From Wind to Steam

From Wind to Steam. . , Can you feel it? Hear it? , It is a rare day that the wind doesn't blow on the lake. It is this wind that powered the early vessels on the Great Lakes. They were at the wind's mercy to move people and goods around the lakes. , , The schooner became the favorite commercial sailing vessel as it was cheaper to build and easier to sail than other designs. Schooners dominated the lakes by the mid-1800s. , , One shipbuilder, James Davidson, was especially noted for his immense wooden steam ships that exceeded 300 feet in length. Other shipbuilders facing increased difficulty acquiring lumber turned to iron and steel to construct their vessels. Steel vessels were stronger and lighter than wooden ships of the same size, and their sizes continued to grow. Today, the largest ship on the Great Lakes is over 1,000 feet long! , , Soon after the Civil War the number of steam powered vessels increased. Fueled by cool or wood, these steamers didn't have to rely on wind and could follow regular schedules. As steam technology advanced ships became increasingly larger, faster and more efficient. , , Steam vessels were so efficient that on one tent's worth of fuel they could move 2,000 pounds of cargo 170 miles at 13.2 miles an hour!