USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30)

History
Builder	Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC)
Laid down	February 09, 2004
Launched	April 2, 2005
Commissioned	June 10, 2006
Homeport	Cheboygan MI
General characteristics
Displacement	3,500 tons
Length	240 ft (73 m)
Beam	58.5 ft (17.8 m)
Draft	16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion	Integrated Main Propulsion & Electrical Plant; ABB Azipod - Fixed Pitch, 10’ diameter; 9,119 shp (6.8 MW);
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement	9 Officers, 46 Enlisted
Capacity	130,896 US gal (495 kl) (Diesel fuel); 27,500 US gal (104 kl) (potable water);

USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30) is a 240-foot (73 m) vessel built as a heavy icebreaker for operations on the North American Great Lakes for the United States Coast Guard.^[1] IMO number: 9271054. She should not be confused with a namesake ship, the USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83), IMO number: IMO 6119534, which was decommissioned on June 10, 2006.

Background

Mackinaw was delivered to the Coast Guard on November 18, 2005 and commissioned on June 10, 2006. In addition to her ice-breaking duties, the Mackinaw will also serve as an Aids to Navigation ship, able to perform the same duties as the Seagoing Buoy Tenders (WLB) of the Coast Guard fleet. Further, she can conduct law enforcement and search and rescue missions and can deploy an oil skimming system to respond to oil spill situations and environmental response.^[1]

Mechanical specifications

One of the Mackinaw's unique features in the US Coast Guard fleet is the use of two Azipod units, ABB's brand of electric azimuth thrusters, for her main propulsion. These, coupled with a 550 hp (410 kW) bow thruster, make the ship exceptionally maneuverable. The Azipod units also remove the need for a traditional rudder, as the thrusters can turn 360 degrees around their vertical axis to direct their thrust in any direction. The Mackinaw also lacks a traditional ship's steering wheel. Much of the ship’s technology, including the Azipod thrusters, is from Finnish Maritime Cluster.^[1] Additionally, the Mackinaw can continuously proceed through fresh water ice up to 32 inches (81 cm) thick at 3 knots or 14 inches (36 cm) at 10 knots. She can also break smooth, continuous ice up to 42 inches (107 cm) thick through ramming.

History

The Mackinaw got off to a rocky start before being commissioned. While en route to her new home port of Cheboygan, Michigan, the Mackinaw struck a seawall in Grand Haven, Michigan on December 12, 2005. The accident caused a 10-foot (3.0 m) dent in the bow of the Mackinaw on her starboard side. Shortly after the accident, Captain Donald Triner, the commanding officer of the Mackinaw, was temporarily relieved of duty pending an investigation into the accident. The accident did not delay the ship's scheduled arrival in her new home port; she arrived on December 17, 2005. Captain Triner was later permanently relieved of duty^[2] and replaced by Captain Michael Hudson, who was replaced in turn by Commander John Little in April 2006. CDR Scott J. Smith assumed command in July 2008 and was relieved by CDR Michael J. Davanzo in Aug, 2011.

The Mackinaw can be seen and toured at Grand Haven's Coast Guard Festival every summer. The ship was also featured on the television series Modern Marvels.

Gallery

USCGC Mackinaw on launch day, April 2, 2005.
Breaking the champagne bottle on the bow of USCGC Mackinaw on launch day, April 2, 2005.
Closeup of one of the ship's Azipods.
USCGC Mackinaw sliding towards the river during the launch.
USCGC Mackinaw impacting the river.
The Mackinaw's Engineering Control Center, where the engineering watchstanders monitor the ship's machinery