Part 3
Story and photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
LAKE MICHIGAN — Max Hockanson, 22, has been working on the S.S. Badger since he was 16-years-old. Now in his eighth year at Lake Michigan Carferry, he is an able bodied seaman working in the deck department. His duties even include steering the ship. His career has also expanded beyond working on the Badger with experience last fall and winter working on three Great Lakes freighters.
The 2021 Ludington High School graduated started his career at the Badger working as an auto attendant.
“When I was in high school, the Badger would often recruit people who were on the soccer or track teams. That’s how I got started,” he said.
After graduating from Ludington High School in 2021, he attended West Shore Community College with the intention of going into nursing. After his first semester, he realized that wasn’t the right career path for him. He then attended Jackson Community College to study to become a lineman. Again, it just didn’t feel right.
“I came back to the Badger that next summer to become a runner again (ship’s language for auto attendant). Then, I contacted human resources and asked if there were any openings in the deck department. After a few weeks I got a call back and was told that there was an opening.”
The first step in a deck department is a position known as ordinary seaman, an entry-level, unlicensed position. In 2022, he obtained his able bodied seaman endorsement, which provides more advance duties including wheeling the boat. The endorsement was paid for through the company which, according to Max, will help pay for more advanced trainings.
Max said since moving to Ludington in 2010, he was always intrigued with the Badger.
“I would go to the beach and watch the Badger and would think, ‘That’s super cool. I would love to work there.’ The Badger is such an integral part of this community. Plus, I’m a big boat nerd. I actually like anything with a motor in it: Boats, planes, trains, automobiles.”
Working on the last remaining coal-fired steamship on the Great Lakes is unique and is a point of pride for many who work on the Badger. Max is no exception.
“This is such a unique vessel,” Max said. “It’s historic. The last of its kind. Plus, I enjoy the various duties such as driving the cars on and off the boat, and, of course, steering the ship.”
Max typically steers the boat every shift, typically relieving the on-duty wheelsman when he takes a break. Those duties often include wheeling her in and out of port as well.
Lake Michigan Carferry is owned by Interlake Maritime Services of Middleburg Heights. Interlake Maritime Services also owns Interlake Logistics, which operates the Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 tug/barge based in Ludington, along with the Interlake Steamship Company, which operates 10 freighters that operate throughout the Great Lakes.
As being part of IMS, Badger crew members have the opportunity to work on other vessels when the Badger isn’t sailing. Last October, Max was assigned to the historic M/V Lee A. Tregurtha, an 826-foot ship that was built in 1942, 11 years before the Badger. The vessel, known as the Chiwawa, was in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945 when the Japanese surrendered to the United States ending World War II.
Max spent two months on the Lee A., including one month as a wheelsman.
“That was extremely fun, wheeling an 826-foot boat through the Great Lakes,” he said. “The Lee A. is the biggest boat that can fit on the River Rogue in Detroit. It’s super tight and requires extreme precision. It was also a great experience seeing all the different ports like Duluth, Minn. and Marquette.”
Besides being nearly twice as long as the Badger, working on a freighter is a very different experience.
“On the freighters like the Lee A., you are carrying ore. The Badger carries vehicles and passengers. The Badger has a crew of about 60 while the freighters have crews of about 25.”
Max spent his second month on the Lee A. Tregurtha as a deck hand.
“That’s a different experience,” he said. “The deck hands are responsible for tying the ship, unloading, unloading, and rinsing the deck.”
He then was assigned to the Stewart J. Cort from December until it the shipping season ended in January. The Cort was built in 1972 and is 1,000 feet long. Max said the experience taught him how to handle some challenges in the work place, much different than on the Badger.
“On the Badger, we rarely change crew and are very tight. With the freighters, it’s common that the crews change out frequently. I learned some valuable life lessons on the Cort.”
When the shipping season began again in the March, Max was assigned to the Hon. James L. Oberstar, an 806-foot-long ship built in 1959. There, he also served as a wheelsman.
“It was super fun wheeling through the Great Lakes,” he said. “I certainly want to continue to work on the freighters but the Badger is home.”
His favorite part of working on the Badger is his fellow crew mates and interacting with the passengers.
“We have a great crew,” Max said. “When we aren’t working on board, we are hanging out with each other. You just get really close with everyone here.”
Working on a ship can be very rewarding but it is not an easy life.
“We work straight from mid-May until mid-October, 180 days in a row with little time off,” he said. “It can be challenging both emotionally and physically. But, once you are done it’s extremely rewarding. I think it’s a great experience and I would recommend this job whether it’s working on the deck, in the engine department or in customer service.”
Max’s father, Chuck Hockanson also works for LMC as a security officer/K-9 handler.
Max said he would like to be with the company long-term and plans on moving into the next stages of training, which is entering into a deck officer program. As a licensed deck officer, he would become a mate. When completed, a deck officer earns a bachelor’s degree.
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