The Day Peckinpaugh is a historic canal motorship constructed in 1921 by the McDougall-Duluth Shipyard in Duluth, Minnesota. With a length of 259 feet (79 meters) and a width of 36 feet (11 meters), it ranks among the largest vessels to operate within New York's canal system, which limits vessels to a maximum of 300 feet in length and 43.5 feet in width. Its deep hold measures 14 feet (4.3 meters) and accommodates a cargo capacity of approximately 1,650 tonnes (1,620 long tons or 1,820 short tons). Originally named ILI101 after its first owner, Interwaterways Lines Inc., the vessel was the first specifically designed to navigate both the open waters of the Great Lakes and the narrow, shallow waterways of the New York State Barge Canal. Renamed Richard J. Barnes in 1922 to honor its initial commissioner, the ship served as a bulk carrier hauling wheat, flax seed, rye, sugar, and pig iron. During World War II, it was drafted into the US Merchant Marine, transporting coal and refueling cargo ships along the U.S. East Coast, and was reportedly attacked by a German U-boat, though the torpedo is believed to have passed beneath her due to her shallow draft. In 1958, the vessel was sold to Erie Navigation and converted to carry sand and gravel, later being renamed Day Peckinpaugh in honor of the brother of Yankees player Roger Peckinpaugh. It underwent another transformation in 1961, becoming a self-unloading dry cement hauler, a role it fulfilled until 1994, making it the last regularly scheduled self-propelled commercial vessel on the canal. Preserved as a historic artifact, the Day Peckinpaugh was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It has undergone restoration efforts to serve as a floating classroom and museum, emphasizing the history of the Erie Canal and Great Lakes shipping. Despite these efforts, in October 2024, it was sold at auction for $5,050 due to maintenance costs, with a potential new life possibly ahead under salvage and construction expert Capt. Dwayne Reith.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.