# Hudson River Gypsum Fleet



## emsbuff124 (Oct 6, 2009)

Does anyone know the current activates associated with the Gypsum boat fleet primarily in the Hudson river? I live right by the Stony Point/ haverstraw gypsum dock and since i was a 3 year old i have just been hooked on these massive ships that were able to navigate this far up the hudson. My dad told me there were 4 ships the gypsum king, queen, princess, and prince. There was also a story that my dad told me that before i was born one the boats was under the eye of a drunk captian and hit the dock on the way in and sunk and had to be repaired on the spot.When I got a Bit older i kept record of the ships that were docked there I saw the Gypsum King Once about 6 years or so ago and the baron a number of times. I was pretty lucky i was able to walk right up to the Dock were the ships parked and got a good veiw of the Hulls and could even read the Dept Numbers on the Bow THen about 5 years ago the dock apeared to be retrofited and a new ship called the AV. Kastner appeared, Along with a Security Fence and Guard and gone were the days of walking up to this ocean vessels. main questions are what happened to the ships prior to the AV. kastner? Is the Av. Kastner Still owned by the Gypsum company i noted that the Lettering on the stacks were changed Was there really a near sinking at the dock from a drunk captian? And were are these boats based out of and the Nationalities of the Crew?
thanks alot Also if Anyone has any pictures New or Old of these ships i really would love to see them and bring back some childhood memories 
Eddie


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## bert thompson (Nov 28, 2005)

Eddie welcome to this great site
Best wishes
Bert.


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

Hi emsbuff124......here is GYPSUM KING
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships G/slides/Gypsum King-01.html

and GYPSUM COUNTESS....
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships G/slides/Gypsy Countess-01.html

Happy reminiscing....


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## Nova Scotian (Jul 2, 2006)

*Gypsum Ships*

Gypsum ships have quite a history here in Nova Scotia.

Gypsum continues to be shipped out of Nova Scotian ports such as Hantsport, Little Narrows (Bras dor Lakes), Port Hawkesbury and Halifax. Many of the earlier Fundy Gypsum vessels were manned by Canadian crews. I remember the Colon Brown going aground at the entrance to Halifax harbour around 1975. She was severely damaged but eventually rebuilt as the Gold Bond Conveyor. She was eventually lost, with all hands, in a storm off south-west Nova Scotia around 1993. I believe the crew was Chinese at the time.


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## Klaatu83 (Jan 22, 2009)

Haverstraw Bay used to be a pretty interesting place for ship-spotting during the 1960s, when the place housed one of the ready-reserve fleets of mothballed WW-II ships. However, most were either re-activated during the Vietnam War or scrapped during that decade, and now nothing remains but a single anchor on the riverbank to mark the spot. In addition, the old Hudson River Dayliner "Alexander Hamilton", one of the last side-wheelers still in service anywhere, could often be seen steaming majestically up and down the river between New York and Poughkeepsie. 

All that is pretty much gone, now. The Alexander Hamilton was wrecked by a storm at her moorings out at Sandy Hook, while awaiting permission to be towed upriver for conversion into a restaurant. The once-thriving Haverstraw brick-making industry (they once made all the bricks used in the construction of New York City) has been eclipsed by bricks made literally by slave labor in China. All that remains are a few scows loading paving gravel from the trap-rock quarry below High Tor, and who knows how long that may last?


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

Here is the GYPSUM EMPRESS. I never saw them living in the UK
but I hope it brings back good memories.


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Welcome onboard to SN and enjoy the voyage


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

*Trip up the Hudson River*

Eddie,
I know that you posted this more than a year ago, but I joined this site a few days ago, and I chance a response anyway.

Your entry immediately brought a big smile to my face. I made a couple trips to Stony Point on the Gypsum Queen, in 1968-69. That was always a thrill to go that far up the Hudson, and especially if one was lucky enough to be at the wheel (That was part of the job). No video game will ever give anyone as much pleasure as steering a large ship - up and down the Saint Lawrence seaway for example, going through all the locks.

I don't remember much about Stony Point, except that as soon as we got off the ship we seemed to be in town. Very few of us even carried cameras in those days, so I doubt tat I have any picture. I should look at my old pictures sometime...

Whenever, later in life, I mentioned going up the Hudson River, I would get blank looks back. Either people didn't understand what I meant, or they thougt I was exagerating. Thanks for the wonderful memory.
LaFlamme

P.S. The Gypsum Queen flew the British Flag, the captain was American and most of the crew were Canadians, with a couple guys of other nationalities. The adventures we had....


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

*Fate of Fundy Gypsum*

Hi Eddie. 
I joined this site to try to answer your question. I was crew aboard both the Gypsum Countess in '69/'70 and the Gypsum Prince in '70/'71. R.T. Luckey captained the Countess and Norman Crowe mastered the Prince. We carried rock from both Hantsport and Little Narrows to ports along the eastern seaboard of the United States - Boston, Staten Island, Haverstraw, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and Jacksonville during the spring, summer and fall. In the winter we would do charter work carrying rock from Kingston, Jamaica to Freeport, New Orleans, Houston and Tampico. Quite often we'd pick up grain in New Orleans on the way back to Kingston. The Caribbean was fantastic and I still visit on a yearly basis, although I've been ashore since 1971. 
Our crew at the time was mostly Canadian, although I understand that the company switched to Philipino crews some time after I left. Fundy Gypsum ceased operations in Nova Scotia a few years ago. Her 2 newest ships are now lading iron ore in Africa. Hope that helps! I drive by the old quarry from time to time, and a lot of vivid memories come back. In my time aboard the Countess and Prince I would have visited Haverstraw 4 or 5 times. I don't remember much except that there was a pool hall not far from the plant where we'd go to down a few.
BigMig


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

Worked all the Gypsum ships calling into Norfolk. Queen, King and A V Kastener. There was a later one but can't remember the name. At the time, 1987 -2000 ish they had British Captains and Chiefs. Can't remember the rest. They then came under management of some Bermuda company and went down hill. The building bust pretty much saw the end of them here in Norfolk. Nice ships to work on. Queen and King had Redifon WT stations and Kastener Sailor. Used to work on them in Baltimore and once in Wilmington NC.


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

Greetings to everyone who has read and participated in this thread over the years.

I have to correct my own post of February 2011. I sailed on the S.S. Gypsum Countess, with Captain Luckey, from August 1969 until June 1970 (not the Gypsum Queen). I recently discovered my mistake when I exchanged some private messages with BigMig after he tracked me down. That shows that a man my age should double check his memories, or at least look at his own seaman's discharge book.

BigMig and I sailed on the Countess at the same time, on the deck crew. It was such a pleasure to reconnect with him after all those years. He has a much better memory than I do of the other crew members, and he was even able to dredge up a couple of photos from that time. 

In my youthful insouciance I didn't record the names of all those men I worked with, nor took many pictures. I wish I had. But to be able to exchange news and common stories with BigMig is such a gift.

I hope others who worked on the Gypsum ships will share their memories with all of us. They were great ships, with great crews.

I would love to see pictures of the Countess, maybe someone will have some that they can share with us.


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

This is one of the few pictures I have of the S.S. Gypsum Countess.

We were loading salt, in the Bahamas, probably in early 1970.


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

*Shipmates*

LaFlamme, you are too hard on yourself. Your memory is every bit as good as mine. You remember events well while I seem to remember the crew. Which is odd to me, since I was OS on the Gypsum Countess, and condemned to the 4-8 watch. I seldom had any interaction with the crew during the day ( I was sleeping ), and most of the time people were in their cabins in the evenings. The next year I shipped on the Gypsum Prince as an AB, and got to experience ship's life as you have so eloquently described it to me.
It's been a long time since I gave much thought to my time at sea, but living in a closed environment with 31 other crew, all with different personalities, was often challenging for a relatively inexperienced sailor. I had spent time aboard CSS Maxwell in 1968, and MV Calgary Catalina in early 1969, but they had small crews and shorter times at sea.
I thank LaFlamme for rekindling my interest in what was a very interesting and formative time of my life. We continue to rediscover interesting aspects of life on the Countess 1969-'70.
And like him, in 1971 I met my wife-to-be and said goodbye to the sea.


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## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

Just to say, what an interesting thread.
A fleet that I knew nothing about, and it's really nice to see old shipmates making contact again.
Bravo!


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

Dickyboy,
Thank you for your encouragement. You may just have opened the doors to a lot of recollections, haha. BigMig and I have exchanged emails after we found out that we sailed on the S.S. Gypsum Countess together when we were young sailors. I am not the most knowledgeable about the Gypsum ships, but I am happy to share what I know. Others will hopefully fill in more information.

As far as I know, there were 5 Gypsum ships at that time, in the 1960s and 1970s: Gypsum King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Countess. Others came before and after I gather, such as the Duchess and the Empress. They were owned and operated by the American Gypsum Company, and as others have previously mentioned, they carried gypsum from a few ports in Nova Scotia, but mostly out of Hanstport, destined for the gypsum plants the company operated in the major East Coast cities of the U.S. as well as of the Gulf of Mexico. The ships I know about were all self-unloaders. 

The crews were mostly Canadians, and many of the officers were American or British. The ships were impeccably maintained, and I always believed that there must have been a competition between the Captains as to who had the best looking ship. 

As BigMig wrote, we also carried a lot of grain, salt, and other bulk cargoes between the U.S., the Caribbeans, Mexico and Canada. For example, loading Wheat in Quebec City destined for Haiti. We had regular runs, but then we never knew where we were headed next. It was really exciting.

We had a lot of good times, plenty of adventures, as all merchant seamen have experienced, and we worked hard. The deck crew bunked three to a cabin on those ships (the Bos'un had his own). We loved going south in the winter, but we all had our share of winter storms and hurricanes. We also had long periods of chipping and painting, haha.

I think that we all enjoyed going up the Bay of Fundy (highest tides in the world), to Hanstport, our main loading port, also where crews rotated. Going in, the bow would almost be out of the water, all ballast water pumped out. We would approach the dock riding the tide, bottom almost dragging in the mud. We had 3 hours to load 10-11,000 tons of gypsum, the ship sinking in as the tide rose. Three hours sharp and we cast off, going down the Bay to the Atlantic. I always found those few hours exciting. All deck hands working, even those who just came aboard, just enough time to get your bunk and get your gear ready for work. It was dusty, noisy, but so well rehearsed that it was always a perfect ballet. Then, as soon as we finished stowing the lines and batten the hatches down, we would start washing down the whole ship, some of us starting from the bow, others from the stern. Unless it was nightime of course.

Last fall, in October 2015, I made a visit to Hanstport. Nothing happening there now in terms of gypsum shipping, but it was good to see the old "home port", so to speak. I also bought a book written by St Clair Patterson, from Hanstport, titled "Gypsum Royal Fleet". I have only read a few pages here and there, but it is basically the history of the gypsum shipping industry, from the days of the schooners, to the present. He has some pictures, and a lot of the history of that part of Nova Scotia.

Nice memories for an old man (Not so old, come on...)


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

I'll add a bit to LaFlamme's commentary. The vessels in the Gypsum fleet had an interesting configuration. The main cargo area was bisected longitudinally by an 'A' frame that rose roughly 10 - 12 feet if memory serves. In effect the vessel than had 2 'V' shaped cargo areas. Because the vessels always travelled back to Nova Scotia light, the 'A' frame allowed for extra ballast volume. Even so, as LaFlamme noted, on arrival in Hantsport our draught was 15 ft. at the stern and 7 feet at the bow. This was the case on both the Countess and on the Prince. Quite a difference from the 22 - 24 feet we drew when fully laden with gypsum, which despite its soft texture was a very heavy mineral. Loaded, we could make 12 knots; returning north, and far enough offshore to hit the Gulf Stream, we could make close to 20. Getting back to the holds, the cargo area was divided into 7 smaller compartments which were separated by bulkheads. At the base of the 2 'V's were cargo belts which ran for'/aft to a transverse belt beneath the stern deck. This belt could be extended laterally to deliver cargo to hoppers onshore. There were 70 large wheels above each of the 2 long. cargo belts which were operated manually. They opened gates which would allow the rock to tumble onto the belts for delivery ashore. We never touched the wheels in the Atlantic ports, but we unloaded all manner of cargo in the Caribbean. I remember unloading grain in Kingston, Jamaica, and it was 120 degrees in the ships belly. I had so much dust stuck to me when I was relieved that I looked like the Pillsbury dough boy. It's a wonder we have lungs left...


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## RolfA (Apr 15, 2017)

*SS Gypsum Countess Sept 69/ April 71*

I started as utility man first trip to Florida ,officers mess man next trip to Stoney Point. Picked up R.T.Lucky reg captain ,next trip went to tunnel. Got a turn at wheel with Mr Snare, heading south to Kingston Oct.18/69 first time south for me. Anyone rember the night we hit all the barges in the big missippi? Can't find any photos yet do have one under Mistec River bridge Boston some where. Love photo of us loading salt in GreatInuga the millers were as big birds.


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

*Reply to RolfA*

Ah! The Mystic River Bridge! I remember the elevator!!! Boston was my favorite port-of-call on the Eastern seaboard, RolfA. I had a friend living there; he and I had been classmates at University of King's College in Halifax. I would let him know when I hit Boston, and if it was the evening, he'd pick me up in his old caddie, and we'd head off to Revere to the clubs. We usually had a bellyful when we drove back to the ship, but we always finished the night off by trying to run down some of the big wharf rats that were there in abundance. Glad he never drove that big bird off the pier!!LOL I was on the Countess '69 - '70, and the Prince '70 - '71. Also spent a month aboard the Queen Feb. '72, but I was engaged and regretted my decision to ship out on her the moment I stepped on the gangplank. As the Boomers sang, "That's What Love can Do"!


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

This is a great day!
Not only do I get to hear again from an old shipmate, BigMig, but we also reconnect with another member of the Countess crew, RolfA. Rolf and I were best buddies, and we used to hang together when going ashore; we had a lot of good times together. It is such a pleasure for me to read both of you. Of course we were young, but that was a great part of our lives. What I would give up for climbing up that gangway again!

As Rolf mentioned, I remember the time we hit and sank that barge loaded with sand, sailing up the Mississippi, just as we were going for breakfast. That was quite an eventful morning; we dropped one bow anchor and even the stern anchor, as far as I remember.

Here are two more pictures from our time on the Countess.


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

I was in the Caribbean aboard the Countess the winter of '69 - '70 and have no recollection of her sinking a barge. Could that have been the year before or after? What I do recall is going through the Mississippi delta on the Prince the following year, and being amazed at the number of vessels that had been washed high and dry by a previous hurricane. In fact, when we arrived south, there was still a considerable swell running, but the rollers were well spaced. It was beautiful steaming with the sea on our stern. The wind was still up a bit, and there were a lot of flying fish which would take flight but be deposited on deck by the breeze. Funny the stuff you remember...


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## LaFlamme (Feb 1, 2011)

BigMig,
I signed off the Countess in June 1970, we sailed together, but I wonder if you could have been off on leave when we had that accident. It could have happened the previous fall, before you signed on? RolfA was part of the crew, but not yet working on deck I believe. 

RolfA, I sent you a private message with my contact information; call me or send me your phone number. BigMig and I have had contact through email for a while now. Do you still have the same email address BigMig?

You know what would be great? A reunion. You guys could join me here in Los Angeles, or I'll fly your way. What do you say? We should think about this seriously.


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

E-mail unchanged, LaFlamme. Wish I could say the same for me LOL
I only took the regular leave entitlements in the 7 months I sailed on the Countess and did the Caribbean trip. If you remember, there were two assholes who had left the RCN early, and thought they owned the ship. And their treatment of the guys who worked at the gypsum plant in Kingston was disgusting. I remember one of them punching out the 2nd cook on the dock in Baltimore as well... Capt. Luckey showed them the exit when we hit Hansport. It's odd that I'm missing my sign on/off docs from the Countess, but have them all from the Prince. Even have my vaccination certificate from Jacksonville in Oct. '70. I was aboard the Prince for 6 uninterrupted months with one exception, to visit mom and my siblings before Xmas. I had had to surrender my license for 6 months so I spent the rest of that time at sea.
As for getting together, I don't wander too far from home anymore, particularly with a new grandson to spend time with. I'm nearly 70 so have to make the time count!!! That said, if you make it to the Maritimes let me know - I'd love to sit down and have a beer, a steak and a good jaw. 
Feel free to share my e-mail address with RolfA confidentially, LaFlamme.


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## emsbuff124 (Oct 6, 2009)

wow i know its been awhile since i was on here but there is a ton of information on the gypsum fleet and i am so happy to read it all
Sadly the dock at stony point sits abandoned now after the mines closed up
I was wondering if anyone knew of or heard the story of when in the early 70-80s one of the gypsum boats hit the dock and partially sunk at the dock causing an interesting and challenging repair
my father had told me this story but it was way before any decent pictures could be taken


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

*Reply to emsbuff124*

Hi emsbuff124. Glad you are enjoying the discussion among old shipmates. I never heard of an accident at the Stoney Creek wharf in my 2 year stint with Fundy Gypsum, so I can't offer you anything. The discussion of the timing of the barge sinking in New Orleans still has me confused. I was on the Caribbean trip winter of '69 - '70. I had driven to Halifax during the loading of the Countess, preparatory for her departure south, to see my girlfriend. While there, the fog set in thick! If you are familiar with the old Windsor highway, you'll know that it was a nasty drive back to Hantsport in the fog. As it turned out, I was late getting back; Countess had just let her lines go and I was standing on the dock thinking I'd missed a great opportunity to see a new part of the world. Well, Captain Luckey appeared on the wing of the bridge with his bullhorn, and I can hear him yet! "Stay on the dock, laddie, the tug'll bring you out!" We were dumping the load in Baltimore before heading south for the winter, and I remember being summoned to Capt. Luckey's cabin as we approached the gypsum plant. I was prepared for a real dressing down, but was very surprised when he said to me "You almost missed the boat back there laddie. Don't let it happen again!' And that was the only time I was ever disciplined on any of the ships I crewed on. Anyway, emsbuff124, that will give you a bit of insight into the fairness of the Countess' skipper! Cheers, BigMig


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

I knew two friends working in the Gypsum Bermuda office, Derek (Buck) Taylor and Roger Farge. Derek passed several years ago. I see Roger about the island once in a while.


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## emsbuff124 (Oct 6, 2009)

BigMig said:


> Hi emsbuff124. Glad you are enjoying the discussion among old shipmates. I never heard of an accident at the Stoney Creek wharf in my 2 year stint with Fundy Gypsum, so I can't offer you anything. The discussion of the timing of the barge sinking in New Orleans still has me confused. I was on the Caribbean trip winter of '69 - '70. I had driven to Halifax during the loading of the Countess, preparatory for her departure south, to see my girlfriend. While there, the fog set in thick! If you are familiar with the old Windsor highway, you'll know that it was a nasty drive back to Hantsport in the fog. As it turned out, I was late getting back; Countess had just let her lines go and I was standing on the dock thinking I'd missed a great opportunity to see a new part of the world. Well, Captain Luckey appeared on the wing of the bridge with his bullhorn, and I can hear him yet! "Stay on the dock, laddie, the tug'll bring you out!" We were dumping the load in Baltimore before heading south for the winter, and I remember being summoned to Capt. Luckey's cabin as we approached the gypsum plant. I was prepared for a real dressing down, but was very surprised when he said to me "You almost missed the boat back there laddie. Don't let it happen again!' And that was the only time I was ever disciplined on any of the ships I crewed on. Anyway, emsbuff124, that will give you a bit of insight into the fairness of the Countess' skipper! Cheers, BigMig


Bigmig thanks for the info I appreciate the info 
I was reading your earlier posts the pool hall you spoke of is still there but is no longer a pool hall/bar but a gym now 
The Marina where the ship docked is still there and the old fishing shack by the dock is boarded up 
From what I was told from my father the accident happened around the mid 70s-80s 
There was another time that the ship did hit the dock coming in and caused damage and required repair if I can I'll take some pictures to bring back some memories


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

In case anyone is interested, the CBC produces a terrific 1/2 hr., television show called Land & Sea. This past weekend's program was about harbor pilots in general, and Halifax harbor in particular. It discussed numerous aspects of piloting including training, navigation and the challenges presented by today's massive vessels. There was also a very poignant part of the show which discussed the Halifax explosion and the efforts of government to place the blame on a particular pilot - what's an accident without a scapegoat, eh? As the show was ending, and the pilot was leaving the bridge, he made a point of thanking the helmsman, and that got me thinking about the many times that I was the recipient of that thanks. There was something extraordinary about being trusted to steer 24,000 tons of mass through some very challenging inland waterways. In particular, the trip up to the gypsum plant in New Orleans was a serious nerve bender and one I did not care for. However, that was more than made up for by the trip up to Baltimore thru Chesapeake Bay, particularly after dark. It was a long run from the Atlantic up to the plant. Usually, after dark, once the pilot was comfortably in place, the captain would leave the bridge, leaving the mate of the watch, the pilot, and the helmsman. Most of the time the mate was in the chartroom, leaving two of us to 'tame the beast'. The channel, in places, was a confusing mix of red and green buoys, at least to my inexperienced eye, but the pilot knew 'em off by heart. It was sublimely quiet on the bridge most of the time. Some of the pilots didn't say anything other than when they wanted a heading change, but occasionally one of these experienced mariners would chat with me as an equal. I enjoyed that run up to Baltimore, and took great pride in delivering the ship and the guys sleeping a few decks down safely to port.


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## BigMig (Jan 30, 2016)

I've been thinking about that barge sinking in the Mississippi Delta again, and just realized that I was on the 4 - 8 watch on that voyage and was probably counting sheep at the time the Countess passed by. If, as LaFlamme says, she dropped her anchor, I'm surprised I wouldn't have wakened. But that was 49 years ago, and I could actually sleep soundly that long ago...


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## wastoe (Jan 3, 2016)

emsbuff124 said:


> Does anyone know the current activates associated with the Gypsum boat fleet primarily in the Hudson river? I live right by the Stony Point/ haverstraw gypsum dock and since i was a 3 year old i have just been hooked on these massive ships that were able to navigate this far up the hudson. My dad told me there were 4 ships the gypsum king, queen, princess, and prince. There was also a story that my dad told me that before i was born one the boats was under the eye of a drunk captian and hit the dock on the way in and sunk and had to be repaired on the spot.When I got a Bit older i kept record of the ships that were docked there I saw the Gypsum King Once about 6 years or so ago and the baron a number of times. I was pretty lucky i was able to walk right up to the Dock were the ships parked and got a good veiw of the Hulls and could even read the Dept Numbers on the Bow THen about 5 years ago the dock apeared to be retrofited and a new ship called the AV. Kastner appeared, Along with a Security Fence and Guard and gone were the days of walking up to this ocean vessels. main questions are what happened to the ships prior to the AV. kastner? Is the Av. Kastner Still owned by the Gypsum company i noted that the Lettering on the stacks were changed Was there really a near sinking at the dock from a drunk captian? And were are these boats based out of and the Nationalities of the Crew?
> thanks alot Also if Anyone has any pictures New or Old of these ships i really would love to see them and bring back some childhood memories
> Eddie


the kastner was the last of the gypsum ships to be built to my knowlage.she is smoe where over seas .


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

wastoe said:


> the kastner was the last of the gypsum ships to be built to my knowlage.she is smoe where over seas .


Centennial was the last one built. A V Kastner was second from last. Last saw Centennial on way inbound to Baltimore.


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

Bill.B said:


> Centennial was the last one built. A V Kastner was second from last. Last saw Centennial on way inbound to Baltimore.


Apparently there is a Gypsum Integrity built in 2009. Have never seen or heard of her.


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## wastoe (Jan 3, 2016)

Bill.B said:


> Apparently there is a Gypsum Integrity built in 2009. Have never seen or heard of her.


thanks for the information


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## terrywarnerpgeo (5 mo ago)

emsbuff124 said:


> Does anyone know the current activates associated with the Gypsum boat fleet primarily in the Hudson river? I live right by the Stony Point/ haverstraw gypsum dock and since i was a 3 year old i have just been hooked on these massive ships that were able to navigate this far up the hudson. My dad told me there were 4 ships the gypsum king, queen, princess, and prince. There was also a story that my dad told me that before i was born one the boats was under the eye of a drunk captian and hit the dock on the way in and sunk and had to be repaired on the spot.When I got a Bit older i kept record of the ships that were docked there I saw the Gypsum King Once about 6 years or so ago and the baron a number of times. I was pretty lucky i was able to walk right up to the Dock were the ships parked and got a good veiw of the Hulls and could even read the Dept Numbers on the Bow THen about 5 years ago the dock apeared to be retrofited and a new ship called the AV. Kastner appeared, Along with a Security Fence and Guard and gone were the days of walking up to this ocean vessels. main questions are what happened to the ships prior to the AV. kastner? Is the Av. Kastner Still owned by the Gypsum company i noted that the Lettering on the stacks were changed Was there really a near sinking at the dock from a drunk captian? And were are these boats based out of and the Nationalities of the Crew?
> thanks alot Also if Anyone has any pictures New or Old of these ships i really would love to see them and bring back some childhood memories
> Eddie


I shipped into Stony Point on the Gypsum Empress, in 1975 and 76 on the Queen. The Queen was tied up in Staten Island in 1976. July 4, 1976, she was being sold. We delivered her to the Bath Maine, Shipyard. If memory serves she was replaced by the Baron. Which was a new design to US Gypsum with the house aft. With the Queen et al they were fun to steer with the house forward.

They were all steam turbine as US Gypsum was comfortable with what they knew.


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## wastoe (Jan 3, 2016)

i also served on the gypsum queen and countess.later the countess was my perminant ship.years sailing wiith gypsum,1975-1979.


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## Thetutt (4 mo ago)

On another thread I am looking for information on the Gypsum Prince 1928/1929 a ship my grandfather served on as an engineer. Where did these ships sail from/to? Being a Brit I wonder how he joined a ship that was, if my reading is correct primarily Canadian based. I have been told that at some point he was "frozen in" I would love to know where as there was a photograph from a newspaper of him on the deck, unfortunatley it has been lost but maybee the paper has been digitised. I can only hope.


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