this research vessel. The Grayling is also used in fish population assessment in eastern Lake Superior. As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.

Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, operates a full-service shipyard and dry dock in Cleveland, OH. They specialize in all types of marine construction and vessel repairs including tugs, supply boats, ferries, barges, excursion vessels, dinner boats, research vessels and large yachts. They are currently expanding their property, capabilities and workforce for a new 770-ton mobile travelift crane. The crane is presently being assembled at the shipyard and will be operational by July 2011. This new Travelift will be the largest of its type on the U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes, and the second largest Travelift in the western hemisphere, solidifying the shipyard’s “small vessel” niche standing and as a state-of-the-art facility.

The Great Lakes Shipyard’s Order Book now includes orders for construction of two new 70-foot all aluminum research vessels for U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center, a 60 foot workboat for The Port of Milwaukee and a new 3,200 h.p. HandySize tugboat.