SS Badger car ferry from Manitowoc to Ludington

[@ronmueller3074]

I was born in 49. Mom & Dad & I took the Ferryboat across to WI.. I think that I was only 8 or 9 yrs old. I remember Dad driving the car on himself. They got a State Room. I wish that I could remember more. I was so young. Thanks so much for the video. & the memories.

[@Quanuck]

In 2004, I drove back from Montreal and took the ferry to get back to DePere, WI. I got to Ludington around 10pm and stayed overnight in one of the state rooms, it was a great experience! I still have a coffee mug from the Badger that I use almost every morning.

[@easygoing2479]

Thanks for the restored memories... way back in the '60s I rode the Badger, Manitowoc to Ludington, and watched them load a bunch of railcars along with the autos and trucks for our crossing. We had some long, pronounced rollers halfway through the trip and my brother got sick. But the crossing was fun.

[@WriterandPhotographer]

I made that same trip during the late 60s or early 70s...can't remember for sure...one of my Dad's many great summer vacations. Those were the days.

[@rleeAZ]

Thanks for the overview of the Badger trip. On my bucket list. Your AMTRAK sleeper videos were extraordinarily helpful in planning a vacations I took last spring.

[@kaliprasadchinam236]

Wonderful trip. Thanks for the tour inside. Having been a mariner for over four decades, ships are always of interest.

[@louie_j]

What beautiful lines this ship has. Reminds me of an elegant liner from the Italian Line

[@johnallen2771]

great trip. I just fill up my whole screen with the picture and it's just like being there. I can almost feel the wind off the Lake. I lived in MI and there are great people there. Watch out for mosquito as you go further North. But out of all my travels I'd have to say I like Wisconsin people best. I grew up in Ohio and we had many ethnic backgrounds there, especially European and Eastern Europe. I met all those people in Wisconsin and they were very nice to me. Everywhere you go, beer.

[@williamchristian8389]

First time i have rode a ferry with you, Great Fun!!! Thanx for the Ride!

[@happyhighway106]

#81 I was a former crew member on the SS Badger 43. The Last Time I wheeled the ship was in June, 1978, when the ship was operated by the Mason County Transportation Authority. I helmed her to Milwaukee, Jones Island Slip. I am 74 years old and can remember every inch of the ship and her sister ship, too! The SS Spartan 42. (Go Green!)

[@RobertValinsky]

Love the sound of the badger's horns. I wonder if they are kahlenberg horns, they sound really good.

[@austenbemis]

Thanks for putting this up.

[@jacobstratton8133]

I go to ludington to visit family and I always take the badger across. It’s such a fun way to go and it’s cheaper then driving around.

[@72Keydet]

Rode this in July 2018, interesting trip especially the docking in Ludington. Beautiful lake crossing, the interior of the ship was like a sauna so we stayed on the outer deck. Took way too long to retrieve our vehicle but the trip was keen.

[@martybadboy]

Thanks for the video. I think we will work the Badger into our trip.

[@richardatkinson6031]

kool, took my small kids with me once on a ferry boat to Canada from Michigan, they were amazed.

[@brandonhamilton833]

I took this old gal on a trip to Michigan. It was late season and the waves were rough. I got myself a statesroom to get a nap and it was worth it!

[@williamsparks1521]

In 1987 the SS Badger wasn't available for crossing Lake Michigan from Manitowoc to Ludington or visa versa. The "City of Midland" was the car ferry and Kewaunee WI was the WI port. I know this because I was on it.

[@wb6wsn]

The Badger doesn't have a bow thruster, hence the need to swing the ship on her anchor to line her up with the slip. From what I have seen, docking in Manitowoc and Luddington is almost always complicated by brisk breezes, and the ship has a sizable cross-section that catches the wind. BTW, just after the anchor is dropped, the Captain hurries from the Bridge to a conning room on the first passenger deck at the far aft port area. The Captain then controls the rudders and commands the twin steam engines to provide thrust as needed to line up and gently mate with the docking latches. The few passengers who realize what is happening have a chance to watch the docking procedure up close and to meet the Captain once he secures the ship. So, why does the Badger sound her siren at 12:00 each day?

[@kevinduveneck1504]

The city tests it's warning sirens every Saturday at noon

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

I would love to do a walk-thru of the Spartan.

[@ninawade3055]

Thank You so much for the video, I didn’t know they had anything like that. Very interesting

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

Yes, i visited the submarine... just from the outside... and the marina is the biggest on the great lakes.

[@wb6wsn]

In 1969, I decided to do a solo circumnavigation of Lake Michigan in my 31 foot cruiser. All was well the evening I pulled into Ludington harbor, running with long 4' rollers from the SW. The next morning, there was rain and dense fog, so I decided to follow the Badger (or maybe the Spartan) across the lake to Manitowoc. After all, I had a hundred gallons of gas and how could anybody miss Wisconsin? Well, that ferry really moves, and pretty soon, despite full throttle, the ferry slipped away into the mists. I figured I could still follow the wake, at least for an hour or so. By then, I realized that I was hitting 6-foot waves off my port bow, and while I was watching my boat slam through the waves, the bottom of my magnetic compass fell out. I did the prudent thing, throttled way back and did a 180 turn toward Ludington. It sure takes a while to find the channel in the fog and moving at about 5 MPH. Anyway, I went back to my original plan to hug the shoreline. And then, in 2014, I finally caught up to the Badger, loading on board as cargo in Ludington with my 31 foot RV. Technically, it took me 45 years to catch up to that ferry! Just as with your trip, the lake was like glass that day. It's a beautiful trip and a fine experience, but as I live on the Pacific Coast, I doubt I'll ever repeat it. BTW, I believe that the triple-expansion steam engines used in the Badger are the same type of engines that were installed in all the auxiliary "jeep" aircraft carriers that the USA built in WWII.

[@yamahonkawazuki]

that deserves a like ed.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

we sat on the starboard side midship and ate a sandwich with a pop. The wife was very happy about taking this vacation. It was a perfect warm day too.

[@romainetomatoes2416]

ACA Allertor sirens. My first time seeing/hearing ships and tornado sirens in the same video.

[@jerryoven]

they test the tornado sirens at noon on the same day each week.

[@ronimiller397]

The sirens really freaked me out , I remember those while growing up in Michigan.

[@kevinduveneck1504]

The city just tests it's warning sirens every Saturday at noon

[@gregorystafford1411]

I hope this vessel survives the wrath of 'Central Perk' everything must be Clean Futurism? Nostalgia has become an Offense to all People who never experienced it's 'Earthly' necessities....often linked to Cosy things, Ironically? Many thanks for this Trip. Americans are lucky to have these things still. Everywhere else is losing it's 'Heritage' except the USA ........by & large? here in England all we have left is the word Heritage. Literally PC incarnate off the Citizenry Promoting it's Re-Evaluation. Thanks.

[@alfsphone]

Thank you for a great video from New Zealand. ZL3ALF Ham Radio

[@lcar4000]

Love riding this ship to ludington, one of my favorite places

[@chrisryan5339]

Thanks nice stuff. Chris from England.

[@ronb2486]

On the bucket list. I from the Detroit area and usually just drive down I-94 through South Bend and up into Chicago..but would be nice to take it and go farther north into Wis/Minn

[@randys3913]

Not much up here unless you like to look at trees and land

[@rick2059]

The Ships employees do not load the trucks. I have been across on it a couple of times with oversize loads. All trucks are directed on by the ship workers, and are driven on by the drivers themselves.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

There use to be a Badger gift shop in Ludington main street... bought several gifts for the wife there.

[@foxopossum]

Great video!!!

[@markdiehl1963]

Very interesting 😮

[@robertlundgren6523]

I have been on this but " Richie " you mentioned Amtrak when have you been on a Amtrak and had a sleeper ? last I been on Amtrak was in 2008 have they renovated Amtrak at all ? last time was on Amtrak it was a wreck torn carpet , dirty , etc.

[@youtuuba]

Putting an AMTRAK comment on this video is not very germane.....

[@danmathers141]

I just saw a post where Badger is getting upgrades. (Dec. 2021)

[@kevinduveneck1504]

Badger had its five year inspection and a brand new paint job at Bay Ship in Sturgeon Bay, WI. It returned to Ludington in January 2022 and is awaiting the 2022 season which will begin in May

[@c0ntrymouse]

The only semi driven onto the Badger by her crew is the hopper truck used to fuel her with coal. All other trucks and motorcycles are brought on and off by their owners/operators. Nice video!

[@wb6wsn]

countrymouse: I thought I saw the Badger being fueled with coal by a hopper truck that drives a dedicated ramp to the starboard side of the ship in Ludington Harbor (they don't fuel in Manitowoc). In 2014, my RV and all passenger cars were driven on and off the ship by the crew. I can't vouch for semis or motorcycles, as there were none on that trip. I think there were some bicycles, which the owners carried onto the cargo deck and then left them there to be secured by the crew.

[@c0ntrymouse]

Ed Price The coal bin is located under the car deck with removable covers for fueling. The hopper truck seen at 6:48 in your video backs over the hatch and dumps its load. The ramp in Ludington appears to be used for loading passenger amenities and trash removal from the upper decks. I believe they used the ramp for removing coal ash containers as well.

[@wb6wsn]

countrymouse: I think the operations I was seeing in 2014 were just before the Badger was modified to EPA requirements for eliminating ash-dumping in the lake. Of course, the coal bunker would be down low, to keep the weight low in the hull. I know I saw a hopper truck of some sort on that ramp in Ludington, but I didn't see what was in it, so I assumed it must have been coal. (Certainly back in the train car era, the easiest way was to just roll in a coal hopper car and dump through a floor grate.) In looking down into the car deck, I was struck with how clean it looked, so I must have assumed that no coal was ever being dumped into bunkers from that car deck.

[@youtuuba]

I certainly am no expert, but a Badger crew member told me that ALL vehicles driven onto the ship must be driven by Badger crew. And on the trip I was on, it looked to me as if semi and other truck drivers were getting out of their cabs, with Badger crew drivers backing the trucks onto the ship. Maybe the truck's own drivers were driving them off; I was not watching that part.

[@wb6wsn]

The Badger was converted from coal to fuel oil sometime before my 2014 trip. I think this happened to gain EPA pollution compliance prohibiting the dumping of ash into the lake.

[@stephenwarren55]

Nicely done!

[@James-sw2qp]

I remember going to the ss bager twice with my best friend from ohio we shared the same room on our way to cleveland ohio and also sister bay wisconsin I remember playing two different games they're called bingo and name that tune when I was playing that game name that tune my best friend said james let someone else have a turn and I was like all right but I don't think no one else is going to to name the next tune I had so much fun at the ss badger with my best friend I didn't know the name of the engine is my last name

[@dougmedrano499]

Great info video. Thanks.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

at the middle of the lake we could just see the very tops of the tree lines on each side of the lake.

[@youtuuba]

Howoldarewe, it looks like you are going through my videos commenting on them. Don't feel the need to continue doing that unless you actually have something to contribute......

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

They have professional drivers that drive your cars and trucks onto the ship... use to do railroad engines/cars too.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

I see the tower that failed... looks like a huge project and dangerous to anyone dealing with it. be super careful.

[@daftnord4957]

were the HAM guys just messing around, or were they doing some kind of testing?

[@cjennings2876]

I've heard about this ferry boat because I live in Michigan but never been on it

[@lylel5707]

I understand this is not a video shot by a professional but a sock over the MIC would make all the difference a sock would run 12-15$ and the sound would be amazing.

[@youtuuba]

The camera I used is a point and shoot with an integral mic. No practical way of putting a wind screen over the mic withing gluing it on, and without obstructing the camera grip or controls.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

we called it our thousand dollar vacation.

[@TheSkydivingNerd]

Regarding the siren, maybe you were there the one day of the month they test them. Milwaukee county tests their tornado sirens at noon on the second Wednesday of every month.

[@kevinduveneck1504]

Manitowoc tests their sirens every Saturday at noon

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

We ate biscuits and sausage gravy and it was very good.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

I walked over to see the submarine... it was cool.

[@cjennings2876]

how many cars does the Badger hold?

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

I would love to take this trip again... any late model gals want to take an oldster73 gentleman with you?

[@clydeholiday5907]

You had to put it on there you're the first one on the boat

[@James1982-xt1ch]

I remember being on the ss badger a couple times with my best friend from cleveland ohio

[@cjennings2876]

just realized you started in Wisconsin in the video and then ended in Michigan(Ludington)

[@MrSTOUT73]

... check the title.

[@edcgearhouse643]

I might’ve missed it but did you mention anything about how early to arrive with an auto?

[@youtuuba]

By road, following the signs.....the Badger is officially part of a US highway which "crosses" the lake via the ship.

[@edcgearhouse643]

youtuuba sorry I meant like, In two weeks I’m going on this boat with my car, how early should I show up?

[@youtuuba]

@@edcgearhouse643 , when I took it, they gave me this kind of information when I made my reservations. Of course, if the ship is not full, you can just show up and buy tickets right there at the dock area. The Badger typically wastes little time at each end of the route, and they have just about the right amount of time scheduled to offload passengers and cars, and load up the new passengers and cars. So, if you don't already have arrival info from your advance reservations, I would plan on showing up at least an hour before scheduled departure.

[@ronb2486]

Do you think you would ever do this trip again?

[@youtuuba]

Only if I needed to get to the same area of Michigan, and during the ferry season.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

we didn't even bring our car with us... just stayed in the Best Western Motel across the way and a one mile taxi ride... who picked us up a couple days later when we left, he gave us his personal phone number.

[@cjennings2876]

how long does it take to cross in this thing?

[@cjennings2876]

never mind lol 4 hrs isn't too bad by boat. For sure faster than driving around through the UP or through Chicago

[@LaurenEveCreates]

I call this "The Gecko's Journey: SS Badger" because he was interested in helping people on that car ferry save hundreds on car insurance with Geico. Signed, Angela, Ryder, and Cheryl Smith, Ryder's Mother.

[@edwardbenkert2618]

If that cost $65 per car how comes dog the Lake Express that goes out of Muskegon is so much more and how comes you got to book a whole years in advance you know you should be able just to show up there and go

[@youtuuba]

Edward Benkert, "how comes dog"? Probably panting on its little doggy feet, that's how. I don't know why you are asking HERE why one company charges differently from another. People these days seem to think their information should come from unreliably random comments on places like KZbin. If I had to guess, I would say that the Lake Express charges more than the Badger because it carries fewer cars and passengers per trip, operates for a shorter period every season, and offers a premium service. And I have no idea what you are going on about later in your comment. You should really proof read your comments before sending them.

[@elizabethfrohn-hengst296]

My friend just brought his own controllers

[@edwardbenkert2618]

Muskegon really screwed up when they let the aqua-rama slip through their fingertips that could have been a ship that they could sail around Lake Michigan even go through the soo locks there's a lot of people in Milwaukee and and Michigan what would ride on them ships just for the fun of it and now Muskegon has the Milwaukee Clipper and where does it suck. The Lake Express cost way too much money for the average person just to enjoy it and dryer ride and it ain't like an old Shep like the badger in the Milwaukee Clipper the Milwaukee Clipper offers quite a bit and that would be cool just having a 6 to 7 to 8 even 9 or 10 our cruise around the Great Lakes and then and right back up at home that would be awesome

[@stephenflanders2190]

Why don,t they build. Bridge tunnel across the lake like they did across. Chesapeake bay in Virginia Then it could be the Lake Michigan bridge tunnel

[@youtuuba]

Stephenflanders, the answer to your question should be evident after only a moment's thought.....

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

We stayed in Wisconsin and ordered the worst pizza ever... lol but all the food on the Badger was super good.

[@shadowguardian210]

They recently added a thing to help those in wheelchairs

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

We sat outside on a warm day next to the fire box shown... and i would run down to get us a sandwich to eat.

[@gregoryvschmidt]

Sept 23rd, my cousin Tom's 62nd birthdate ( in East Lansing,

[@danmathers141]

You turned your vehicle over to their drivers.

[@michaelgostas4485]

A lot of wind noise

[@youtuuba]

Yep, small camera with built in microphone, rather than a separate professional Mic with wind screen, etc.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

we ordered a pizza to our room and it was a terrible pizza.

[@7272aircan]

So a married couple and car would be about 200$$ one way ,holy smokes..

[@bobsmith962]

Damn expensive. I'd pay $100 just to avoid Chicago though.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

I saw a gal i would love to marry... but heck, i brought my own just in case.

[@chrisryan5339]

Maybe you should of done what an English man would of done-find the bar !

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

too bad they let the spartan rot in port, they could be running trips and making money too.

[@clydeholiday5907]

Close to it how arrogant arrogant