MS Mount Washington
Encyclopedia
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
in Laconia, New Hampshire
Laconia, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,411 people, 6,724 households, and 4,168 families residing in the city. The population density was 809.3 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 421.8 per square mile...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The ship makes several ports of call around the lake during her scenic cruises in the spring, summer and fall months. Ice-Out
Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out
Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out occurs when all the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, has broken up after winter. Over the years this has been decided upon by a variety of means; as of 2010, Dave Emerson makes the call. Emerson flies two to three times a day over Lake...
is declared when the Mount Washington can get to all of its ports of call.
Paddle steamer Mount Washington (the "Old Mount")
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
Mount Washington was launched from Alton Bay
Alton Bay, New Hampshire
Alton Bay is an unincorporated village in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southeasternmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popular resort area of New Hampshire....
. The Mount was the largest of all the steamers on the lake at 187 feet (57 m) in length, with a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 49 feet (15 m). She was driven by a single cylinder steam engine of 450 HP (336 kW) that operated at approximately 26 RPM. Power was transferred from the vertical cylinder to the paddle wheel shaft by the walking beam, high above the upper deck, oscillating at the frequency of the paddle wheels.
She was built by the Boston and Maine Railroad Company
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
with the intent of transporting cargo and passengers around the lake. By the late 19th century it was not uncommon for her to transport over 60,000 passengers in a single season. In the 1920s, with the rise of the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
and declining train usage, the Boston and Maine Railroad Co. made the decision to sell the steamer to Captain Leander Lavallee. Captain Lavallee operated the Mount as a tourist attraction, still drawing crowds of over 60,000 a season.
The "Old Mount" graced Winnipesaukee for a total of 67 years before being destroyed on December 23, 1939, by fire. She was tied up at dock when a fire started at a nearby railway station. The fire spread down the dock and engulfed her at her home port. Efforts to cut the Mount loose were to no avail as it was a time of extremely low water and the hull was stuck fast in the mud of the lake bottom.
SS, MV and MS
Mount Washington Soon after, a local company was formed to build a new ship. Since Europe was already at war, obtaining steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
was impossible. Instead, they purchased an old sidewheel vessel on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
: the Chateaugay, a 203-foot (62 m), iron-hulled sidewheeler that was being used as a clubhouse for the Burlington
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
yacht club. It was cut into sections and transported to Lake Winnipesaukee on rail cars. A new twin-screw vessel was designed for the hull being welded back together at Lakeport
Lakeport, New Hampshire
Lakeport is a village in the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, in the United States. The village is centered around a power dam on the short river channel between Paugus Bay to the north, and Opechee Bay to the south...
. Powered by two steam engines taken from another ocean-going yacht, the new Mount Washington made her maiden voyage on August 15, 1940.
Two years after her launch, the new Mounts engines were removed for use in a navy vessel during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war, the Mount Washington returned to the water but with diesel engines, hence the "M/V" prefix designating "motor vessel." The ship was a success in the post-war tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
boom although she became a money-maker in the 1980s under the ownership of Scott Brackett.
In 1982, the Mount was cut open and extended with an additional 20-foot (6 m) hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
section to add larger lounge and food service facilities. The larger size upped the ship's designation to M/S or "motor ship." More popular, the Mount makes one or two round-trips on the lake per day during the summer season, as well as numerous dinner dance cruises in the evenings.
In the first days of March 2010, the Mount was cut open, the unserviceable circa 1946 motors were removed (Enterprise DMG18 motors: 8cyl 615 hp), and the ship was repowered with two 'green' Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
motors, giving more power and economy to the ship.
Captains
- Augustus Wiggins was the first captain of the original steamer Mount Washington, in 1872. He was followed by Harry Wentworth. In 1908, Herbert A. Blackstone took command and remained in charge until 1921.
- Captain Leander Lavallee (deceased): Captain Lavallee was the captain of the steamer Mount Washington from 1921–1932 and again from 1935-1939. He oversaw the creation of the new SS Mount Washington.
- Captain Bryan Avery (deceased)
- Captain John Pettengill (deceased); worked from 1964–2005
- Captain Harry Welch, Sr. (retired)
- Captain James Morash: Captain Morash is the current general manager of the Winnipesaukee Flagship Corporation (WFC) as well as a captain.
- Captain Bruce Campbell: Behind Dr. Heald (see below), Captain Campbell is the longest-running crew member of the Mount. Captain Campbell has been with the Mount since 1969 when he started as a deckhand aboard the MV Sophie C.
- Captain Paul Smith: Paul joined the Mount crew in 1986. He was a deckhand, deck officer, skipper and pilot before becoming a captain.
- Captain Leo O'Connell: Captain O'Connell was promoted to captain in 2004 and is also safety director for WFC. Prior to that he held many positions, including skipper, deck officer and pilot. He is also a justice of the peace and performs many weddingWeddingA wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s on the lake.
Crew
- Dr. Bruce Heald is the most senior crew member of the MV Mount Washington. Dr. Heald has been a purserPurserThe purser joined the warrant officer ranks of the Royal Navy in the early fourteenth century and existed as a Naval rank until 1852. The development of the warrant officer system began in 1040 when five English ports began furnishing warships to King Edward the Confessor in exchange for certain...
aboard the Mount since 1964. He is the official historian for the Winnipesaukee Flagship Cooperation (WFC) fleet. In his years with WFC he has written several books on the history of the fleet as well as many others about Lake Winnipesaukee and New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. In 1994 the purser's office aboard the Mount was dedicated in his name for his 30 years of service and countless contributions to recording the history of the WFC fleet and Lake Winnipesaukee.
- Monty the Mallard is the official cruise mascot.
Seasonal cruises
The Mount cruises the waters of Winnipesaukee from late May through late October. At the height of summer she will embark on up to four cruises a day. The Mount has five ports of call: Meredith BayMeredith, New Hampshire
Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 6,241 at the 2010 census. Meredith is situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee. It is home to Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad...
, Center Harbor
Center Harbor, New Hampshire
Center Harbor is a town located in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 1,096, a number which multiplies severalfold during the summer months. It is situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam Lake.- History :Center Harbor...
, Wolfeboro
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
, Alton Bay
Alton Bay, New Hampshire
Alton Bay is an unincorporated village in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southeasternmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popular resort area of New Hampshire....
, and her home port of Weirs Beach
Weirs Beach, New Hampshire
Weirs Beach is a village within the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The cruise ship Mount Washington terminates there...
. At night the boat travels the lake with no stops at ports for a scenic dinner dance cruise.
Winter harbor
In the winter the Mount stays at its winter home at the port in Center HarborCenter Harbor, New Hampshire
Center Harbor is a town located in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 1,096, a number which multiplies severalfold during the summer months. It is situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam Lake.- History :Center Harbor...
. Bubblers in the water around the Mount keep the water from freezing and protect the boat from ice damage. There is also a marine railway at Center Harbor that can be used to pull the massive ship entirely from the water. The task of pulling the Mount from the lake is a large one and only undertaken when a major maintenance job requires it.
Sister ships
The MS Mount Washington has two smaller sister ships in the fleet. Both were constructed from spare boat parts from the US NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
MV Doris E
The Doris E makes daily scenic island cruises and stops in the port of MeredithMeredith, New Hampshire
Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 6,241 at the 2010 census. Meredith is situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee. It is home to Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad...
. The Doris is 68 feet in length and has its own snack bar, drinks, and bathroom.