Robert E. McAllister has quickly become my favorite tugboat in the sixth boro. I know how fickle that sounds . . . But here, muscling Victorious Ace around under cover of darkness, Robert E. is incomparable.
Of course, Margaret Moran nudging in Carnival Glory is no slouch either.
As many in the sleeping city have eyes closed, not everyone does. Mary Alice (I think) grabs scows by the pair.
Sarah Dann and scow have invisible bottoms as WTC1 has no top. I hope to put up some nekkid hull pics soon. To see nekkid car carrier hulls like Victorious Ace, click here.
Behold Discovery Coast, sleepless in the sixth boro.
Ellen, . . . whom I’ve long admired and still do, I’m happy to meet
your sister. According to this 2004 article, McAllister had at that time converted over a dozen of these.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
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October 6, 2013 at 8:11 am
Chris Williams
Always loved the YTBs. We had several at the Sub Base in Groton that would escort the SSNs to and from New London Ledge and assist with landings and underways. Once had the privilege of riding a dead ship (former DE) down the river under control of a couple of YTBs and a docking pilot prior to towing it out to the operating areas for a sinkex. Nice to see them continuing to serve, and a nice tribute to their original design which allowed the significant upgrades they can receive to a basically unchanged hull and main deck house.
October 6, 2013 at 8:25 am
Anonymous
chris did u ever work 4 mcallister I knew a guy by that name worked on the brooks mcallister with me dean
October 6, 2013 at 2:21 pm
tugster
amen to that last sentence, chris.
October 8, 2013 at 8:28 am
Chris Williams
Hi Dean
Nope – I did my sea time on Navy ASRs (Submarine Rescue Ships.) Although landlocked today, I still miss the shiphandling experiences the most. The ASRs could be a handfull under certain conditions, and we would categorize our landings at the Sub Base piers as “any one we can walk away from is a good one.” Some were OK, and some were “markable,” as in the conning officer really needed to go initial that new dent or scratch in the hull.