American Integrity sailing Lake Superior, August 2014

In 2014, I spent some time on the American Integrity, first as a watchman, then as wheelsman and then as Bosun. Helped out fit her from the ship yard in Sturgis, Wi. where they fitted her with a couple of large diesel air compressors.Show more

The compressors's air was channeled to her bottom. The shipyard built a channel to push the compressed air thru, to decrease her hull's resistance thru the water.

As I remember, she picked up a knot +/- and did improve fuel consumption. Pushing too much air thru the hull channels increase prop cavitation, shaking the ship.

The Integrity set out sailing from Duluth, across Lake Superior to the Poe Locks, thru the locks, down St. Mary's channel, across Lake Huron, under the Blue Water Bridge thru Saint Clair River/Lake, Detroit River, across the east end of Lake Erie to Monroe, Michigan, unloading in Monroe. Some trips were to US Steel in Chicago, others to Zuck Island (a god forsaken parcel of land). Once unload, she sailed back to Duluth.

At times she sailed thru the Straights of Mackinaw to Burns Harbor/Gary or occasional stops at Zug Harbor. Unedited video.

Round trip, this usually took just under a week.

Waves coming over the bow of the AI... has to be 20ft from the water line to the deck.