I saw this boat last week on the KVK and wondered. Was it the same vessel captured here in 2006, here in 2007, here in 2008, here in 2009 in orange, and many other times since . . .?
Below is a re-edited view of the boat in August 2009 and
here’s a shot from a half minute later.
Below she is in November 2014 and
here in October 2015.
So there you have it, photo below taken last week, this hull has changed names again, although the ML on the stack is the same. On that detail, though, it might NOT stand for the same company name. Check
this link for Mother’s Launch. For other Equitable boats, click here.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
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January 23, 2017 at 12:13 pm
ws
Keep the Funnel initials, they’re the same!
Joan La Rie III was named after the Joan La Rie I, the name on the second hand boat:
https://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg545/docs/boards/joanlerie.pdf
January 23, 2017 at 1:10 pm
George Schneider
There must be some connection between Miller’s Launch and Mother’s Towing. FRED K became FREDDIE K MILLER in 2010 but ownership was still technically Kosnac Floating Derrick Corp. In 2011 the owner was changed to Mother’s Towing, never Miller Launch. And now she has still another MILLER name. The stack marking is definitely the same as Miller Launch. And if Mother’s Towing is not the same as Miller’s Launch, then Miller’s must have her under long-term charter, but that doesn’t explain Mother’s then offering her on their site.
January 23, 2017 at 3:44 pm
George Schneider
I did a little more searching. In the April 2010 edition of Marine News magazine, there’s an article about Kosnak withdrawing from business, and they say the FRED K II was chartered to Miller’s, with an option to buy. So I’d be quite certain now that Mother’s is a puppet company for Miller’s, to keep the towing business separate from the other services. Right now Miller’s has a full-sized oilfield supply boat in Los Angeles, providing fenders and standby services to large tankers lightering offshore.
January 23, 2017 at 4:17 pm
tugster
George– Thx for your searching. ML also has had an oilfield supply boat down near the Panama Canal.