One of the most famous vessels of modern times to prowl the Great Lakes is an icebreaker - the USCGC Mackinaw. Built in Toledo during WWII, she set the standard by which future icebreakers were measured.

With a crew of 75, WAGB-83 displaces 5000 tons; her 6 diesel engines can make 18.7 knots. Primary duties are icebraking, and search & rescue. The Mackinaw performs her mission exclusively on the Great Lakes. Last I knew, the Mackinaw is home ported at Cheyboygen Michigan (also home to the Cheyboygen Crib Light).

The Mackinaw is a sleek good looking ship. She has history and appeal on her side and is the type of vessel on which the Anchor Bay line *should* focus. If HL has any hopes of breaking out of their home-base of appeal to lighthouse lovers and reaching a wider audience, they'll need to do it with ships like the Mackinaw. Composite luxury cruisers and tuna boats don't *seem* to have a strong enough draw.

And for the A/B analog of Navesink, how 'bout a model of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Rgds,
__
/im [never know - Harry might be listening!]

I've heard from Michigan locals who are in a position to know that the USCG Cutter Mackinaw and the Edmund Fitzgerald are both under development for Anchor Bay.

I well remember the beautiful sleek white cutter escorting the sailboat fleet from Port Huron to Mackinac Island in Bayview Yacht Club's annual race up Lake Huron.

The Edmund Fitzgerald will make an important addition to the Anchor Bay line too - perhaps sold in matched number sets with the Harbour Lights' Whitefish Point lighthouse -- the one that wasn't working the night the Fitz sunk into history.

>>Another idea could be the production of the Monitor and Merrimac shooting it out in Chesapeake Bay.

I say suh, I do say you must not have had a sufficiency of grits this morning. [g,d&r]

That Yankee cheesebox on a raft, the Monitor, and the valiant Southern ironclad *C.S.S. Virginia* dueled in the mouth of the Chesapeake at Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862. In her previous life, prior to being raised after scuttling by the Yankees, the Virginia had been the decommisioned USS Merrimack.

>>That great rippling water being torn by the blast from a canon. WOW!!

As long as its not accompanied by Cape Canaveral-like smoke. [g]

It is certainly an interesting idea for the Anchor Bay line and agree it probably would sell very well! I too hope they do more lightships - the lighthouse tender is a very good idea.

Rgds,
__
/im