interlake sailboats

Interlake Sailing Class Association

Class contact information.

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One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 100

Photo Credit:Lisa Aspery

Photo Credit: Celtic Girl Travels

Photo Credit: Lisa Aspery

About Interlake Sailing Class Association

The Interlake Sailing Class has something for everyone, and has been providing the best of racing and fellowship for nearly 100 years! Our goal has always been to be a Midwest regional class and to promote high-level competition in a friendly atmosphere. Members not only value the feel and performance of the boat, as well as the competition, but also enjoy the festivities which surround the events. This philosophy has served the class well for over seventy years. “Extremely tactical” is the way multi-class champion George Fisher describes Interlake racing. “The stiff mast makes a great equalizer,” says George. This fact also allows the skipper to tune into the great feel and responsiveness of the boat and concentrate on wind and tactics . . . not tweaking the rig. Interlake racing is tight!

“Our mission is to create an environment that promotes keen and friendly competition with an emphasis on teaching and assisting the entry-level sailor. The ISCA is committed to growth through the managing of sales, distribution, and marketing of the Interlake boat.”

Boats Produced: 1450

Class boat builder(s):

Customflex Terry Kilpatrick (419) 349-6109 [email protected]

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 500

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

Ohio, Michigan, Indiana

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  2-3

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  400

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating:   90

Boat Designed in  1933

Length (feet/inches): 18′

Beam: 6′ 3″

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 650

Draft: Board Up: 8″ Board Down: 4′ 7″

Mast Height: 24′

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My Class, My Story: Interlake

• By Jim Ward
• Updated: July 2, 2019

A surreal emotion sweeps over me as I peel back the stiff canvas cover, exposing my Interlake to the warm July morning sun. The routine of rigging my boat before the day’s race will be the same as it’s always been, but this time, the experience will be different. Dad is no longer beside me, meticulously preparing the boat as he always did, checking control lines for chafe, inspecting every bit of hardware and gliding his hands over the foils to confirm their perfection. That’s how we would rig my Interlake together—until 2012, when cancer suddenly took him.

It’s amazing how a simple sound can extract a memory from deep within. When I hear water slapping the Interlake’s flared bow, its hard chine sluicing through a choppy Sandusky Bay, just as it was designed to do, I think of Dad.

It’s also a sound that draws the happiest memories of sailing with my family, of junior sailing practices and the laughter, fun and freedom of being a carefree teenager on the water. It’s a sound that has bonded me to the Interlake for decades.

Like many of us, I was lucky to discover sailing through my parents, both of whom were outstanding sailors with a genuine love and passion for the sport. Dad won a handful of national championships in the Columbia 26 and Tartan 10 classes. He was calm on and off the water and had a knack for making the boat go a touch faster than any boat around him. I crewed for him for many years, unknowingly soaking up his lessons and wisdom.

When I was very young, I would sit behind Dad during windy races on Wine Squall , the family T-10.

This was the safest spot on the boat for a child, and it allowed me to have the perfect seat to watch him drive through the waves. Dad’s best friend, Jack Mueller—who was always the main trimmer in any large regatta we ever sailed—was also a great teacher, a very accomplished sailor, and class builder for many years for the Lightning and Snipe classes. He was also a man who graced any room he entered with a legendary smile and laugh.

Jack shared the same calm demeanor as Dad, making them a great combination. I learned a great deal watching them sail together over the years.

As I grew older, I was given the opportunity to move forward in the boat, from behind the tiller, to trimming the jib, to even sharing the helm with my father during the North Americans. He and Jack worked well together, always reminding the team that boatspeed was essential, but sailing on the correct side of the course was always more important.

They shared the same perspective that winning was great—but not as important as enjoying our time on the water together. They both had a great feel, and they taught me a great deal when it came to sailing in waves. They were always discussing heel angle, traveler height and how the bow felt going through the chop.

They also had the great ability to forget a poor result, and follow up a bad race with a strong finish to save a series.

RELATED: My Class, My Story: Capri 25

My parents enjoyed sailing together and to make a point of it, they always registered as George and Nancy Ward in any major regatta they ever entered, a tradition my wife Jayme and I continue to this day. In their honor, the T-10 class now awards the Ward Trophy at the annual North American Championship to the top placing husband and wife team.

Sportsmanship was always very important to my father too. He viewed sailing much like running a business: If you treat people with respect, act honestly and avoid conflict whenever necessary, you will generally come out on the winning side of things. After his passing, the Sandusky Sailing Club graciously honored my dad by naming their annual sportsmanship award after him. One of his best friends, Rex Carper, a legendary bowman for many years on Wine Squall , designed and donated a beautiful trophy.

After graduating from ­college long ago, I found myself looking for a place to settle and a small boat I could campaign on my own. The Sandusky Sailing Club in Ohio was an obvious choice. The dry-sail area at the club was forever teeming with Interlakes, which the club commissioned in 1933, and the local fleet, with as many as 40 boats at the time, was an active group.

The Interlake was the work of Francis Sweisguth, who also designed the Star. Sweisguth was hired to develop a centerboard dinghy uniquely designed for Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay.

Eighteen feet long, easy to trailer, rig and sail, it was the perfect boat for the club. Its bow glides easily through the tight chop that we often have on the bay and the right amount of heel angle greatly affects how the boat performs, in flat water or waves.

My first Interlake was an older model, which I raced for a few years. It was a good boat and I had a great time learning more about the class and what would be required of me to race at a higher level.

Every year, the week before the national championship, Dad and I would get together, go over the boat and make sure it was ready for the regatta. He was a believer in setting up for success before leaving the dock for the first race, so he instilled in me one key element of sailboat racing: If my equipment, rigging, sails and crew are in order, I have no excuse to lose.

One appealing trait of the Interlake is its simplicity. The mast is easy to step, and without spreaders, it’s easy to tune. Dad and I would step the mast together and double check the tuning numbers.

He was a believer in ­having settings that are easy to replicate on the racecourse. We would confirm our mast rake and trim marks on the jib sheets, centerboard and traveler lines to ensure they were in line with baseline settings. We would inspect the centerboard to make sure it hung at the perfect angle in the boat. We’d replace any small items we thought could potentially fail, leaving nothing to chance.

Sailing is a wonderful distraction from life’s woes, which is why I committed to racing as much as possible. Dad would have approved.

The older I got, the more I enjoyed this time with him. As an engineer, he thought about things differently than I. He preferred listening to talking, but he always thoughtfully answered any question I asked. I eventually saved enough money to buy a new Interlake from Customflex.

Terry Kilpatrick was building them at the time, and the process of creating a boat with him was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Kilpatrick and his wife, Karen, are two of the kindest people I’ve ever met and with them it was more than a boatbuilding exercise. It was family bonding. He allowed me to get as involved in the build process as I wanted. I would visit them on the weekends. Terry would let me lend a hand with the lay-up and rigging.

I met my wife while racing Interlakes, and Kilpatrick worked with the two of us so the boat was rigged for her to be able to easily reach and pull control lines. He’s the only Yale-educated boatbuilder I’ve ever met, and the care and intelligence he put into building boats was remarkable. I wanted to add a custom teak rub rail around the boat because I liked the way it looked—it added a touch of the past to the new boat.

Kilpatrick spent hours working on that rail, and the finished product looks fantastic to this day. A handful of other owners eventually asked for teak rails too, and I feel good knowing he probably cursed my name each time he added one to a new hull. He has since retired, but today, Wes Blazer, of Weatherly Boat Works in Port Clinton, Ohio, builds Interlakes in the same meticulous manner. The boats remain an incredible value considering the craftsmanship and care that goes into each build.

In 2012, the Interlake Nationals were scheduled for North Cape YC in LaSalle, Michigan. North Cape is a special place for me because my grandfather, whose name I proudly bear, was a founding member. He was the club’s second commodore and my parents held their wedding reception there many years ago. My good friend Jay Mueller—Jack’s son—and I had the event ­circled on our calendars for years, and we were really looking forward to it. We’d sailed a Snipe Junior Nationals together at North Cape many years earlier and we’d always looked forward to returning for a regatta of some sort. Jay lived in Connecticut and came back for a few regattas every year.

We’d always enjoyed sailing with one another, so teaming up for Nationals was something we had to do.

When my dad passed away earlier that year, it was hard on the family. Sailing, however, is a wonderful distraction from life’s woes, which is why I committed to racing as much as possible. Dad would have approved.

Leading up to the Interlake Nationals, Jay and I raced major events in everything we could get our hands on: T-10s, J/24s, Lightnings and Interlakes. When Nationals finally rolled around in July, I truly felt we were ready.

Dad, of course, would have expected nothing less.

We won both races on the first day, but our great friends and rivals, Skip Dieball and his crew Jeff Eiber, came back strong to tie the series before the final race. We had some fortunate breaks in that race and crossed the finish line overlapped with Dieball and Eiber, so I was overcome with happiness when the race committee acknowledged we’d won. At the awards ceremony, Dieball gave a gracious speech, mentioning my dad and how special the event was for both of us. I remember his kind words today and will always look back on that regatta with a belief that it all came together at the right time.

After racing, I methodically secured the Interlake’s deck cover, closing the boat like a journal, full of memories and thoughts of Dad, my wife, Jack, Terry and Jay—all of whom have influenced me in more ways than I’ll ever know.

These are the influencers in my life, but it’s also this 18-foot fiberglass boat, designed ages ago for a much different purpose, that has defined my life and who I am today.

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November 30, 1999 by Sail1Design Editor 2 Comments

From the class association: The Interlake is one of those “best kept secrets.”  Many sailors are not familiar with the design.  It has to do with approach.  The class has been strong since day one.  There simply has never been a huge marketing blitz.  The class just never wanted to be part of the international scene.  The goal has always been to be a Midwest regional class and to promote high level competition in a friendly atmosphere.  Members not only value the feel and performance of the boat, as well as the competition, but also enjoy the festivities which surround the events.  This philosophy has served the class well for over seventy years.  Not only has the class remained active and healthy, but members have competed well in the prestigious U.S.S.A. Champion of Champions Regatta, and served on U.S. Sailing’s Executive Committee.

The Interlake was commissioned by the Sandusky Sailing Club in 1933.  Francis Sweisguth, who had already designed the Star, was hired to develop a boat for the waters of Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay.  The craft was to be tactical with a good turn of speed, raced by two to three people and also accommodate four or more adults for a comfortable day sail.  It needed to be easily trailerable and easy to sail.  The result was the Interlake.  (It also singlehands very well).

When examining the Interlake the graceful similarities with the Star’s lines are immediately noticeable.  This accounts for the incredible feel.  Further investigation reveals a sail plan that is simple to rig, simple to sail, and full of performance.  In fact, today’s hottest new designs (the expensive sport boats) have rigs remarkably similar to the Interlake’s.  Details such as:  a large roachy main, smaller 110% jib, fractional rigging, and no backstay are similarities to both designs.  This simple rigging not only produces turnkey speed, but also makes trailering a breeze.  The Interlake is also built to last.  Twenty plus year old boats still win the Nationals.  They just keep going and going . . .

Generations and Genders    When sailing an Interlake you can expect a dry ride (in most conditions), good upwind ability, smooth planing off the wind, and good speed at deep sailing angles.  Acceleration is good, better than with most similar dingy classes (such as the Lightning or Flying Scot), and maneuverability is exceptional.  The helm is light and responsive, immediately telling the skipper what to do.  If the skipper doesn’t listen, the boat simply goes a little slower . . . it won’t break anything or throw the crew in the drink (like a Laser might!).  All the basic controls are there to adjust the sails to the conditions.  Then just trim and go.  The straight ahead nature allows performance at peak level without a lot of tweaking.  Not only is it fun to go fast, but this makes the Interlake an extremely tactical boat.

The only way to truly understand that this is just part of the story is to take a ride.  Yet the best part of the class is not the boat, but the sailors.  Sailors who cheerfully share their knowledge because they enjoy close competition.  Sailors who keep the good times going off the water as well.  The Interlake and the company it keeps are, well, . . . irresistible.

INTERLAKE SPECIFICATIONS Length: 18′ 0″ Beam: 6′ 3″

DRAFT: Board Up: 8″ Board Down: 4′ 7″

Displacement: 650 lbs.

Racing Crew: 2 or 3

SAIL AREA Main: 125 sq. ft. Jib: 50 sq. ft. Spinnaker: 200 sq. ft.

Class website: http://www.interlakesailing.org/

Reader Interactions

May 16, 2021 at 15:58

I sure would like to find one . Not a creampuff or a project boat but a nice clean strong boat . I am not sure about the wide deck or the one with the built in seating. I would guess the one with built in seats would be for me as I am in my late 70’s and would like to be able to stretch out on the seat for a easy leisurely sail.

September 27, 2022 at 12:39

I have a wide deck model. Hull 206. They rails are just about the perfect sitting space. I haven’t seen a built in bench model but I image the benches would be too narrow to be cofortable. Some deck models have benches. Mine come with them, but they weren’t installed. I would be willing to sell them if you end up with a wide deck model. They are teak. The hulls are tough, and boat is really a joy to sail. And friend and I just sailed from Astoria to Cathlamet, Wa last week. Plained a good stretch of the way. Love this boat.

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Sailors compete in Interlake National Regatta on Charles Mills Lake

LUCAS — For the first time in 57 years, Charles Mills Lake hosted the Interlake Sailing Class Association National Regatta.

Competitors from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Washington D.C. competed in the regatta. The winner of the National regatta will represent the Interlake Class Representative in the "Championship of Champions."

"It was a great event. We had plenty of breeze and plenty of wind on both days," said William Sanderson, the commodore of the Mohican Sailing Club and the Local National Regatta Chairman. "Actually three days because Wednesday was the women and juniors. We got eight races completed for the championship racing.

"The race committee had to set a course that was hard to set because of the direction of the wind was more squarely coming from the West, which is the skinny part. It's much better on this lake if it's going north or south but it never did because we had a thunderstorm coming this way."

The racing champion for the Interlake National Regatta was the group of Matt Fisher, Jamie Jones and Jim Ward from the Hoover Sailing Club in Westerville, Ohio. 

Second place was the group led by Brian Parker from the Sandusky Sailing Club in Sandusky. Third place went to the group of Nate Ireland, Bridget Ireland and Vincent Ireland also from the Hoover Sailing Club.

"The racing was high competition," said Sanderson. "There were several past national champions in the regatta this year but the guy who won it was also an international national champion. The team that finished second and third did an outstanding job. They were really pushing hard and the top three battled it out. It was pretty amazing."

The last day of the regatta was scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday but the race was cut short early due to thunderstorm warnings. 

"Most of the competitors were ok with taking the side of safety and cancelling a portion of the race," said Sanderson. "We had eight races, so it was a fair regatta."

The championship racing took place Thursday through Saturday. A race manager and three judges oversaw the entire event. Those four set the course, tracked and logged the finishes, and settled any rules disputes that may occur during the races. Some of the top race managers in the country oversaw this year's regatta.

Sanderson described the feeling of having this prestigious sailing event at Charles Mills Lake for the first time in some decades. "It's a smaller venue compared to other places like Lake Erie, Traverse City, Michigan, and other venues," he said. "It's about as small of a lake as you can possibly be to hold an event like this."

Overall, Sanderson felt the the event was a success and wouldn't mind seeing the Interlake National Regatta return to Charles Mills Lake in the near future.

"It probably won't be back soon but I'd like to see it back here again," said Sanderson. "We'll be down on the list because other places will be bidding for it. Next year it will be at Traverse City."

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Interlake Sailing Class Association National Regatta takes place on Charles Mill Lake

The Mohican Sailing Club hosted the Interlake Sailing Class Association National Regatta for the first time since 1965 on Charles Mill Lake.

More: Photo at Mohican State Park is the winning entry in the Ohio State Parks Photo Contest

The sailing event started Tuesday, July 19 and runs through Saturday, July 23. The winner of the National Regatta will then represent the Interlake Class for this year in the Regatta called the "Championship of Champions."

People who attended were be able to observe from the shore or ride on the observation boat that was on the water during the race.

Interlake boats are less than 25 feet and feature a mainsail, a jib sail and a spinnaker. All Interlake boats are supposed to be the same and during the regatta what the judges are doing is testing the skills of the sailors.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Mohican Sailing Club hosts National Regatta

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• Sailboat Guide

Interlake is a 18 ′ 0 ″ / 5.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Francis Sweisguth and built by Customflex starting in 1933.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The Interlake was commissioned by the Sandusky Sailing Club in 1933. Francis Sweisguth, who had already designed the STAR, was hired to develop a boat for the waters of Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay. Spinnaker area: 200 sq. ft. Still an active class in the mid west USA.

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Interlake 18′

Never before have comfort and performance been so successfully integrated into a one design sailboat. Not only is the Interlake an exciting and challenging boat to race, it is also the perfect boat for a leisurely sail with family or friends. Its efficiently designed cockpit allows you to daysail comfortably with 2 to 6 adults. The large, dry storage area under the front deck provides lots of storage space for racing gear or picnic supplies. The hard chine hull adds stability without adding weight, while the rocker keel allows quick turning, tacking and exceptional maneuverability in tight places.

Generous sail plan makes for a fun boat to sail in light to medium air. – MICHAEL

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Become a member of ASI and enjoy the wide range of opportunities our Michigan - based sailing club offers.

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Come join us!

Who are we.

The American Sailing Institute  (ASI) is an enthusiastic and diverse group of sailors who want to share with you the joy of sailing, seamanship, and safety on Michigan’s waterways. 

ASI rated sailors sail on our large fleet of boats at locations in Southeast Michigan. The ASI fleet includes fourteen 18’ Interlake Centerboard Sailboats based at Kensington and Stony Creek Metroparks, as well as three 28’ to 32’ Catalina keelboats, docked at  Jefferson Beach Marina, on Lake St. Clair.

ASI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Call us at (248) 393-4280 for information on sailing classes, tax deductible donations, or membership forms.

Benefits of an ASI membership:

• Reasonable membership and sail pass fees
• Large fleet of boats, both centerboard and keelboats
• Trained mentors and US Sailing certified instructors, free practice sails
• Both classroom/Zoom classes and on the water, hands on, classes and workshops
• Free use of inland lake boats, with sail pass, at Kensington & Stony Creek Metroparks
• 2 inland lake ports, two Great lakes ports, weeklong time shares up north sailing
• Opportunity to learn boat maintenance and upkeep
• Opportunities for racing, volunteering and continuing education
• Family members and guests can sail with members

For over 30 years, ASI has built a history of teaching adult sailing classes and small boat safety courses.

Level 1 Interlake boats

Level 2 Learn to crew and captain keelboats

Level 3/4 Become intercoastal captain

American sailing institute.

For over 85 years, the versatility of the Interlake Class has made it welcoming to all sailors, from beginners to families and seasoned veterans. Francis Sweisguth, who also designed the Star sailboat, designed the Interlake for the conditions on Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay and for a crew of two to three, yet it is also popular on inland lakes. Quantum's sail package for this class has been fine-tuned to match the versatility of the boat and help Interlake sailors conquer any challenge. Our mainsails and headsails are designed for high performance and easy trimming in every condition from the first hoist, and the spinnaker is both fast and easy to fly, a perfect combination for sailors of all levels. Quantum Sails supports this class along with the junior sailing programs that make up both the legacy and the future of sailing. Quantum sailors are involved with the Interlake Class and are available to assist customers and support events and programs. For questions about the Interlake Class, please contact Bob Sagan [email protected]

• Class Experts
• Links & resources

Interlake Mainsails

Interlake headsails, interlake spinnakers, choose a team member.

• E: [email protected]
• Nationality:
• Position: Sail Consultant
• Current Town:

Career highlights

George Szabo

• P: 619-226-2422
• E: [email protected]

George grew up in San Diego racing Stars, Lasers and Snipes. As a kid, he made sails for his model boats before eventually taking a part-time job with Quantum during high school and college. He came on full-time in 1993 as a sailmaker and designer. Using the latest computer design programs, George is able to create the fastest, most efficient sails for smaller One Design boats. This technology, combined with his intimate understanding of One Design sailing, allows him to create the most versatile sails available. The San Diego loft designs a variety of One Design sails, including Thistle and Lido 14, but their specialties are Olympic Class Star and Snipe boats. George is the 2009 Star World Champion, as well as an 21-time National/North American Champion. In addition to his sail-making abilities and wins, he is also an accomplished keelboat tactician and trimmer.

• Nationality: USA
• Position: Sail and Design Consultant
• Current Town: San Diego
• 2011 Star North American Champion
• 2010 Star North American Champion
• 2009 Star World Champion
• 2005 Star North American Champion
• 2005 Snipe National Champion
• 2001 Star North American Champion
• 2000 Snipe North American Champion
• 2000 Snipe National Champion
• 1999 Snipe North American Champion
• 1999 Snipe National Champion
• 1998 Snipe North American Champion
• 1998 Snipe National Champion
• 1997 Snipe North American Champion
• 1997 Snipe National Champion
• Interlake Class Website

Documents 

• Tuning Guide

Managing a Racing Program: Sail and Boat Maintenance

Youth Corner: How to Get the Most Out of Your Coach

Getting to the Starting Line with a Chartered Boat

10 Moves That Don't Work in a Big Fleet

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Us, too. We pour that passion into each of our newsletters to help you enjoy sailing even more.

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Safety Culture

Sustainable shipping, we carry the building blocks of america., a proud u.s.-flag fleet, innovative solutions.

"We get to create value by working our passion and solving customer needs across the Great Lakes. We deliver on those commitments through our core values of Innovation, Customer First, Passion to Perform, and One Hand."

Mark Barker President – Interlake Steamship Company

Thank you for visiting The Interlake Steamship Company.

We are a family-owned company tracing its history more than 100 years on the Great Lakes, but now we are a modern marine transportation business that is made up of 400 company family members who make us who we are today.

Please explore our website to learn more about the exciting things we have been doing to ensure  our fleet  is on the forefront of technology and  environmental stewardship  while delivering the essential cargoes our customers require to drive the economy of the Great Lakes region and the nation. We are honored to partner with some of the best steelmakers, power generation companies, aggregate suppliers & users, and others that choose to move their raw materials on lake freighters — the most environmental and efficient mode of transportation.

I have had the honor and privilege to support our teams on land and by sea in delivering innovative solutions for our customers. Without question, our history is rich in tradition and accomplishments, but I am excited about the future and where we are headed to meet the new demands for logistics in the Great Lakes and beyond. So come explore who we are, what we can do and let us find a solution for you.

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