Seeandbee
1913
(Hugh O'Connor -- Patriot Models)
- Type: Great Lakes passenger
- Displacement: 7,200 tons
- Dimensions: 500 (oa) 484 (wl) x 58 x 15.5 ft.
- Machinery: Coal-fired steam reciprocating (3 cyl. VC), 32 ft paddles, H.P. 12,000 = 18 knots
- Passengers: 988 (48 parlor class, 124 first class, 816 second class)
- Designer: Frank E. Kirby
- Builder: Detroit Shipbuilding Co., Wyandotte, Michigan, 1913
- Launched: 9 Nov 1912
- Acquired: 12 Mar 1942
- Commissioned: 12 Aug 1942
- Decommissioned: 7 Nov 1945
- Notes: Built at a cost of $1,600,000 for Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Co for cruises on Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan. Designed by Frank E. Kirby, she was the largest side-wheeled passenger ship in the world at time of completion. The Soo locks and Welland Canal were to narrow for her to reach Lake Superior or Lake Ontario. Used as a hotel for the Republican National Convention held at Cleveland in 1936. Original company went bankrupt in 1939; she was sold for $135,000 to the newly formed C&B Transit Co of Chicago and continued to operate on Lake Erie through 1941.
Acquired by War Shipping Administration for the Navy in 1942 and renamed Wolverine. Converted in 59 days to training carrier at the Erie Plant of American Shipbuilding Co., Buffalo, New York. Assigned to the 9th Naval District 1942 and used to qualify pilots for carrier operations. Operated in Lake Michigan, with pilots and planes based at Glenview Naval Air Station. Sold by Maritime Commission in Dec 1947 for scrapping.
Up