Shipbucket

SS ALLISON LYKES

ALLISON LYKES, as she appeared in 1986-1987, when I was Third Mate on her. At that time she was operating on commercial service as a container ship, between the U.S. East Coast and the West Coast of South America. Originally called Mormacvega, she had been built in 1964, as a break-bulk freighter. In 1982 the ship was lengthened and converted into a self-unloading container ship, with 35-ton capacity cranes replacing the old cargo booms.



IMO No: 6411251
Year: 1964
Name: MORMACVEGA Launch Date: 21.3.64
Type: Cargo ship (ref) Date of completion: 2.10.64
Flag: USA Keel Laid: 17.6.63
Gross Tons: 10484
DWT: 12760
Original Length overall: 167.9 Ship Design: C4-S-60a
Original LPP: 158.5 Country of build: USA
Beam: 22.9 Builder: Litton Ingalls
Material of build: steel
Location of yard: Pascagoula East
Number of screws: 1 Mchy: Steam Turbine
Speed(kn): 1ST-24


Subsequent History:
Lengthened in 1982 to 203.0 meters OS, 193.6m m LBP, 14081gt/15244dw]

1983 sold to United Stated Lines and renamed AMERICAN VEGA

1986 chartered to Lykes Lines and renamed ALLISON LYKES

ON LR/IMO ID Year Name Tons Change Starke Ref. Registered Owner Port
296632 6411251 6411251 1964 MORMACVEGA 10484
296632 6411251 6411251 1964 AMERICAN VEGA 14081 1983
296632 6411251 6411251 1964 ALLISON LYKES 14081 1986

Scrapped 2007

In addition to cargo containers, this ship also had staterooms for eight paying passengers, complete with an elevator connecting the passenger deck with the saloon. During the time I was on this ship, all of the passenger staterooms were always booked up well in advance of sailing

wasnt that ship featured in Red Storm Rising?

Nope- it was a Sov ship that had some cosmetic work done on her to impersonate a LL ship.

That was Doctor Lykes.One of the best books I have ever read BTW. The Russian ship was called Julius Fucik before the conversion to make her look like Lykes.

Glad someone could remember, Supose I could have looked it up but meh I was fealing to lazy I agree however it was an outstanding book.

Klaatu83 - I can't wait to see the treatment you'll give this lady.
Was a sad day when Lykes went under- lots of Gulf Coast history in that company.

RSR was indeed an awesome book- wore out three paperbacks before I found a vintage hardcover.

Tan- here's a pic of the Doctor Lykes from the book:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/54/545064.htm
Here is a (newsprint) shot of her unloading barges:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/54/0954506406.jpg

An interesting little ship, if I do say so.

Please note that the pictures are of Doctor Lykes, and not the subject of this thread, i.e the Allison Lykes.
The day the company went under was indeed a sad day, especially for the Gulf ports, as that company was instrumantal in the whole Gulf ports region in providing employment an buisness.
As for the image of the Allison Lykes there is still much work to be done before it can be regarded as a true SB drawing.

_________________
Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Several of the people asked was this the ship from RSR- as it wasn't, and I showed them a pic or two of the ship that was... that was all.