By Mark Varenhorst, MCP Contributing Writer
October 7, 2025 found me boarding the S.S. Badger for a trip to Manitowoc, Wis. and then to Fincantieri Bay Ship Building in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., — known to locals as Bay Ship. I boarded the Badger at 7 a.m. that morning meeting up with my editor and friend Rob Alway. When onboard I am always looking to talk to the crew of the Badger. I knew I would be trying to track down some of them as we traveled the four hour trip, but my main thoughts were ahead to the shipyard.
The articulated tug/barge Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 (read Rob Alway’s story published earlier this week here) were to be at Bay Ship for a five year inspection. This is mainly for the tug as it is crewed but both would be getting some tender loving care from the folks at Bay Ship along with U.S. Coast Guard approval.

Nate Poort, center, stands watch over the gauges during docking maneuvers of the Badger.
Originally it had been planned for me to catch the Undaunted in Chicago and ride with them to Marinette, Wis. then across Green Bay to the shipyard. The trip had been arranged by Chuck Leonard, general manager of both Lake Michigan Car Ferry (which operates the Badger) and Interlake Logistics Solutions (which operates the tug/barge). Both are owned by Interlake Maritime Services which operates the largest shipping fleet on the Great Lakes. But, the weather had changed and heavy winds had come into the forecast. Chuck highly recommended that I postpone my tug ride for another day. Actually, that was quite a relief as knowing the winds were coming I could only think of the ride I would have had and the pain I would have been for the crew. Thank you, Chuck.
So now here we were riding the Badger. I went about finding my first person to talk to and it ended up being Nathan Poort, a qualified member of the engineering department (QMED). We talked a bit in the engine room and then went up to the car deck where things were much quieter. Anyone who reads MCP has read of Nathan and his family in articles before.
I had read them also before I began writing for MCP, so I was indeed familiar with him. Poort was born in Maryland and at one time worked for a sediment control company there working heavy equipment and doing mechanical work. He traveled a lot with his family as his father was military.
“I still remember sitting sideways on those planes so many years ago” said Nathan. Here on the Badger, he went from coal passer to fireman to oiler. I have watched him a couple times now as they are going through docking maneuvers with the ferry, answering the telegraph from the bridge while others move everything manually to operate the engines. It really is quite a piece of teamwork to watch them go through this each time. Remember the Badger has no auto pilot nor parking assist!

Ray Shaw, project manager for Bay Shipping
The Shipyard
The evening of October 7 we spent some time in at Sunset Park, next to the shipyard, running drones to get some distant views of the setup and finding where the tug and barge were located. Bay Ship is much larger than it appears on its website. It is a sprawling yard in constant motion.
On October 8 we arrived in the morning at Bay Ship. After checking in with the Safety Department we got our marching orders and headed out. A walk across the yard area past many ships at piers or in dry docks found us arriving at the Undaunted and PM 41. We had passed by vessels we did know including the tug/barge Spartan and Spartan II which operate out of Ludington for Oxy. The Spartan tug was high and dry in a dry dock while the Spartan II barge was floating at a pier near the Undaunted. The strangest sight was the Discovery. She is a new build ship that is to be finished in 2026 and services the wind turbines in the ocean. This is one odd looking duck one would say.
We were met by Ray Shaw of Bay Ship. Ray made sure we had our safety equipment and we headed into the yard. As we made our way to the Undaunted, they were awaiting the work crews from Bay Ship to all arrive. I figured given the time scheduled when they were to disconnect the Undaunted from the PM 41and looking at the people around there was no way it would happen quickly. I was wrong. Shaw took us to the side of the tug where we met up with Chuck and talked a few moments. Then the work crew seems to descend upon us and in short order, the Undaunted floated free of her charge.

The Undaunted
Ray was born and raised in Algoma, Wis., about 17 miles south of Sturgeon Bay. He has been with Bay Ship for three years and is a project manager/repairs. Ray is very much into his history and loves working on the vessels that come in for repairs including the Badger. He has quite a connection there as his great-grandfather, also named Ray Shaw, worked for Christy Corp. — the predecessor of the modern Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding — when the Badger was being built . His great-grandfather actually helped light off the Badger’s boilers the first time! That was quite interesting to learn and is amazing the little things you learn as you just stand talking to someone you’ve only met recently. Ray has a connection indeed to the Badger and Ludington.
About 10:30 a.m. the Undaunted moved under her own power to the small graving dock that was nearby. This dock, according to Shaw, is actually an old ship that was put there many years ago and repurposed for this use.
Bay Ship is a very busy place right now and luckily the Undaunted fit nicely into this spot. We watched closely as she was finally secured into a spot and the doors behind her closed by one of the tugs pushing them shut while workers cranked a winch pulling a cable on them tight continually. Then the Bay Ship crew was all over those doors securing them and sealing them up. Once everything was sealed up and secured the pumping out of the graving dock began. We would not see the Undaunted out of the water until much later.
While we watched them secure the tug in her spot I was asking Ray about Bay Ship. “Well, we handle emergency repairs as needed”. He mentioned different ships and vessels that had been in, MV Stewart Cort with a boom issue, MV Lee Tregurtha with a blade issue (propeller).
“The winter fleet is our repair ship area’s bread and butter” he said. That is referring to the winter lay up of lake freighters that tie up there for maintenance in the off season for shipping on the Great Lakes.
With the tug secured we were done for the day at the yard. The PM 41 was not to move until the next morning to the floating dry dock “Wisconsin”.
Morning found us back at the yard and heading right to the 41. We stopped at the Undaunted in the graving dock and on getting permission from Ray we entered the dry dock down via a stairway and in moments were standing next to the hull of the Undaunted, minus the water.
It’s an odd feeling walking around about 12 feet below water level looking at those gates, water trickling in and the pumps removing it just as fast. We walked all around the hull looking up at the bow thrusters and rudder, propeller and such. Each time near those doors I kept thinking “how fast will this fill if the door lets go”. Evidently it did not bother me enough as I kept looking about. Then we were on to the 41 and her spot.
The floating dry dock Wisconsin had been flooded and now just about two feet of her sides showed above the water near the dock. They do this by pumping water onto the dry dock to sink it, and then when the work is done, pumping the water out and it rises. Pretty simple, just unusual. A floating dry dock like this can if needed be moved to different locations where it is needed. This time we were prepared and found that almost within moments of the scheduled time of moving her, three tugs had arrived. Two small tugs and one larger one.
Moving the barge was manpower intensive. There was quite the crew there from Bay Ship along with people from Interlake Logistics who had remained at the yard. We watched with Ray Shaw the supervisor as the two smaller tugs positioned themselves at bow and stern of the barge 41. With the help of the two smaller tugs the 41 was maneuvered into the Wisconsin and positioned near the center. This was achieved by the small tug Kyrstal pulling hard on her bow to keep her off the side of the dry dock while the other tug kept her stern in place against currents in the bay. A couple of times the barge rubbed the sides of the dry dock but the little tug would pull harder and slowly move her over. I kept wondering as I watched them position her in the middle and heaving lines being thrown, how does the little tug get out of there?
Watching the entire maneuver, you could see the tug was quite close to the front of the dry dock and the dock it was next to! Once all lines were in place they let go the tow lines from the tug and I got my answer. If you have ever watched the movie “Austin Powers”, you remember a scene where he has a golf cart stuck in a hallway jockeying back and forth to turn around. You guessed it. The little tug snuck out of the end of the dry dock and then crept around between the dry dock and the dock bumping and grinding and backing up and moving until, finally, it had a straight shot to the bay and away it went. I just marveled at the moving her about until they hit open water. If I had not been there to witness how it got out of there I never would have guessed.
We watched them secure the barge and then we headed out of the yard for the day intent on coming back the next morning to see the 41 high and dry sitting in the dry dock. Mother nature intervened again. We understood heavy weather and winds were coming in and the sailing of the Badger for us to come home might be cancelled for the day, so after talking to Chuck Leonard it was decided, head out a day early and beat the weather.
By the time you read this the Undaunted should be well on her way through her repairs which include a new propeller and removing the rudder to replace a bearing on the propeller shaft. Maybe in a couple of weeks we will see the Undaunted/PM41 slide into Ludington again. Until then she is in the very capable hands of Ray Shaw and Bay Ship, and very capable hands they are. Thanks Ray, for taking the time to route us to the right areas, and thanks Chuck, for the opportunity to be in the yard and watch all this happen. One of these days I will ride the Undaunted yet!
Part 3: Keeping the tug Undaunted maintained
Filer Credit Union features offices in Manistee, Ludington and Bear Lake, 800-595-6630, www.filercu.com
The Mason County Historical Society is a non-profit charitable organization that was founded in 1937 that does not receive any governmental funding. It owns and operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum in Ludington, Historic White Pine Village in Pere Marquette Township, and The Rose Hawley Archives and the Mason County Emporium and Sweet Shop in downtown Ludington.
The Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, located at 217 S. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington, is currently open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Tuesday, May 27 when it will be open Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesdays through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about donating to and/or joining the Mason County Historical Society, visit masoncountymihistory.org.
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