Imperial Woodbend – Golden Hind
1952-1982
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 1951
Builder: Collingwood Shipyards LTD., Collingwood, ON
Hull #147
Registry: CAN 193679
IMO #5133096
Laid Down: —
Launch Date: December 6, 1951
Commissioned: April 20, 1952
Construction
Imperial Woodbend was constructed in 1952 as an oil tanker for Pipe Line Tankers LTD. She was the third of her class, constructed to transport crude oil from the end of the Interprovincial Lakehead pipeline at Superior, WI, to Imperial Oil refineries at Sarnia and Clarkson, ON. The Woodbend and her sisters were and still remain to be some of the largest tankers to sail the Great Lakes. Three of the four vessels were retired as tankers in 1953 after the pipeline was extended from Superior to Sarnia, and were rebuilt for other purposes.
The Imperial Woodbend was the third vessel of her class, and her sisters were the Imperial Leduc [Nipigon Bay, 1955;], Imperial Redwater [R. Bruce Angus, 1954;] and B. A. Peerless.
Modifications
- Converted to a gearless bulk carrier, E. B. McGee LTD., Port Colborne, ON, 1954.
General Stats
As Constructed as a Powered Tanker
Length Overall: 619’11”
Length Between Perpendiculars: 600′
Breadth: 68′
Molded Depth: 35′
Loaded Draft: —
Capacity: 12,595 Gross Tons, 9573 Net Tons, 18,418 Deadweight Tonnage
Vessel Type: Petroleum Tanker
Number of Cargo Tanks: 27
Primary Operations: Petroleum Trade, between Superior, WI, and Sarnia, ON
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
After Conversion to a Gearless Bulk Carrier, 1958
Length Overall: 692′
Length Between Perpendiculars: 672′
Breadth: 68′
Molded Depth: 39′
Loaded Draft: —
Capacity: 13,274 Gross Tons, 9712 Net Tons, 18,030 Deadweight Tonnage
Vessel Type: Gearless Bulk Carrier
Number of Cargo Holds: 4
Number of Hatches: 16 [Hatch-Hold Arrangement: 4-4-4-4]
Primary Operations: Ore, Grain Trades
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Steam Turbine
Engine Manufacturer: John Inglis Co., LTD., Toronto, ON
Engine Model: Double-Reduction Geared Triple Cross-Compound Steam Turbine
Number of Engines: 1
Rated HP: 4500 SHP
Boiler
Boiler Type: Oil-fired water tube Boilers
Boiler Manufacturer: Foster-Wheeler, Baar, Switzerland
Boiler Size: 8,864 sq. ft.
Number of Boilers: 2
History
Lineage
Imperial Woodbend– 1951-1954
Owner: Pipeline Tankers LTD., Toronto, ON
Operator: Imperial Oil Co., Toronto, ON
Flag: Canada
Home Port: Collingwood, ON
Golden Hind – 1954-1970
Owner: Mohawk Navigation Co. LTD., Montreal, QC
Operator: Mohawk Navigation Co. LTD.
Flag: Canada
Home Port: Montreal, QC
Golden Hind – 1970-1973
Owner: Mohawk Navigation Co., Montreal, QC
Operator: Scott Misener Steamships, St. Catharines, ON
Flag: Canada
Home Port: Montreal, QC
Golden Hind – 1973-1983
Owner: Trico Enterprises LTD., Hamilton, Bermuda
Operator: Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co. LTD., Thorold, ON
Flag: Canada
Home Port: Montreal, QC
Golden Hind – 1983-1986
Owner: Groupe Desgagnes LTD., Quebec City, QC
Operator: Groupe Desgagnes
Flag: Canada
Home Port: Port Colborne, OC
Her Story
Imperial Woodbend was constructed at Collingwood Shipyards of Collingwood, ON, as their Hull #146. She was launched on December 6, 1951 for Pipe Line Tankers LTD. of Toronto, to be managed by Imperial Oil Co. She was the third of her class to be completed, and was constructed to transport crude oil from the end of the Interprovincial Lakehead pipeline at Superior, WI, to Imperial Oil refineries at Sarnia and Clarkson, ON. The Woodbend and her sisters were and still remain to be some of the largest tankers to sail the Great Lakes. Three of the four vessels were retired as tankers in 1953 after the pipeline was extended from Superior to Sarnia, and were rebuilt for other purposes. Imperial Woodbend entered service on April 20, 1952.
By 1954, Imperial Woodbend was put out of service as a tanker due to a new pipeline running from Superior, WI, to Sarnia, ON. She was sold to Mohawk Navigation Co. LTD. of Montreal, QC, and converted to a gearless bulk carrier by E. B. McGee LTD. of Port Colborne, ON in 1954. Her liquid cargo handling equipment was removed and her cargo tanks reconfigured as standard bulk carrier holds. She was deepened by 4′ by constructing a trunk deck over her spar deck, and was fitted with 16 MacGregor sliding cargo hatches. She was renamed Golden Hind, and returned to service on July 17, 1954, loading oats at Port Arthur, ON, for Buffalo, NY.
In 1970, management of the Mohawk fleet was transferred to Scott Misener Steamships LTD. of St. Catharines, ON. Golden Hind was sold in January 1973 to Trico Enterprises LTD. of Hamilton, Bermuda, being managed by Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co. LTD. of Thorold, ON. The Quebec & Ontario fleet was sold to Groupe Desgagnes of Quebec City, QC, in 1983. Golden Hind departed layup on November 18, 1985, in Desgagnes colors, to load grain at Midland, ON. She was the only vessel from the Quebec & Ontario fleet to operate for Desgagnes.
Golden Hind was laid up for the final time on December 29, 1985, at Toronto, ON. She was sold for scrap in the summer of 1986, departing Toronto on her own on September 9, 1986, for Quebec City. She was towed out of Quebec City on September 29, arriving at the scrapyard at Mamonal, Colombia, on October 28, 1986.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on February 23, 2021
Gallery
Imperial Woodbend, on the St. Marys River, 1950’s. Tom Manse Collection 
Golden Hind, on the St. Marys River, 8/1971. Roger LeLievre Golden Hind, on the St. Marys River, 8/6/1971. Roger LeLievre 
Golden Hind, tied up on the Welland Canal, 1973. Roger LeLievre 
Golden Hind, on the Detroit River, 1973. Roger LeLievre 
Golden Hind, on the St. Marys River, 8/1975. Roger LeLievre
Sources
Ahoy & Farewell II. Marine Historical Society of Detroit, 1996. Pp. 138.
Berry, Sterling P. “Imperial Woodbend”. Great Lakes Vessel History: Vessel Histories of Sterling P. Berry. N.d. Accessed 23 February 2021. <https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/i/imperial-woodbend>
Devendorf, John F. Great Lakes Bulk Carriers, 1869-1985. John F. Devendorf, 1996. Pp. 175.
Great Lakes Ships We Remember III. Marine Historical Society of Detroit,1994. Pp. 192-195.
