Fish Tugs Of The Greatest Lake

Fishing Vessels of the Great Lakes

Compiled by Harvey Hadland

F. DEVET SONS .Built of steel, at Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Drydock Co., in 1938, for the fishing enterprise, Frank DeVet Sons, Fayette, Mich., the 45 ft. x 13 ft. boat was equipped with a 75-90 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine. In the mid 1970s the boat was acquired by LeClair Bros., Baileys Harbor, Wis., and renamed SHELLEY. Also repowered at that time with a Volvo diesel. Boat is presently at Manistique, Mich. VIEW PICTURE

F. HUNTER 214619 Built at Sturgeon Bay, Wis. by Martin Peterson in 1916, for Charles, Jule, and Harry Hagen, St.Ignace, Mich. The 42 ft x 10 ft. wood hulled vessel was owned by various members of the Hagen family until 1954, when Albert Frazier, Naubinway, Mich. acquired the boat. In 1960 ownership was transferred to Melvin, Frazier, also of Naubinway. In 1970 the boat was removed from documentation and scrapped. In 1973 the hull was lying ashore at St. Ignace, Mich.

F. J. MEYER, SR. 45 ft. steam powered fish tug, built at Manitowoc, Wis., in 1905, and owned by John B. Masse, Jr., Grand Marais, Mich. in 1938. Boat was formerly named CRYSTAL.

F. S. HOWARD ..Built at Fairport, Mich. in the early 1930s, for John Gierke, Fairport. Originally equipped with a Fairbanks Morse diesel.

F.G. WILKE 234497 Built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1935, for Fred Wilke Son, Kewaunee. 42 ft. x 12 ft., the tug was equipped with a 50-60 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine. In 1965 the boat was at Two Rivers, owned by Joseph Grenier, and renamed SUNBEAM.

FAIR LADY Built at Bayfield, Wis. in 1938 by her owner, Joseph W. LeBel, 40 ft. x 11 ft. with a square stern and straight stem. The boat was first equipped with a Scripps marine gas engine, and re-powered with a Chrysler Crown gas engine in the early 1940s. In 1963 Harry Nelson, LaPointe, Wis., was the owner. Boat was destroyed after sitting for many years at the Reiten boat yard in Bayfield. VIEW PICTURE

FAITH 233694 Built at Sturgeon Bay Boat Works, in 1934, for Lawrence Voight, Gills Rock, Wis. the 38 ft. x 11 ft. boat was equipped with a 30-36 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine.

FAITH II .250623 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1946, the 44 ft. x 13 ft. all-steel boat was a replacement for Mollhagen's FAITH. Equipped with a 45-54 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine, the boat was a round bottom design, with pilot house aft. After being sold to Donald Voight, Gills Rock, the boat was re-powered with a Cummins diesel. VIEW PICTURE

FAITHFUL 225331 Built at Two Rivers, WI in 1925 by Henry Vincent, for Henry Lafond and Son, Fishery, the 64 ft. x 15 ft. boat was equipped with a 100-120 H.P. oil engine. Lafond sold the boat to Fred Ropke, Chicago, Ill. In 1930. In 1936 Howard Russell, LaPointe, Wis. bought her for use as a combination tow tug and ferry. During the fall she was used as a gillnetter, fishing herring. From 1949 to 1952 Northern Hardwood Veeners, Butternut, Wis., used her as a tug towing scow loads of logs from the Apostle Islands. Shortly thereafter she was scuttled on the beach at Outer Island, and is still there. VIEW PICTURE

FALCON 35 ft. Marinette Marine, all-steel fish tug owned by Lyle Teskie, Ellison Bay, Wis., in 1977.

FALCON A 90 ft. steam powered fish tug owned by Richard Piepkorn, Alpena, Mich. in 1936.

FALCON A small fish boat, approx. 24 ft. in length, owned by Armis Sarkala, Cedar Bay, Calumet, Mich. in 1949.

FANCHON Built in 1879, the 45 ft. x 12 ft. 13 gross tons steam-powered fish tug was owned by Henry Johnson, Bayfield, WI, in 1919 as per Beeson's Marine Directory.

FAWN . 226957 Built by Burger Boat Co., in 1927, for Knipfer Bros, Sawyer Wis. 48 ft. x 12 ft. the boat was equipped with a 60-70 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine. In 1941 and 1942 Ellard White and John Tauriinen fished out of Grand Marais and Ontonagon with the boat. Reported as abandoned in 1955, in 1965 the boat was observed sitting on the beach at Ontonagon, badly deteriorated, with only the net lifter remaining onboard.

FAY 34 ft. gas boat owned by William Allen, Kewaunee, Wis., in 1929.

FAYTH H. 36 ft. fish tug, equipped with a 20-24 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine, owned by Percy Heward, Rogers City, Mich., in 1946.

FEARLESS 34 ft.[approx.] gas boat owned by Eugene Barlament, Green Bay, Wis. in 1929.

FEARLESS No.2 214690 .Built by Burger Boat Co., in 1916, for Sonneman Fish Co. Sheboygan, Wis. Steam powered, 68 ft. x 16 ft. In 1938 Ernisse Fish Co., Sheboygan, were the owners. The boat was dismantled in 1948, and reportedly taken out into Lake Michigan, where it was scuttled.

FISH HAWK Brought to Bayfield, from an inland lake in Wisconsin, in the early 1930s, by Irving Hadland, the 40 ft. cruiser hulled boat was adapted to commercial fishing and also used as a fish buying boat, making daily trips among the islands. Power was with a International truck engine. In the mid 1940s the boat was re-built, and re-powered with a Red Wing marine gas engine. Some time in the 1950s she was bought by a marine garbage-hauling firm at Duluth.

FISHER A 32 ft. gas boat owned by Francis Wenniger, Algoma, Wis. in 1930.

FISHER BOY 32 ft. gas boat owned by Reuben and Frank Sewers, Saugatuck, Mich. in 1928.

FISHER MAID A 33 ft. gas boat owned by Ranville Bros. Fishery, Mackinaw City, Mich. in 1928.

FISHER Owned by Dennis Cabay, Standish, Mish. In 1931. Size of the boat is not known.

FLIPPER 503852 A 30 ft. x 9 ft. steel hulled fishing vessel built at Bayport, Mich. in 1949. The boat was not documented until 1966, when it was owned by Leo Cloutier, Ludington, Mich. The boat was dropped from documentation in 1979.

FLO 242896 Built at Bayfield, Wis. in 1942 by Frank Muhlke. Owned by Severt Teigen, LaPointe, Wis. until his death in 1950, the 35 ft. wood hulled fish tug was then sold to Randolph Samskar, Grand Marais, Minn., who owned it until 1959. From 1959 to 1977 Edwin Ness, Silver Bay, Minn. owned the boat, and changed the name to MAR-JEAN. Thomas Kaine, Duluth, was owner from 1977to 1980. Hope Atkinson, Superior, Wis. had ownership for a time also. The boat is presently sitting ashore at Bayfield, Wis., owned by Richard Gurnoe, Jr. and carrying the name JOHN R. VIEW PICTURE

FLORA A. A 42 ft. steam powered fish tug, built at Traverse City, Mich. in 1925, and owned by William Hopkins, Northport, Mich. in 1938.

FLORENCE . A 30 ft. gas boat owned by Al Topel and Cordes Livermore, Pensaukee, Wis. in 1929.

FLORENCE Owned by Gilbert Vanderberg, Muskegon, Mich. Size of boat is not known.

FRANCES C. ..Built at Saugatuck, Mich. in 1916, 44 ft. x 12 ft. steam powered fish tug. Owned by Emil Corbister, Brussels, Wis. in 1938.

FRANCIS C. 62 ft. steam powered fish tug, owned by Otto Rodal Sons, Frankfort, Mich., in 1928.

FRANCIS CLARK 264301 Built by Portage Lake Machine Works, Hancock, Mich. in 1950, from a design by Henry Koski, the 40 ft. steel hull had a square stern and rounded stem. Steel frames supported the wood cabin, with pilot- house aft. Owned by Ross

FRANK BRAEGER 231087 50 ft. x 14 ft. Built at Milwaukee, Wis. in 1931 and equipped with a 60-70 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine. Owned by Charles Braeger, Milwaukee, until 1947. Boat was owned by Frank Miller, Milwaukee, from 1947 to 1950. Everett Lafond had the boat at Two Rivers from 1950 to 1961. The boat was back in Milwaukee in 1961 and 1962, owned by Frank Corrao. From 1962 to 1971 the boat was owned by Floris Fredricksen, Milwaukee and registered as a yacht. The owners from 1971 to 1976 include Charles Pagels, Glenwood, Ill.1971 and 1972. John Ellis III, Dolton, Ill., 1972 to 1974. Fred Becht, Dolton, Ill., 1974 to 1976. Sandy Russell, Chicago, Ill., in 1976. In 1981 the boat was out of documentation and presumed abandoned.

FRANK BRAEGER steam powered fish tug, built at Manitowoc, Wis. in 1906, 40 ft. x 11 ft., owned by Julia Dettlaff, Milwaukee, Wis. in 1938.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT .233294 .Built by Peterson Boat Works in 1934, the 40 ft. x 12 ft. boat was equipped with an 85 hp. Buda gasoline engine. Owner George Vihos, Waukegan, fished the boat for a few years, then sold to James Garrison, Waukegan, in 1939. In 1965 the boat was observed at Waukegan, being used as a scuba dive boat. VIEW PICTURE

FRANNIE C. ..252941 .Built in 1947 by Marinette Marine Corp., for Frank Champion, Grand Marais, MI. The 40 ft. steel hulled, square sterned vessel was originally powered with two Cummins diesel engines. Champion had the boat until 1952, when George Sewers, Sr., Saugatuck, MI bought her, changed the name to JOHNNIE S. and had ownership until 1966. For a short time (1977-1958) George Sewers, Jr. was owner. Guy Wiltsie, Lexington, MI, was owner from 1958 to 1961, and then Herrick Fish Co., Carsonville, MI owned the boat until 1966.

FRED . 226980 Built by Sturgeon Bay Boatworks in 1927 for Roy Richter, Washington Island, WI. The 47 ft x 12 ft. fish tug was equipped with a 45-54 hp Kahlenberg oil engine. Richter owned the boat until 1934, when it was sold to Dennis McDonald, Wash. Isl., who owned her until 1945. After that the boat had several owners before being abandoned in 1969.

FRED DRISCOLL 121250 Built at Lorain, OH in 1902, the 68 ft. x 14 ft. wood hulled fish tug was owned by H.B. Kishman, Vermilion, OH from 1902 to 1916. From 1916 to 1928 she was owned by Albert Baker, Dunkirk, NY. The vessel was abandoned in 1928.

FRED WEIMER .233027 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1934, for Fred Weimer Fisheries, Chicago. 48 ft. x 12 ft., the boat was equipped with a 60-70 hp. Kahlenberg oil engine.

FREDDIE 237558 Built at Manitowoc, Wis., by Burger Boat Co., in 1901. A gas powered boat, 35 ft. x 9 ft. Early ownership not known. Owned by George A. Heitl, West Allis, Wis., 1939-1941. Frank Miller, Milwaukee, 1942, John Scheffler, Milwaukee, 1943-1944. Listed as abandoned in 1945 MVUS.

FREDERICK KOEHN A 70 ft. steam fish tug at Sheboygan, Wis. circa 1916. Ownership not known.

FREITAG BROS. ..261480 Built at Muskegon, MI in 1950 by Henry Danhof. The 42 ft. x 13 ft. all steel fish tug is equipped with a Volvo diesel. The boat is presently owned by Richard Johnson, Ellison Bay, WI.

FRIEDA Owned by F.C. Linsenmeyer, Grand Haven, Mich. in 1931. Size of the boat is not known.

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