A Tour of the SS William A. Irvin

Once the flagship of the US Steel Great Lakes Fleet, the SS William A. Irvin is now a floating museum open to the public for tours in Duluth, Minnesota. Today was a rainy grey day, but I went for the tour anyway. The portions out on the deck were somewhat abbreviated due to the weather, but I can fill in as best I can.

The tour started in the gift shop, where tour tickets are also sold. I posted a picture earlier today from my phone here. Once the tour begins, everyone is ushered up a ladder from the gift shop to the main deck where the hatches down to the cargo holds are located. There are three holds and eighteen hatches.

The officers and crew alike bunk at the stern of the ship. Before seeing their quarters, we got a look at the rudder tiller. In case of hydraulic systems and electrical failure, the emergency backup system is to use a cable and winch to steer the ship manually. There is also a spare propeller blade for emergency repairs here.

The officers mess, galley, recreation room, and crew quarters were all close to the engine room, which was much more spacious than might be expected due to the last-minute decision to install new steam turbines rather than the reciprocating engines typically used when the ship was built in 1938. As the flagship of the fleet, this ship also had brass railings throughout the engine room. It was great for PR when offering tours to bigwigs, but it was (and remains to this day) a daily maintenance chore to keep it polished.

Not only does this ship have brass rails in the engine room for VIP guests, but it also has luxury guest quarters and a guest mess with its own galley! The mess was designed to resemble a Pullman dining car, and even includes fixtures from such cars. The bunks are proper beds with the legs cut to compensate for the curved contours of the deck (floor) beneath them.

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Historical note

William Irvin, for whom the ship was named, rose in US Steel from mine laborer to president of the company, and retired the year this ship was launched. He remained a board member of the company, and was often a guest on the ship himself.

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The captain's quarters remain as they were when the ship was formally retired from service after 40 years in 1978. By then, ships were built to carry twice the cargo, and technology had improved efficiency. Now, ships carry ten times the cargo with two thirds of the Irvin's crew complement at 20% faster cruising speeds.

The helm has two wheels, one a large traditional wooden wheel, and the other a gyroscopic navigation control tied into the gyroscopic compass in the chart room. Other controls and gauges, including the command end of the engine room chadburn, are also here.

At the time of my visit, the cargo hold open to tourists was still divided up from the Halloween haunted ship event, but we were able to bypass most of the maze and see a small museum area before ending the tour back in the gift shop.

I definitely suggest taking this tour if you are in the area. It's a little slice of maritime history that should not be missed. And of course, one ought acknowledge the sinking of her sister ship the SS Edmund Fitzgerald with the obligatory link to Gordon Lightfoot's ballad.