I don’t care that it’s February, but the number of subsequent days with temperatures over 50 degrees in the sixth bor0 tells me it is spring–or has been.
Notice the difference between Severn and Fort Schuyler? Here proximity highlights the difference in height of the upper wheelhouse,
but Severn is of the 4200 hp class and fort Schuyler, the 3000.
Ah, the line and boom boats.
Joan is one of the Moran “giraffe” boats and see HR Otter?
She reminds me of the long gone Odin.
Here’s a closer-up of the HR Otter, a name that immediately conjures up Kenneth Grahame.
Some different pairs are possible here, and they’d be the same.
See the pair there?
a pair of hands. Is there a word for the painted design centered on the bow of some vessels, like figureheads but not?
Hope they clap for mardi gras!
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
5 comments
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February 28, 2017 at 12:20 pm
eastriver
It’s probably called a “boss”, as it was on the sailing ships (see Peking) without a figurehead.
February 28, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Allen Baker
That Joan Turecamo, sans wood grain finish, is still a fine looking boat. (definitely regarding the profile shot of her)
She, and her sister Mary, is what a tugboat should look like.
February 28, 2017 at 8:06 pm
James Gallant
Hi, Will – I could be wrong, so don’t shoot the messenger…but I asked that same quetion many years ago, in regards to early 20th Century Battleships of the Teddy Roosevelt “Great White Fleet” era, that had a United States ‘Great Shield’ on the bow flanked by gold “scrambled eggs”. I was told that all such designs take their name directly from the days of sail; the symbol, shield, etc., in the center is called a “Figurehead”, even though it is flat and often merely painted on, and the wings to the side, regardless if they are straight stripes, ornate scroll work, or full-blown twisting “scrambled eggs”, were called “Fiddleheads”, as were the carved scroll work on the bows astride the base of the Figurehead on traditional sailing ships. Can’t document it; but it is what I was told by somebody who I trusted to have it right, over 45 years ago. Hope it helps give people a lead. – Jim.
February 28, 2017 at 9:17 pm
tugster
eastriver and Jim– I looked up “boss” here and found a set of meanings related to the propeller. https://officerofthewatch.com/tools/maritime-dictionary/
i’m still hunting for this word.
March 1, 2017 at 7:18 am
eastriver
Boss is old usage, maybe they came up with another word since.