Waterford Tugboat Roundup

View Original

2022 TBR Lineup

While things are always subject to change, we present to you the 2022 Tugboat Roundup Lineup

J. Arnold Witte

Tug of the Year! Built in 2020, this Donjon 2,400 horsepower, 78-by-26-foot tugboat J. is a triple-screw boat with a telescoping wheelhouse and nine-foot-draft.

8th Sea

Built for the U.S. Army as a harbor tug. Worked in the 70s on the St. Lawrence Seaway (leading to the Great Lakes, a.k.a the 8th Sea). Bought at auction in the 90s by her current owner, then proprietor of Lake Towing and Salvage in Plattsburgh, NY. More here

 Ben Elliot

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 acquired 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.  More here.

 Edna A

Built in 1980. Acquired by the New York State Marine Highway Transportation Company in 2016. Powered by two, GM 12V71 diesel engines. with MG-514 reduction gears, at a ratio of 6:1. Turning two, 60(in) by 48(in), stainless steel, fixed pitch, propellers. She is a twin screw towboat, rated at 900 horsepower.

 Margot

This Oyster Bay, Long Island built "super canaller" was acquired in 2002 by NYS Marine Highway Transportation Co. Since then, she has become ubiquitous on the waters of the Canal.

Sarah D.

Built in 1975, acquired in 2016 by New York State Marine Highway. She is twin screw tug, rated at 2,000 horsepower.

Shoofly Pie

Tugboat Shoofly Pie was designed to be a Distribution Box (L Type) Boat for the US Army, meant to work on harbor mines in the early years of WWII. She laid submarine detection cables in Maine, then spent the rest of the war working as a tugboat. After the war she continued as a tug in Texas, spent a few years working as a fireboat, then as a tug again in the Caribbean and on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Her current home port is Brooklyn.

CMT Otter

One of nine tugs owned and operated by Coeymans Marine Towing, a division of Carver Companies. 62’x24’, draft 7’6”, 1200 hp, twin screw.

Alyssa Brook

Alyssa Brook is a transportable pusher style Tug. Designed and built for pushing Crane Barges or material barges, she weights in at 45000 lbs. This tug can be taken apart and moved on a low bed trailer to almost any destination. With the assist of a mobile crane C.D. Perry can address work that is needed on waterways with almost no access. A very shallow draft of 4' allows very good mobility. The Alyssa Brook spends most of her days working on the Hudson and Mohawk rivers locally.

W. O. Decker

The last surviving New York-built, wooden tugboat W.O. Decker was built in Long Island City, Queens, in 1930 by the Newtown Creek Towing Company. Originally named Russell I, after the towing company’s owners, she was renamed W.O. Decker in 1946 after being sold to the Decker family’s Staten Island tugboat firm.  The tugboat was donated to the Seaport Museum in 1986. W.O. Decker is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an exemplary model of the types of steam tugs that were once an abundant sight in New York Harbor. This unique vessel is a true testament to New York City’s maritime heritage, which is a direct factor in the city’s global prominence today.

Spirit of Albany

Operated in the Port of Albany, NY, primarily used for inspections of the Port District's waterfront facilities and as a work platform for wharf repairs. Prior to the Albany Port District Commission's acquisition it served the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District as the survey boat "Sentry" in New York Harbor for over thirty years. Built by Pasch Marine in 1966 the boat measures 64' LOA, and is powered by 2 12V71 Detroit Diesel engines for propulsion and a 453 Detroit Diesel engine for electrical power.

Mame Faye

The Mame Faye was built in-house by New York State Marine Highway and includes an upper station that provides enhanced visibility over high tows. She is single screw tug and features flanking rudders for exceptional backing control and a closed cooling system for operation in ice or turbid water.

Hawser

The USCS Hawser is a 65' harbor tug. She is one of fifteen tugs used by the United States Coast Guard for search and rescue, law enforcement, aids-to-navigation work and light icebreaking. The Hawser is capable of breaking 18 in of ice with propulsion ahead and 21 in of ice backing and ramming.

Joncaire

Joncaire is a 43' tugboat built in 1979 used by NYPA to assist in installing and removing an ice boom on Lake Erie. NYPA commissioned a new tug, the Joncaire II, designed to fit the barge used for the job, making the Joncaire available for other uses in 2019 when she began her service on the canal. Her first task was to bring down a brand new hopper scout from the Niagara River all the way down to Lyons New York.

Atlantic Hunter IV

This 19 foot custom constructed Glen-L design wood hull boat, "Beau-Jest" model was constructed in constructed in 2001 with Southern Arkansas Yellow pine and marine plywood. All wood is encapsulated in multiple applications of West Systems Epoxy She features a double bunk with ample head room, flushing head, freshwater facilities, paneled wheel house, rear lounge with built-in seating, and a full size pass-thru window between wheel house and rear. The boat was acquired in mid-2022 and has undergone many changes from the original to bring it up to specifications of the ATLANTIC HUNTER succession of boats. She sailed on waters from Florida ( her origin) to Minnesota and Massachusetts before this acquisition and has been well maintained during that 21 year period. This will be the fourth named boat to display the ATLANTIC HUNTER name and wear the insignia of the Blue Dolphin Marine Towing and Salvage company.

Bath Jr

Mini tug built 2016. 25’

Caprice

40-foot, retro-styled Pilgrim tug designed by British yacht designer and builder Ted Gozzard. Built in 85. One of fewer than 50 such builds.

Jolly Bobber

Homemade 14”6’ mini tugboat built in 2021.

Knot at Work

Houseboat. She has two berths, head, galley, flybridge and can sleep 6 comfortably. She travels the Champlain and Erie Canals and moors at Lock 1 Marina.

KO~HOG

Mini-tug. 14’3”. Launched unfinished in 2015, still getting her finishing touches. Her home port is on Cape Cod where her owner enjoys shell fishing. Named for the hard shell clam “quahog.”

Lady Gabrielle

This Nordic Tug is a member of the Troy Yacht and Canoe Club, just across the river. Lady Gabrielle was purchased in Annapolis, Maryland in August of 2012. The boat left Maryland a month before Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast.

Little Giant

Mini-tug built in the style of 1930’s railroad tug. This 29’ tug has been the only mini-tug to hold the title of Tug of the Year (2017). She’s since been renamed and refurbished by her current owner.

My Pal Sal

Mini-tug built in 2020. A nod to the NY canal system, named after the Erie Canal’s must illustrious mule and painted in NYS Canal Corp colors.

Reliant

1988 Nordic Tug

TooT TooT

TooT TooT is a Berkley designed mini tug that was built by Mike and Louise Magnant. Mike actually built the boat around the steering wheel that Louise gave him for Christmas way back in 1996. Before Mike could build the tug however, he promised Louise that he would build her a three season room on the side of their house. It took four and a half years, working part time, before TooT TooT was launched in August 2002. TooT TooT is 14'3" long and 7'4" wide and has participated and won many awards in events all over the northeast.

Toto

Toto’s owner was on duty as a firefighter during a tornado in Massachusetts in 2011 when a tree worker brought a stranded kitten into the firehouse. Jonathan has since written a book about the Toto the Tornado Kitten and named a tug boat after her. Toto (the boat, not the kitten) is a 21’ 2014 Ranger 21EC.

Wahoo

1992 home built fishing trawler