ENDS THIS AFTERNOON . . . I had planned something else for today, but this auction ends in just a few hours. Impulse buy anyone?
taken October 2010 at Mystic Seaport
As of this morning, high bid is just under $10,000. Some details here: “1962 Gibbs Corp. Growler Harbor and icebreaking tug. HIN: WYTL-65606; Length: 64~11″; Beam: 19~1″; Draft: 9~; Builder: Gibbs Corporation, Jacksonville, FL; Machinery: 3,690 mile range; Electronics: SPN-11 detection radar. Vessel is listed in salvage condition. Vessel is not taking on water.”
taken September 2011 at Sixth Boro’s tugboat race
Photos by Will Van Dorp, who’s NOT bidding. For a previous Growler post with links, click here. For another WYTL breaking ice on the Hudson a few years back, click here.
Back to Ingrid’s photos tomorrow.
tugster: a waterblog 
10 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 30, 2018 at 11:53 am
Anonymous
seems hard to believe these WTLS were just coming into service in 1963 when I was getting out. These steel 65 footers replace the wood 64 footers from the 1930s. Where does the time go?
January 30, 2018 at 11:59 am
Tugalert
As built the 65 s only had a 3/16 inch hull. As the boats were getting older some were re-engined and in some places the hull plating with 1/4 inch plate. Boats with bad hulls etc were donated to Mass Maritime, Kings Point and the Governor Island ferry system. They were not re-engined either. The author was stationed on the CGC Hawser back in the early 1980 s.
January 30, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Tugalert
With the passing years it is the opinion of the author that it is time to replace these thin hull coast guard ice breaking tugs.
January 30, 2018 at 8:21 pm
Mike
USCGC Catenary; my old boat. Served onboard from ’88 to ’92 on her. I hate to see what has become of her. When she was in service at Gloucester City, NJ or later at the new base in Philadelphia, her condition, be it mechanical, electrical, hull or deck was the best. The Chief and crew took great pride in her. Brass shined daily, everything in it’s place and in the proper order; the paint, gleaming. No, no running rust ever on her. So this does hurt to see her like this. My hope is she goes to an owner who will look at her history prior to the Kings Point years and return her to her old CG days, when she served the Port of Philadelphia, from Trenton, NJ down to the Delaware Bay, with distinction.
From what I recall, the thing that hurt her was the cost of re-engining her; along with the removal of some interior compartment insulation that contained asbestos.
Most of her life, minus the Kings Point years, were spent in the fresh water of the Delaware River. That hull plating at the ice belt was stout enough.
How lucky was I, to go from being an MK2, basically doing the mechanical maintenance onboard her, to moving onto my next unit as her Engineering Petty Officer onboard CGC Line, another WYTL? Just some great times spent on this boat; some fine Chiefs and crew members. This boat deserves better than this and in the right hands can provide some light harbor work and ice breaking operations.
January 31, 2018 at 7:17 am
tugster
Mike– I’ve no idea who placed the winning bid, but as I often hope when a sale like this happens, I hope the person who put down that first $10k understands that that’s only the first part; many times greater the expense will follow to get more years for this vessel. Here’s a different vessel seeking funding; notice the costs breakdown: https://www.gofundme.com/restoresaturn
January 31, 2018 at 7:54 am
Tugalert
The highest bid was $10,000.00 and did not meet the govt reserve.
January 31, 2018 at 8:03 am
tugster
Thx. I missed that. Where’d you see it?
January 31, 2018 at 8:08 am
Tugalert
I was at my computer watching the bidding. When the a bidding ends with no stated winning then it means that the reserve has not been met.
March 21, 2018 at 11:27 am
Andrew Conroy
Wish I could have bought her. I was one of her last skippers at the USMMA. She needed work when I left. A few transmission problems. Engines ran well. I installed that Yanmar 20kw gen set myself. We tried to reprint and keep her clean up until the end. I think the academy let her go because not many could drive or maintain her. What a sweet vessel with big potential. May she Rest In Peace.
March 21, 2018 at 12:41 pm
Frederick H Mallett
The ex cutter didn’t have an high enough bid. I just looked at GSA and it is not on a bid now.