The SS J.L. Mauthe, was originally a straight-deck bulk carrier steamship, hull #298, built in 1952 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works on the River Rogue, Michigan site and delivered to its owner, Interlake Steamship Company.^[1][2][3] The SS J.L. Mauthe operated as a self-propelled vessel for 46 years. Upon conversion into a barge, it was renamed as Pathfinder and is currently active on the lakes as an articulated tug-barge unit, paired with the tug Dorothy Ann.^[2]

Operating History

Self-propelled

The SS J.L. Mauthe is one of the eight AAA class American ships, originally built with a length of 647 ft (197.2 m) in the 1950s.^[4] Seven of the eight AAA class vessels, including the J.L. Mauthe, are still operational today, making the AAA class one of the most successful designs on the Great Lakes.^[4]

By 1979, all the ships in the AAA class, except for the SS J.L. Mauthe and the SS William Clay Ford, had been converted into self unloaders,^[5] and by the early 1980s, the J.L. Mauthe was being used to transport large quantities of grain.^[5]

In 1992, SS J.L. Mauthe avoided collision when the SS Cason J. Callaway cut in front of SS J.L. Mauthe to arrive at the Shell fuel dock first.^[6] Having sustained damage and wear through the progression of years, the vessel fell behind other AAA class ships^[3] and was put into layup in 1993.

Barge

In 1997-1998, the Interlake Steamship Company converted the SS J.L. Mauthe into a self-unloading barge, and renamed to the vessel SS Pathfinder in 1998.^[5]

Pathfinder was coupled with the pusher tug MT Joyce L. VanEnkevort from 1998 to 1999,^[7] until the Interlake Steamship Company built their new Z-drive tug, called the MT Dorothy Ann, which has sailed with Pathfinder as a tug-barge unit.^[2]