Know Your Ships Ushers In Spring With 2026 Edition

One sure sign of spring is the release of the annual Great Lakes boatwatching field guide Know Your Ships. Pre-orders are now being taken for the 2026 edition. Books that are pre-ordered will be shipped as soon as the books are received from the printer, about March 25 (Canadian orders in early April).The cover photo for the 2026 edition was taken by Sam Hankinson. It shows the 1,000’-long Paul R. Tregurtha and ties in with a story he wrote that appears in the book about the responsibility the PRT carries as Queen of the Lakes. Seriously – it’s not easy!

The book also contains complete listings of all vessels in service on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, including frequent saltwater visitors. The Passages section chronicles changes in the shipping scene since the previous year’s edition.

The book also includes meanings of whistle signals, seven pages of colorful stack markings of all Great Lakes & Seaway fleets, including stack markings of many of the saltwater fleets that regularly visit the Seaway system, a comprehensive guide to Great Lakes and Seaway locks and canals, maps of the Great Lakes and Seaway system, a guide to Great Lakes Marine Museums, an Extra Tonnage section that includes a look at cargoes carried by lakers and charts that show travel times and call-in points for the St. Marys, St. Clair and Detroit rivers so you can track the progress of your favorite freighter.

The book features nearly 200 superb pictures taken by photographers and fans from all over the Great Lakes region. Through their lenses, Know Your Ships tells the story of Great Lakes ships and the shipping industry. This includes the arrival of new vessels, unique cargoes and port calls, and the retirement of older ships.

This year’s book contains all-new Spotlight section feature stories, including a look at the long career of the veteran laker Cuyahoga. Recently scrapped, the story touches on the role she played in the formation of the upstart Lower Lakes Towing Co. The book also includes an interview with Algoma Capt. T.J. Per, who has cultivated a YouTube following with his videos about his life and how things work on the lakers. There are also stories about the Blair McKeil and her unique loading/unloading system, the old laker Ridgetown repurposed as a navigational aid and the discovery of the 1913 James Carruthers shipwreck.

It is worth noting that Know Your Ships has covered the waterfront for more almost 70 years. This year marks the books 67^th edition.

The 2026 Know Your Ships Extra magazine, that comes out in midsummer, can also be pre-ordered along with the book (U.S. customers only due the way it is mailed).

Order at www.knowyourships.com