The SS North American was a notable Great Lakes steamship constructed by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan, in 1913. She was launched on January 16 of that year and served primarily in regional transportation. The vessel measured 280 feet (85 meters) in length with a beam of 47 feet (14 meters), and a draft of 17 feet 6 inches (5.33 meters). Powering her was a 2,200 indicated horsepower quadruple expansion steam engine, fueled by three coal-burning Scotch boilers. In 1923, her boilers were converted to burn oil, reflecting technological updates during her service life. North American was one of two near-sister ships, alongside SS South American. She operated on the Great Lakes until the 1960s, demonstrating the typical design and function of regional passenger and cargo vessels of her era. In 1963, she was sold to the Canadian Holiday Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, for cross-lake service between Erie and Port Dover, Ontario. Her service in this capacity lasted until 1964, after which she was retired from active duty. Following her retirement, the ship was involved in various purchasing deals of uncertain nature and was ultimately sold at a public auction in 1967 to the Seafarers International Union of North America, intended for use as a training ship at Piney Point, Maryland. During her transfer from Boston to Newport News, she was unexpectedly lost in the North Atlantic due to swells generated by Hurricane Doria. The vessel sank approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Nantucket Light on the night of September 13, 1967. The wreck of the North American was rediscovered in July 2006 by a research team aboard the vessel Quest, located near the edge of the continental shelf about 140 miles off the New England coast, at a depth of approximately 250 feet (76 meters). Her story remains a significant part of maritime history, illustrating the transition of regional steamships from active service to shipwreck.

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