Tug Tusker?

[YTBCAPT2]

I am the original poster on this subject. Thanks for all the responses, info, and great pictures everyone!

[tugboat]

Hello Cliff, can you send me your e-mail?
[email protected]

Thanks
An old deckhand of yours

[BigRiver]

Passing this along from Captain Morrison...

Here is some more thoughts about the Tusker. She was a typical British or Europe style tug at the time she was built.
Her towing bits and tow hook was almost in the center of her hull, which would make her swing-up in the current a
whole lot easier. Tow hooks were used in Europe a lot more than on the Great Lakes. No towing winch was on her at the time
I was on her in Halifax. All soft line towing, I guess. When she was arrested in Maine, she was running on one engine with very
little fuel and not much fresh water. Local people told me she was to be sunk in deep waters and crew to be picked up. When I
think now about her, she really got around. From Scotland to Australia to Central America to U.S. and then to Canada and Great
Lakes and to Africa, where she ended up. Capt. C. Morrison

Thank you Bruce for the nice comments. I did enjoy my time ship towing in Detroit, mostly with Gaelic Tug and Great Lakes
Towing. It was one of the highlights of my career. I’m retired and live in St. Catharines.

Also, thank you Mac, for your photo. We were tied-up in Dartmouth and took her up to Bedford Basin. Lots of marine stuff in
Halifax area at the time. Got a ride on the Bluenose II and one of the new navy tugs. also.

[Mac Mackay]

See more on Tusker on my blog Tugfax
http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/20 ... while.html

[Guest]

My father, Toby Partridge, sailed with the Tusker out of Halifax as a Mate for the trip to Sorel. Really interesting posts. I remember him leaving on that trip and him taking me onboard the Tusker before he left. I was 10 at the time.

I probably still have some of his pictures. Dad died in 1992.

[Mac Mackay]

On July 27, 1980 Capt. Cliff took Tusker on her first sea trials in Halifax for McAsphalt.

[tugboat 1947]

Capt. Cliff Morrison... Bruce Lolmaugh here been wondering how you are after these years since Gaelic Tug. enjoyed and admired your gentlemanly professionalism. Was in Detroit this past week and your name came up and no one knew of your whereabouts. Great to see you are doing ...

3long 2 short

[Mac Mackay]

I took photos of Tusker here in Halifax on her harbour trials for McAsphalt and they were used by R.G. Bennets of Australia who produced a privately published book called "Tusker The Story of a Tug, 1954-1993" It is now a collectors edition.
If any one wants more info on her specs, construction, etc., I would be happy to oblige.
I was aboard her many times in Halifax during her 1979-1980 refit and followed her subsequent career closely.
I also knew several Australians who were familiar with her work there, and she was an exceptional tug in many ways.
Cliff is right, she did tow two old trawlers out of Halifax August 4, 1980. The former Cape Sambro and Cape Brier had been built in England in 1951-52 as steamers, but were laid up in 1969 when newer trawlers came in. They were eventually purchased by J.P.Porter and in 1974 were converted to self propelled, bottom dumping dredge spoil carriers, along the same lines as the Verreault boats. However J.P.Porter went out of business and they were never used. They were renamed JPP 600 and JPP 601 respectively.
In 1980 they were bought by Artlac Dredging of Notre Dame de Pierreville (near Sorel) and Tusker towed them out of Halifax.
They worked on the St.Lawrence and Lakes for Canamount, McKeil and Dean Construction, before being towed out through the New York canal and Hudson River in 1990 for the Caribbean for use as sand carriers. By then they had carried the names David T.D/ Marie Sol and Kim R.D. / Marie Lou.
I am not sure if they are still around, I lost track of them when they passed Norfolk.

[YTBCAPT2]

Hello Roger, Interesting story, I worked with Capt. Cliff Morrison at Gaelic Tugboat in the 1990's a few times. A real nice, cool, laid back Captain, that knew his tug handling! Thanks for sharing.

[BigRiver]

Passing this along...

A brief story on how the tug Tucker came into Canadian Registry. She was registered in Panama and was running up the east coast of the USA, dropping off
drugs. She was arrested off the coast of Maine and anchored in S.C. Harbour.She was later purchased by a firm in Toronto to push a barge, located in Windsor. Ont. she was
towed to Halifax and put into Canadian registry. I believe her first tow was to bring 2 old trawlers up to Sorel,PQ. maybe for scrapping. I was involved on her in S.W. Harbour for a week and later in Halifax getting her through Canadian Inspection. I never sailed on her. Capt. C. Morrison

[MarcD]

The tug Tusker passing Point Edward with the E. J. Block. August 16, 1987.

[MarcD]

The Tusker a the lead tug passing Point Edward.
Peter A. B. Widener, Nov. 5, 1986.

[J Kerwin]

For anyone interested, the tug at the back of the Aquarama is the Glenada. She was owned by Sandrin Bros. out of Sarnia at the time and also home ported out of Sarnia. Glenada currently operates out of Thunder Bay, ON.

[Guest in Toledo]

A great question, Guest, for the tug Tusker. With your post and Dr. Lafferty’s reply, we now know the tug Tusker is gone forever after being sold off lakes. The BGSU website has the registry, rig, and vessel history, and disposition for the Tusker with some date differences. The Tusker is remembered for many scrap tows in this website’s “Today in Great Lakes History” news feature. A few are…

1980 – D G Kerr from Duluth with $200K port damage
1986 – William Clay Ford & Benson Ford from River Rouge
1986 – Peter A B Widener through the Welland Canal
1987 – Thomas Wilson from Toledo

The picture of the Tusker towing the Aquarama is from this website’s Photo Gallery for anybody who doesn’t remember either hull or a tow. I don’t have the picture credit.

[Guest]

Thank you for all the info Mr. Lafferty. Was alway wondering what happened to her. Thanks again!

[William Lafferty]

The image isn't loading for the Tusker launching for some reason, so here's the link: http://www.aberdeenships.com/image.asp? ... &Size=Full

[William Lafferty]

Tusker was launched 11 April 1956 (but not completed until 1958 due to engine problems) at Aberdeen, Scotland, by Alexander Hall & Co., Ltd., hull no. 746, for Ritch & Smith, Ltd., Port Adelaide, Australia, as a single screw salvage tug. 36.58m x 9.76 x 4.5; 396 gt, 195 nt; twin British Polar M481 8-cylinder Diesels, 250mm x 400, 1420-bhp. In 1979 she was sold Panamanian to Ocean Survey & Studies Ltd. and in 1980 entered Canadian registry owned by McAsphalt Industries, Ltd., Toronto. Charpat Transportation Ltd., also of Toronto, took ownership in 1986 but the following year I believe it defaulted on the mortgage and the vessel became the property of the Greater Sarnia Investment Corporation, Sarnia, and operated by Sandrin Brothers Ltd. of Sarnia. In spring 1992 the Tusker was sold to Lawebod Nigeria Ltd., Lagos, Nigeria, and with the barge Scurry (the former Hall tanker Hudson Transport) in tow, the pair departed for Lagos, arriving 6 July 1992 after a nearly two month voyage. Her Canadian registry was closed 21 April 1992. Before leaving, Tusker was renamed Bode and the barge Remi. The Bode stranded 10 October 1993 at Grand Berebi, Ivory Coast, while attempting salvage of the ferry Jumbo, and was abandoned by the crew there.

Here is a photograph of her launching, from the Aberdeen City Council website.

[Guest]

Can somebody give me some information on this tugboat? Like owner, length, width, horsepower, type of power plant and history. When did this tug leave the lakes or was she scraped? Any pictures to share would be great too. I have seen the pic of her towing the Aquarama but really no others! She seems like a big lake tug wondering why she is still not around.