SSBrulin

Efforts to salvage theOutardein 1946
History
Name	Brulin(1924-1939) Outarde(1939-1960) James J. Buckler
Owner	Bruce Lindsay Bros Ltd (1924-1939) Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co Ltd (1939-1960) Buckport Shipping Co Ltd (1960)
Builder	Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company,Hebburn-on-Tyne
Yard number	949
Launched	31 July 1924
Completed	August 1924
Fate	Sank during salvage operations on 16 June 1960
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	2,241GRT 1,576NRT
Length	248 feet (76 m)
Beam	43 feet (13 m)
Depth	22 feet 8 inches (6.91 m)
Installed power	180 nhp

SSBrulinwas alake freighterthat worked theNorth American Great Lakesroutes from 1924 to 1960. She was renamedOutardein 1939, andJames J. Bucklerin 1960, shortly before she ran aground and sank during salvage operations. Brulinwas built byPalmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company,Hebburn-on-Tyneand launched on 31 July 1924, for theMontreal Forwarding Company.She was built to the maximum dimensions of thecanal locksthat preceded theSt Lawrence Seaway.

Career

She was involved in a number of incidents in her career. In August 1925 she ran aground at the head of theMorrisburg Canal.

On the night of 15 July 1926 she struck and sank thetugboatEmma L,offWindmill Point,killing six of the tugboat's seven crew,and in 1932 she ran aground onSeven Acre ShoaloffKingston Ontario. In 1935 she found thetank bargeBruce Hudsonadrift and abandoned onLake Erie,and was able to collect a salvage fee.

On 15 November 1939 theBrulincollided with theCanadian Steamship Lines'Huronicin a dense fog.

She was renamedOutardein 1939 when she was sold to theQuebec and Ontario Transportation Company. (In 1962, after her loss, the firm renamed another vesselOutarde.)

In January 1943 she ran aground near theSt Pierre and Miquelonnear the mouth of theSt Lawrence estuary.She was armed with a small cannon duringWorld War II.

On 30 November 1945 a storm smashed theOutardeagainst theConsul-Hall Coal DockatClayton, New York.Acoffer-damneeded to be erected to salvage the vessel, and clear the approach to the dock. Salvage took over four months, and repairs to return to service were not completed until June 1946.

When theSt Lawrence Seawaywas completed, in late 1959, allowing larger vessels to access sail to and from the Great Lakes, theOutardewas scheduled to be scrapped. She was, however, put back into service in 1960 as theJames J. Buckler.She ran aground on 13 June 1960, on a sandbank off the mouth of theSaguenay River.Though she was able to be refloated, she was found to have a serious leak, and was beached. A further salvage attempt was made, but on 16 June 1960 her hull cracked in two. She was purposely sunk nearLes Bergeronnes, Quebecin November 1960.