The Benjamin Elliot was originally name the El-Jean when she was built in 1960, by the Gladding Hearn Shipbuilding Company for the Monahan Towing Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Troy Town Dock aquired the El-Jean in 1962 and renamed her the Benjamin Elliot. In 2007, the tug was acquired by New York State Marine Highway.
At 640 hp, powered by two, Detroit Diesel 6-110 diesel engines, the Ben is the smallest tug in the NYS Highway Marine fleet.
The Tugboat Roundup happens each each, the weekend after Labor Day. A great festival with food, music, historical tours, tugboat tours, crafts, and spectacular Saturday fireworks. There are tugboat parades and tugboat competitions including line tossing for the crew (it's a lot harder than it looks!) and the favorite, Nose to Nose Push-off where the skill of the captains, the strength of the boat and the power of the engines are put to the test.
Tugboat Roundup Sponsors
