A GREAT LAKES SAILOR
Alan DeFrain - Part 1
by Janis Stein

While the number of sailors making their living has decreased significantly over the decades, some still call the Great Lakes their home away from home. Over the next several months, we will “ride along” with current sailor Alan DeFrain as he reflects on his 30+ years in the sailing industry.

Florida resident Alan DeFrain splits his time between the Sunshine State and sailing on Michigan’s Great Lakes. Whenever he had the chance, according to his mother’s memories, Alan spent his childhood days in Harbor Beach down by the lake, looking out over the water and watching the freighters traverse Lake Huron. Old-timers will say sailing just gets in a person’s blood; it’s no wonder Alan has spent the majority of the last 34 years (and counting) working on the boats. Often the hobbies pursued in childhood become the passions in adulthood; sometimes, though, there are a few detours along the way.

Growing up, Alan achieved much of his grade school education at Our Lady of Lake Huron before transferring to Harbor Beach Community Schools where he graduated from high school in 1969. All grown up, Alan had some decisions to make about his future, and so it was he struck out for Port Huron where he would begin his college instruction at St. Clair Community College before transferring to Lawrence Institute of Technology.

During the spring of 1971, Alan decided to earn money working on the lakes during his summer break, as was common among many college students of the day. Meeting the 18-year-old age requirement to sail, Alan contacted hometown sailor Earl “Clare” McArthur to learn what he needed to do to obtain his merchant marine card.

At the time, Clare worked for Republic Steel as First Mate on the Peter Robertson. When Alan completed the school term, the Robertson picked him up in Port Huron where he gained experience working as a deckhand. Alan found he enjoyed this sailing job. The nice weather and summer sun made the days on the lake most enjoyable.

All too soon, the fall session at Lawrence University began and, for Alan, it was back to the books. During his college days, Alan spent a second summer working on the lakes, the latter under the employ of Bethlehem Steel.

In 1974, Alan achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture. Unfortunately, while Alan had been working his way through college, the housing market declined; upon graduation, Alan couldn’t find a job in the architectural field despite his best efforts. And, he needed to repay his student loans. Though the possibility arose of working for a structural engineering company in Cleveland, Alan opted instead to return to the boats: He’s been working on the Great Lakes ever since.

Alan immediately gained employment with U.S. Steel working as a deckhand. After he completed the minimum amount of time and experience on the lakes, Alan attended school in Cleveland, Ohio, to work his way up the ranks, the classes offered by the Lake Carriers Association. During the mid-70s, Alan worked as an Able Bodied (AB) Seaman aboard the B.F. Affleck and the Ralph H. Watson. One season led to another, and Alan began working on two of U.S. Steel’s “Double A” boats, which were the Leon Fraser and the Benjamin F. Fairless.

Workhorses, these boats hauled grain out the St. Lawrence Seaway before returning with a load of iron ore. Alan was at the bottom of the seniority list, which also meant he was at the top of the relief list. Though he would miss the first call, he’d get on these boats and, in the meantime, he gained experience sailing the Seaway. As an AB, Alan would need to make 12 round trips to write his pilotage for the rivers.

On February 16, 1979, Alan sailed aboard the Edwin H. Gott on her maiden voyage on the Great Lakes, sailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota. The entire Great Lakes had frozen over - including Superior. In Great Lakes history, this would be the earliest maiden voyage of the season. A Coast Guard cutter escorted the new freighter all the way. The powers-at-be had wanted to move the freighter, and she had been built - supposedly - to travel through ice. En route, the Gott encountered ice so heavy by the time she arrived at Two Harbors, she had damage to her hull. Worn out from the journey, the Gott laid up in Two Harbors until her repairs were completed in late April.

Working as an AB aboard the Gott, Alan arrived at a decision one day: He wanted to write for his mate’s license. During the early spring of 1980, he did just that, traveling to Duluth where the Lake Carriers offered a school.

Alan remained under the employ of U.S. Steel until 1980. The sinking economy caused havoc on the lakes and, when the steel industry began to slow, Alan’s union succeeded in placing him with Cleveland Tankers where he would do relief work. The transition from the Lakers to the tankers proved difficult, though, and Alan was able to return to U.S. Steel in 1981.

In 1981, Alan returned to the Gott, working as Third Mate. During one of the Gott’s many trips into Two Harbors, Alan had made a sufficient number of trips between his time with Cleveland Tankers and his trips when he rode the Double A’s on the St. Lawrence Seaway to write for his Lake Ontario pilotage. Later in the season, he would work as Third Mate aboard the Edgar B. Spear. During the month of September, Alan made plans to travel on his own to the testing center in Duluth where he gained his pilotage for Lake Ontario.

The superiors at U.S. Steel took note of Alan’s interest and dedication and, since they were no longer running the Double A’s down the St. Lawrence Seaway, U.S. Steel asked Alan if he would like to ride the Canadian boats to garner enough trips to write for his St. Lawrence pilotage. Alan agreed.

Because of a strike by the air traffic controllers, Alan got off the boat at Conneaut, Ohio, and took a bus over to the Welland Canal. Alan rode the Canadian boats for the next five weeks to gain the trips he needed to write for his St. Lawrence license. During this time, U.S. Steel reimbursed him for his expenses. U.S. Steel would invest these extra dollars in only those sailors who were serious about gaining pilotage.

When the specified number of trips had been completed, Alan returned to St. Ignace to write for his pilotage from Cape Vincent to St. Regis Island, which is near Massena, New York. He also shared his intentions to write for pilotage from St. Regis to Montreal. The testing center authorities claimed, however, they didn’t issue the second route. After a quick telephone call to U.S. Steel, the testing center acknowledged they would allow it. In February, Alan returned to St. Ignace to write for his pilotage from St. Regis to Montreal as well as for the Welland Canal.

Be sure to look for the continuation next month as Alan DeFrain continues his sailing adventure.

© 2008 Stein Expressions, LLC