How Do Icebreakers Work?

Icebreakers! If for nothing else they have a very cool name, but how do they work? For decades the polar regions have beckoned explorers, adventures, scientists, and militaries to explore their vast mysterious landscapes but its beauty is only matched by its terrifying danger, and for most of human history the only way to get there was by ship. However, this proved very... very difficult for regular ships, so along came the Icebreakers! But how do they seamlessly glide through the ice? Today I'll explain exactly how these behemoths actually work!
Oceanliner Designs explores the design, construction, engineering and operation of history’s greatest vessels- from Titanic to Queen Mary and from the Empress of Ireland to the Lusitania. Join maritime researcher and illustrator Michael Brady as he tells the stories behind some of history's most famous ocean liners and machines!
#icebreakers #BreakingTheIce #IcebreakerShips #FrozenFrontiers #IceNavigating #ArcticExploration #IcebreakingTechnology #Maritime #SeaChallenges #PolarRegions #IceNavigation #OceanExploration #IcebreakerVessels #ExtremeConditions #IcebreakingShips #PolarExpeditions #ArcticResearch #NavigatingIce #IcebreakerCrew #IcebreakingJourney #ArcticAdventures #titanic #history #facts #ships

[@krunkalert5242]

Hey look, it's my friend, Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs

[@MikeyFab]

The "it's your friend" line kills me every time 💀

[@alexvankeulen7171]

You must be mistaken, that's actually MY friend, Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs

[@tristanbentz224]

@@alexvankeulen7171it’s our friend from ocean liner design

[@hrunchtayt1587]

@@alexvankeulen7171NUH UH! That’s MY friend, Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs!

[@theBlankScroll]

You're mistaken, that's in fact MY friend, Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs.

[@rosuav]

Yermak must be awesome at a party. Nothing like a good icebreaker to start a conversation.

[@jerseyjoe82364]

LOL.....doh!!!

[@SuperS05]

FYI: nuclear also uses steam. Nuclear is just the heat source just as coal used to be. They use turbines now instead of reciprocating engines and convert that to electricity (for electric motors) for more flexibility than a straight drive shaft. Canadian ice breakers use the same principle minus the nuclear and steam and using diesel generators instead.

[@abyssminiaturestudios6103]

I can second this. Nuclear done safely is the ultimate power source.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

​@@abyssminiaturestudios6103More than that, they are much more autonomous, than any other vessel. It is most important for a long distant expeditions through the Arctic Ocean. Because of such fact most of the modern icebreaker are nuclear.

[@Swarm509]

@@Uralski_Ivan Russian (and I think China has a few, but I don't know much about them) are fascinating vessels. A huge amount of power and technology just to get through thick ice in extremely remote areas. It would be amazing to take on of those voyages they offer from time to time.

[@SuperS05]

@@mdavid2822 I do enjoy his content. He's definitely more on the side of historian than engineer though, lol. So, I just offer corrections when I can, which may also need correcting, lol, I'm not perfect. Steam (rankine cycle) is great at extracting heat from heat sources, especially when other cycles aren't practical. (otto/ brayton/ diesel, Eg)

[@HyperVegitoDBZ]

it's also most expensive one. @@abyssminiaturestudios6103

[@clivedavis6859]

I have been to Antarctica 3 times on the old South African research vessel SA Agulhas, which was called "ice reinforced", but had the same sloped bow and 2MW diesel engines. We sometimes got sttuck in the ice and had to do the reverse and foreward technique to get through. We also made use of images downloaded from satellite to plot a course through the weaker parts and channels through the pack ice. Another time, I went down with the Russians on their Akademik Federov icebreaker, which was about 3 times bigger and more powerful and went through the ice like butter. The South African Navy also aquired an ex Russian icegreaker for their supply ship, the SAS Outeniqua, which was also about the same size and power. Interestingly, the superstructure is very far forward, looking very front heavy, but this is to get the weight forward to crush the ice with the same sloped bow.

[@cactusitude]

That is really cool. What job were you doing to visit Antarctica, if you don't mind me asking?

[@clivedavis6859]

@@cactusitudeThe first trip was for the maintenance of the South African SANAE III base and to learn the conditions there. This old base was nearing the end of it's lifetime and a new base would soon have to be constructed. I was then responsible for the design and supervision of the electrical and electronic installations for the new SANAE IV base and went down another 3 times during the construciont period. One trip was made with the Russians who helped transport the materials for us.

[@connorredshaw5650]

Great to see you do a video regarding the history of icebreaker ships. And how they were designed and built throughout history.

[@dillan6134]

Thanks for the pointless comment, bot!

[@connorredshaw5650]

​@dillan6134 Wtf I'm not a bot fuck off 😡

[@shirleymental4189]

Great to see your comment regarding the video about the history of icebreaker ships. And how they were designed and built throughout history.

[@fantomfreedom3194]

​@@dillan6134спасибо ,что ты смотришь и читаешь бессмысленные комментарии.

[@connorredshaw5650]

@@dillan6134 I'm not a bit asshole 😒

[@tugboats79]

I was watch officer on icebreaker Tarmo (built in 1963) for allmost 6 years... Totally I have been working on 3 icebreakers (one was museum icebreaker Suur Tõll built in 1914) and last one was finnish icebreaker Sampo (built in 1960)... I did find one little mistake... Arktika does use STEAM because nuclear reactor is literally one large steam boiler. Steam runs turbines that run generators which makes power for azimuth thrusters... Otherwise I do agree with you 😉

[@LongIslandMopars]

I picked up on that, too. ☢️

[@Genius_at_Work]

Little Offtopic Question: Do you know some Specs about the Propulsion Plant of Sampo (IIRC, Tarmo was very similar anyway). I'm working on a Video about it, but noticed something is a little off about the Datasheets that I was using for Research. What I am searching for is the max. Propeller RPM, Propulsion Generator/Motor DC Voltage, and the Voltage + Frequency of the AC Plant that powers everything else on board. I'm also in Contact with Kemi Tourism (I had to arrange visiting the Engine Room, it mostly is off-limits to Passengers), but the People who are in charge of that have to forward my Questions to their Colleagues in the Technical Department first.

[@tugboats79]

@@Genius_at_Work well I did work on Sampo as second mate during the transit from Kemi to Turku shipyard few years ago but I have to tell you that I am not so familiar with engineering part of this ship... How ever if I remember correctly then during the normal operation propellers worked around 150 RPM. But they are FPP so there is no constant RPM... As much as I know passengers actually can visit the engineroom on sampo quite freely so I suppose you should just take a trip over there... Or if you are able to contact russians then one of the sisterships named Karu (in russian: Кару) is still operational and probably in much better condition so you could get better info from there... (I am genuinely surprised that I am saying that) 😅

[@tugboats79]

@@Genius_at_Work sorry for missinforming... Karu was scrapped in 2021...

[@Genius_at_Work]

@@tugboats79 Know that, I was just wondering if you remember some of these Specs from working on Tarmo and Sampo.

[@paulwilks6129]

I had no idea how these vessels operate. Thanks very much for such a well put-together video.

[@Vox_Unius]

Mike, thank you for throwing light on this piece of maritime history. Since you touched Russia, I would suggest to look at a yet another relatively unique technology widely used in USSR: the hydrofoil. It would be interesting to hear your story about it. Cheers.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

Абсолютно согласен, это был бы очень интересный ролик! Распространенные в СССР судна на подводных крыльях теперь для нас редкость, хотя раньше они почти на всех крупных реках Союза работали...

[@Whalerguy]

I agree that would be a fun topic

[@Luftwaffles1]

What about Ekranoplans?

[@Vox_Unius]

@@Luftwaffles1 it was the same design bureau 🙂

[@geniusloci3173]

As a sidenote, about hundred years ago there was an icebreaker named "Stepan Makarov". Built by "Swan Hunter Wallsend on Tyne" shipyard in England in 1916, it was originally named "Kniaz Pozharsky" and renamed after the revolution in 1921. Ship was lost in the end of 1941, probably sunk by germans.

[@dudigi]

There is a new Stepan Makarov. An icebreaking supply vessel built in 2017 in Finland for servicing the Sakhalin offshore oil/gas fields. She has 4x Wärtsilä 9L32 engines for a combined output of 21MW. Propulsion is provided by two 6.5MW azipods and two 1.5MW thusters. Icebreaking capability is 1.5m when going ahead and 1.7m when going astern.

[@AleksLazar]

They have Leader class planned after Arktika class. They will be more powerful. Maybe some of those will get Ermak or Makarov names. Maybe not. There was already a diesel Ermak class in the 1970s, including Admiral Makarov, which still exists. There was also a Ermak icebreaker itself from that era in same class, which is being disassembled for parts to maintain same class Krasin, which was slightly newer. My understanding is Admiral Makarov and Krasin still working there out of Murmansk.

[@CentralPALocos]

I think Yamal is the coolest looking icebreaker ever, but I think the Arktika class are the best in general (the orange is just beautiful).

[@jfmezei]

Canada uses icebreakers in innovative ways: In our summer, they work in the arctic to open shipping (each community gets hige shipmenst of non perisheable items during short seaon by ship) but in winter and sping, those aide breakers work on the St-Lawrence river to keep the shipping channel to Montréal open (St Lawrence Seaway used to be hard closed all winter, but with climate change this is more variable). Montréal is year round. relevant videos titles: Documentary : ARCTIC Experience & Operations (the Louis St Laurent in Arctic) CCGS Terry Fox 15 Aug 2015 The Terry Fox in the Arctic showing the back and forth needed and clearly showing how it rides up on the ice till ice breaks. Note: the bubble making on side in front of ship. This makes for turbulent surface which breaks up ice around the hull and makes it easier to ship to advance. Another vehicle used for ice breaking is less known: the hovercraft. It's weight over ice as well as pushing air under ice cause the ice to break up (with air under ice, there is no water to support it). One in action near montreal: "Coast Guard Hover Craft Breaking Ice" "Hovercraft Operations" by Canadian Coast Guard (french with english subtitles). "How a hovercraft helps Canada combat spring flooding" (Weather network) The hovercraft has worked on Lac St-Louis west of Montréal to help break up ice to open St Lawrence seaway early (with locks closed, ice breaker ship don't have access). It also works in a number of rivers to help prevent ice jams and breaking up ice there allows it to flow downriver. The extreme maneouvrability and small size allows it to reach areas that a real ice breaker can't reach. BTW, even the Louis St-Laurent has to do back-forth to pickup speed to rise over the ice (the Teryr Fox is smaller so understandable). Wonder if the massive Soviet ice breaker can truly push forwrad all the time or if it also needs back and fort on thick ice. Difference with Titanic: Ice breaked don't travel at > 20 knots. And ice breaker is far thicker and stringer ice than surface ice.

[@tuunaes]

While hovercraft doesn't have to care about bottom below water, azipod equipped ships turn on dime just fine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmqoYYRmapJmkMk And you can design relatively small narrow spaces fitting ship to be able to open wide channel in light ice conditions by running sideways: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKjIYYB-h8aknqM Better and bigger icebreaker can run over thicker obstacles. But especially pressure ridges can easily grow big enough to need that "ramming speed". Like this 20m thick ridge, which had already grown to reach sea floor: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpepnJmfgreDZpI

[@codacstarn5173]

Let’s hear it for the ingenuity, and fearlessness of the men who went on those trips

[@user-bs9yn5uz7n]

Адмирал Макаров прославился не только как полярный исследователь и отец ледоколов. Но и как выдающийся флотоводец, предвидевший многие аспекты современной войны на море.

[@ChickVicious237]

Yermak was such a cool ship! Love these videos that discuss a technical problem and the progression of the technological solutions that followed.

[@clairednicholls]

Fascinating stories! A humble request from a fellow Aussie for an epic video on the ocean liners of Isambard Brunel please. Likewise revolutionary to these mighty icebreakers in their time.

[@mariebcfhs9491]

Ships in a navy cannot share a name when both are active. And the Russians already have the cruiser Makarov so the only choice is Yermak.

[@deepseadirt1]

I've always been fascinated by Russian icebreaker paint schemes. Just like passenger ships of old, they use a lot of red partly to counter corrosion.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

You should see «Yamal» icebreaker for more fun😂

[@TheUffeess]

It was nice to see pictures of the Swedish icebreaker Atle. When I was going to school to become an electrical mechanic, I was lucky enough to do a study tour of this impressive ship. Thanks for another great episode!

[@kallekas8551]

Atle was made in Finland at a shipyard my father worked at…

[@staffangranath8058]

4.00 . Nice picture of the Finnish icebreaker "Jääkaru". Her almost identical sistership "St. Erik" is, as mentioned in another answer, still preserved in running condition as a part of the "Wasa" exibition" . As always; thank you for the video and regards from the other side of the world (Sweden) ! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4%C3%A4karhu

[@qv81]

Technically nuclear engines use steam power too. The steam runs turbines, which generate the electricity, but it is still steam powered.

[@233kosta]

It could be argued that nuclear power plants are still technically steam engines. That's how we get the energy out of the reactor. Steam turbines, to be precise. It's just a lot more convenient from an engineering (and operational) standpoint to stick generators and motors between the turbines and propeller shafts. Makes for a much looser coupling than mechanical gearboxes, which can be very beneficial, especially when dealing with this much power.

[@boobah5643]

Can only argue that nuclear plants are steam if you want to be correct. And nuclear powered usually means you're not too worried about the energy lost when transforming energy from one form to another and back.

[@233kosta]

@@boobah5643 I mean you got a whole nuclear reactor, what's another 2%, am I right?

[@Genius_at_Work]

TBF most Nuclear Ships except Icebreakers use Geared Turbines instead of Turbo-Electric Propulsion. The American and French Aircraft Carriers do, so do (most) American, Soviet, British and French Submarines. IIRC, Chinese Submarines are Turbo-Electric, but there isn't too much known about them anyway.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

Mike, if you want to impress us more by a unique vessels, you should browse another Russian (Soviet, to be accurate) type of a ships - ekranoplan [экраноплан]. It's amazing thing, despite the similarities with a airplanes, but they were used in the Caspian Sea only.

[@neilhughes9310]

There are videos on Ekranoplans but by aircraft-focused channels. But I agree, be great to see a nautical viewpoint on them.

[@tuxedotservo]

Anyone interested in icebreakers might also wish to look up the career of the USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83). Served on the Great Lakes from 1944-2006. She's now a museum ship.

[@kronckew]

The USA built 8 'wind' class icebreakers, Northwind, Eastwind, Southwind, Westwind, and 4 others. Three were loaned to Russia in WW2, and The rest used by the USN, and Canada. They were very heavily armed at the time, but disarmed for Antarctic use after the war. The Russians returned their loaners after the war, and they eventually were turned over to the USCG, Russian Cyrillic equipment labels and all. They used the same principles as that early Russian one, and did have a third bow prop that could be used to suck water out from under the bow, not for propulsion. It had very heavy internal frames at short intervals, as well as 1.5 in. Armour plate used for the hulls., not for propulsion, I served on the USCGC 'Burton Island (WAGB 283) for almost a year as an Engineering Student and Assistant Engr. Officer before transferring to a WMEC as Engr. Officer in Kodiak, Alaska. I've seen a fair amount of Ice. The USCG still has a lot of larger, more modern icebreakers.

[@StaffanSwede]

The icebreaker Sankt Erik (namned after Stockholm's patron saint) is preserved as a museum ship near the Vasa museum. It was delievered in 1915 and remained in service until 1977. It has a huge reciprocating steam engine that is in working order. She was docked last year and did a couple of sea trials afterwards. Ship nerds should not miss her when/if visiting Stockholm.

[@sherryab3964]

Thank-you for letting me know this. I live in Norrland and had no idea this was in Stockholm.

[@tugboats79]

In Tallinn Estonia there is IB Suur Tõll built in 1914 (in service until 1989) with 3 triple expansion reciprocating steam engines as museum ship and allso in Kotka Finland there is IB Tarmo built in 1909 (if I remember correctly)... Suur Tõll engines are in kind of working order but her boilers haven't been lit since 1995 or something like that and probably rust has done its work with them...

[@Meg_A_Byte]

I was in it when I visited Stockholm for the first time last July! It was beautiful and it was so amazing that there was basically unrestricted access to every nook and cranny in the engine room! I'm not a sea nerd yet, but I'm working on it :D @tugboats79 Suur Toll is cool ship too, the engine room still feels very much alive, I'd like to see more props in the other rooms though, sotimes it feels a bit empty. But I visit it few times a year when friends come over.

[@Genius_at_Work]

@@tugboats79 In Hamburg, there's the Icebreaker Stettin from 1932, with a single 2200 HP Triple Expansion Steam Engine. It is the largest Coal-fired Museum Ship in the World, and sails almost every Weekend from May-September. There also is the very similar Wal in Bremerhaven, but it had it's original Boilers replaced by Oil-fired Watertube Boilers in the 1960ies. These are becoming problematic today, as they are very sensitive and way more expensive to maintain than the Scotch Boilers of the Stettin.

[@tugboats79]

@@Genius_at_Work I do agree... When I was working in Bremerhaven then I saw Wal... Nice ship but considerably younger then Tarmo, Suur Tõll and Sankt Erik 😅 there are actually meny operational steamers with icebreaking capabilities... We can't count all of them here in these comments 🤷

[@dwishs]

A city and several naval universities in Russia are named after Makarov, don't worry, he's remembered. Great video!

[@Dropkick_Monger]

I've been fascinated by icebreakers since I was a kid, but for some reason never looked into the principles behind them. Thanks for a very informative video.

[@stuartaaron613]

While originally designed and built as an icebreaker, the largest one ever was the oil tanker SS Manhattan. In 1968 she was equipped with a special icebreaker bow. As converted, she was 1005 ft in length, and displaced 115,000 tons. In 1969 she was the first commercial vessel to traverse the Northwest Passage.

[@angryclown1990]

I'm glad to have a friend like Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs.

[@LazarusProductions2]

Don’t stop bringing us top tier content. Loved this video! And am excited to see more in the future. Great work, Mike! You and your team deserve an applause 🙂

[@Apollyon-er4ut]

Just started watching in the last month or two. REALLY enjoy the engineering aspects you address (my son a Mech. and my dad an Apollo propulsion eng.). Don't know if it's intentional, but you your "look" is that of a Cambridge grad of a bygone era, perfect for the channel.😎😎

[@HrLBolle]

I find it a bit sad you did not mention the previous Arktika class of Nuclear powered Ice-breakers in service with the Russian Maritime forces. the class to which the famous ships Arktika and 50 Let Pobedy (50 years of Victory) belong. The Class I mean was handled as Project 10520 nuclear-powered icebreaker.

[@MotoHikes]

Isn't that what he is talking about from 9:44 onwards?

[@HappyTrolley000]

@@MotoHikes nope, we actually have had two nuclear «Arktika»'s. Mike is talking about the modern one completed some two years ago, and @HrLBolle mentions pre-previous generation of nuclear icebreakers from 1970-s en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arktika_(1972_icebreaker)

[@HrLBolle]

@@HappyTrolley000 exactly the vessels and Class I mean

[@MotoHikes]

@@HappyTrolley000 Ahh, i see! Thank you for enlightening me.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

@@HappyTrolley000 i was a slightly disappointed too, but because of ignoring the first nuclear icebreaker «Lenin». This legendary vessel was the real *revolutionary* for our Navy (perfect calambur😅)

[@johnoshaughnessy1038]

This is top tier content for me. You are always professional and you do your homework, which reflects in your videos. Thank you Mike, Keep up the great work!

[@bumblebeemer]

Icebreakers are honestly such cool ships.

[@greglivo]

I came here to learn about how to start an awkward conversation but instead was treated to a detailed and well presented lesson by Mike Brady on the development of ships that could break through ice.

[@LifeBigestFan]

Fun fact there is one Icebreaker afloat at the moment ship located in Estonia and called Suur Tõll, it was build in 1914 and its pretty similar to Ermak.

[@neiledwards3738]

Until following Mike I never knew that I needed to know how Icebreakers work! But now I know so thank you sir!

[@anthonymovius]

I found your channel a few weeks ago and i honestly didn't know how much my life was missing my friend, Mike Brady from Oceanliner Designs :) love your stuff, keep it up.

[@crystaldragon141]

Gentle correction. Nuclear powered ships are steam. It's just a much more efficient way of boiling water to run a steam generator.

[@Uralski_Ivan]

You're right, but to be accurate, steam powered ships use propellers, which directly driven from the turbine. Nuclear powered ships are much more like a small NPP on board.

[@crystaldragon141]

@@Uralski_Ivan it really an apples to oranges problem. When we say nuclear we are referring to fuel source. So in this example it would be Nuclear VS Coal/Oil (I don't know which this ship used), and Steam Turbine Electric Drive VS Steam Piston Multi Expansion Direct Drive. Obviously that's a mouthful which is why it's hard to be accurate and precise when there are many different variables.

[@Genius_at_Work]

Effective, not efficient. Compared to Fossil fueled Steam Plants, Nuclear ones actually are very inefficient as they can get nowhere near the Pressure of a real Boiler and can't really superheat the Steam at all. A Nuclear Reactor Core just produces a massive Heat Flow in a relatively small Volume, but you lose most of that in the Steam Cycle.

[@elijahogden4502]

You've done it again, Mr. Brady! If only the designers of Titanic had taken the time to watch your videos before building the ship. Then they would've known where they went wrong. 😁

[@tvom8853]

Ice breakers cant take on icebergs....and titanics lookout forgot their binoculars....theres 1 place to start lol

[@elijahogden4502]

I wasn't specifically referring to this video, I was speaking more generally.@@tvom8853

[@menace6151]

Your channel brings me back to my childhood. I grew up operating my grandfathers 42 foot wood Grand Banks Classic Trawler yacht. Watching your videos brings me back to those early days. Learning the maritime industry.

[@Jencediggity]

I never knew I’d had such an interest in ocean liner history. Great work.

[@jonahgadoury6421]

I've always been a fan of Ice Breakers and ships in general. Thank for all of your content and knowledge you create and share. Happy New Years

[@wadp5962]

Another very interesting and very informative video. The first Canadian ice breaking ship was the Chief Justice Robinson built in 1842 at Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. It was built for Lake Ontario. The ship was featured on a stamp many years ago.

[@d4fs4]

And nowadays a lot if icebreaking is done with hoovercrafts...

[@DevilSurvivor69]

Its topical you're releasing this video now because they just launched an ice breaker in the city I live in last month. There's a lot of ice breaker construction that's in progress and planned in Canada. The navy and coast guard have/getting about 25 of different sizes, including what will be the most powerful non nuclear ice breaker in the world. Exciting time for ship nerds.

[@empirestate8791]

Great video - I've always wondered how these magnificient machines worked! I'm also looking forward to the Scharnhorst video when it comes out!

[@SaturnCanuck]

That was a great Mr. Brady. One of you best yet! I agree on the naming as well.

[@Feline_Frenzy53]

My husband was stationed on the USCG Polar Star icebreaker back in the day. He sure had some stories.

[@user-ss4vb2sz5v]

Awesome vid. Very informative!I was wondering about their history. Thank you.!

[@felixthecleaner8843]

love your vids Mike - very entertaining and informative. Good Work!

[@yoptastic8463]

Thank you very much for this video, I feel like I understand more about Icebreakers now and you are always good at making me feel that by the end of each video I have indeed learnt something while watching - you're a good teacher Captain Mike! 👍😊❤⚓🚢❄🌊

[@user-cw1ju4kg8m]

Hello Mr. Brady, I highly enjoy your videos. When it came to the Ice Breaker film, I just couldn’t resist the urge to write in about the origins of the technology. All this development occurred right in my backyard (though a century before I was born). The technology behind the Russians' icebreaker was pioneered in the United States in 1887 by Capt. L. R. Boynton of Saint Ignace, Michigan. The first train ferry to employ this scheme of one propeller forward, was the Saint Ignace. She was employed ferrying railroad cars across the treacherous Straits of Mackinac. This is a five-mile waterway separating Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas and a large barrier for the carriage of freight between the two Peninsulas. Saint Ignace was so successful at her job that all subsequent Straits ferries (Saint Marie {I&II} and the famous Chief Wawatam) employed the same system. Then, in 1891, the Toledo Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railway pioneered ferrying railroad cars across Lake Michigan from Frankfort to Kewaunee, Wis. Their ferries, Ann Arbor 1 and 2, like the Saint Ignace and Saint Marie (I) were constructed of white oak. Ann Arbor 1and 2 were equipped with two propellers aft, making them the first triple-screw ships in the American registry. Eventually, this train ferrying extended to two more companies and effectively covered Lake Michigan in cross-lake routes. Back to the Straits ferries. British trade journals touted the success of these ships; and the Russians took notice. In 1900-01, the Russians were constructing the Trans-Siberian Railroad and came to Lake Baikal (the largest freshwater lake in the world). Seeing that the lake froze over in the same manner as the Great Lakes do, Vice Admiral Stepan Makaroff ventured to Michigan to observe the Staits ferries in operation. (The weather wasn’t much different in the Upper Peninsula than that of Siberia). The Russians were very impressed with what they saw, and ordered a ferry (named Baikal) very closely patterned after Saint Marie (I) from Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth, & Co. Ltd., only in iron.

[@user-of5lw4oy3c]

Very informative and interesting.

[@p.k.5455]

Awesome video Mike. Thank you

[@jerrycomo2736]

Good video. You may want to keep on top of this topic of a northern shipping route as a way to avoid the Suez Canal/Red Sea and the drying up of the Panama Canal. Both of which I believe are temporary but who knows for how long.

[@andrewp8284]

Thank you, friend! Interesting and wonderfully presented as always!

[@saturnwav]

Keep up the great work mike!

[@BlackLungRandy]

This deserves more views this was a cool video! Icebreakers are super interesting I’ve never seen a video on them before

[@user-jp4wb2ld6e]

Great highly informative video Mike . Love your channel broski . Mike ever thought about doing some videos on ww2 wrecks and the dangerous they still pose despite 70 odd years in the drink . In many if not all i think their ticking time bombs with some of stuff/ chemicals/ oil on board still and will be a hazard to marine life in future. Keep up the awesome work and happy new year 💯🍻🤜🤛

[@paulcavigliano6388]

My boy looks straight outta the 1910s. Class act Mike!

[@kevinmiller7792]

Hi Mike - nice job as always and I agree with you on the naming of the follow-on icebreakers.

[@jeanettenorman7052]

Wonderful exploration Mike. You guys do excellent and fascinating work. Thanks for sharing

[@NoName-ds5uq]

Great to see the “Orange Roughy” in there a couple of times! She was a familiar sight here in Hobart for decades. I got to go onboard for a tour in the early 90s. And I know it’s already been said, but nuclear power is steam power. The only difference is the method of boiling the water. In this case it will be using steam turbines rather than the piston engines the original icebreaker had. The turbines generate electricity to power the electric motors. A seaborne hybrid, if you will.

[@goober1022]

Wooow I’m super early, good morning from Louisiana Mike 👍🏽👍🏽 love all your videos man, quality is always on point.

[@HistoricalHarbors]

Fantastic work, as always!

[@duainesimpson274]

I absolutely love this channel ❤ Thanks Mike

[@freeexpresserhexogene50]

5+! Приятно посмотреть!

[@petersipp5247]

Nicely done. Yes, a new icebreaker should be named after Mr. Macarov (sp?). One of my favorite stories is “Endurance “. I am sure you know this story. I appreciate you including both feet & metric measurements. All the best, Pete 🌞

[@johnray7311]

Totally agree regarding name of icebreakers. Excellent presentation.

[@MhWow66]

Your videos are of such great quality they could be on the Tv. Always interesting. Always well presented and produced.

[@sapemi08]

Amazing engineering!! I never realized the kind of problems russians deal with living so close to the artic pole. Great video. Cheers!

[@kallekas8551]

Great stuff! I have subs to maaany channels…yours is one of my faves! Thanks!

[@johnisley4578]

Love your work Mike.

[@audiencesmember]

Truly inspiring.

[@c0mpu73rguy]

6:55 Never heard of it, you should do a video about this small unknown ship.

[@andrewmay8824]

Great video and very informative in an area most might not consider.

[@zzopit]

Brilliant material. Saw one of these in Helsinki like 15 years ago you could feel the weight just standing on the dock

[@justarandombird]

I'm purely speculating here but the reason why none of ships are called "Makarov" is because the Russians already have a frigate of the Grigorovich class called the Admiral Makarov As for Yermak, I honestly don't know... some sources claim there is an icebreaker from 1974 with that name, though they are scarse soo idk how true it is

[@Echo2-2]

I always wondered what kind of engineering went into ice breakers. Excellent work!

[@joelclifton6312]

So you could say that for Makarov to get his ship built, there were quite a lot of polar-icing debates.

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Badum-tss 😂

[@nereb100]

Great as always - thank you very much

[@kensmith5694]

Many years ago I saw a video of a gas turbine powered icebreaker breaking ice that was right up near its limit to break. The captain was wearing a seatbelt and had a rack of controls in front of him. In spite of the ships great mass, each time it ran up onto the ice, there would be a jolt. I think what he was doing was running a full ahead as he came up to the edge of the ice and then switching to full astern. The ship would rise up onto the ice and then slide back off. This seemed to start some cracks in the ice that then let him go forward a lot further next time. He did this a few times and broke his way into some thinner ice that he could then just power through. That was the end of the video.

[@neilfoster814]

I'm sure I read somewhere that some icebreakers use 'bubble' technology where underneath the hull there are holes for injecting air under the ice to remove the support that the water gives it, making it weaker, therefore making it easier for the ship to crunch its way through the ice.

[@TheNighthawke502]

Thanks for the uncommon history lesson, Mike. With the many problems that the Panama Canal keeps facing (along with the overall global rising temp.'s), I can once more foresee the Northwest Passage becoming increasingly more important to global shipping in the coming years. 🤔

[@kimmoj2570]

Early breakers tried to slice ice with horsepower and reinforced bow. Already 100 years a go many had props on front plus back. Propeller waves eased friction between hull and ice. Nowdays hull form are like the breaker climbs over ice and breaks it with ships weight. Today front props are often replaced with air spraying system into waterline through holes in hull, driven by thousands horsepower plus computer controlled active ballasting. Modern icebreaker can make all Disco Fever moves to beat ice.

[@J.R.in_WV]

For anyone wondering the ship who’s bow is shown @10:03 is the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Command Ship USS Blue Ridge.

[@MushroomGirlDethcapp]

i know you feel stuck doing titanic content because of how many more clicks it gets but i rlly love seeing your knowledge on all kinds of naval topics.

[@TinfromOz]

Love these videos

[@vsikifi]

Nuclear powered ship IS actually a steam ship. The reactor just replaces the coal or oil fire in the boilers. The heat from the reactor is used to boil water which is then sent through steam turbines to turn generators. If the ship's power is generatted by steam turbines, then the ship is a steam ship. The only real difference to Mauretania or Lusitania is the heat source.

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

10,000 hp is impressive for that period of time, when the most advanced oceanliners were producing a fraction of that.

[@DemiWorks]

One might add that in the beginning, it wasn't quite as clear which philosophy would prevail - cutting through ice, like the 1910 CGS Earl Grey (later sold to Imperial Russia and operated under the name Fyodor Litke until the late 1950s) or breaking the ice by weight, like the Yermak. Time has shown that Yermak's concept was better, and most icebreakers kept a similar design. One of the more advanced versions resulted in the Swedish Oden, being the first non-nuclear Icebreaker to reach the North Pole in 1991. Maybe an idea for a later video...

[@turbofanlover]

Excellent vid.

[@daniellclary]

Wow this was great content. I thought Icebreakers just plow through ice. But they're actually shaped with a bulbous hull. Not only does that make them structurally stronger with an arch, but it allows the ship to slide above the ice to crush it with the ships weight. Simple but ingenuous.

[@Deadbuck73]

I learned something! Thank you 🙏

[@shawnkeith1164]

The earliest Russian icebreakers relied very heavily on the design of two railroad carferries built for year-round crossing of the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas, right where lakes Michigan and Huron meet. St. Ignace and Sainte Marie (I) were built in 1888 and 1892, and were so successful the Russians came to analyze their design so they could build similar ships to cross Lake Baikal. Both were built with props fore and aft as you described. The ferries that replaced them, Chief Wawatam (1911) and Sainte Marie (II) (1913) were leased by the US Coast Guard and by a conglomeration of Great Lakes shippers for decades, until the USCG built their first dedicated icebreaker (Mackinaw W83, now a museum ship) in the 1940s.

[@josueveguilla9069]

They all look awesome and interesting.

[@nancyschaefer3851]

Stellar!

[@trishcook1857]

Very interesting, thank you Mike

[@PeterWolniewicz]

Hey Mister Brady, I love your awesome channel and I know that you a have ALOT of ideas for videos in these comment sections, but could you potentally due a video on on one of if not both of the two followings ships 1: MS Batory, she was a Polish Ocean liner which during world war 2 was used as a troop transport for allied troops and was used during the Dunkirk rescue and as well as other important events such s the invasion of Italy and invasion of Algeria? ( I really wanna see this since I'm Polish.) 2: the design and building of the damm near unsinkable Yamato class super battleships I want to see this because I'm very interest in fixing out what allowed the massive vessels to take a very extreme level of damage and still be afloat( I think some American pilots stated that it took several dozen powerful bombs and torpedoes to sink the giant vessels also they where made to be unsinkable.)

[@leandabee]

I Didn't know there was another Port Arthur, fascinating info 👌💖🇦🇺

[@WiredrawnMurder45]

Another quality video Mike! Also, I like the haircut