Let’s start here as a quiz. Name that tug? Answer follows. The blurriness is a clue to the vintage . . . of the photo. More oldies at the end of this post.
Here’s an unusual treatment of name boards. Can anyone clarify why the 6140 hp J. George Betz is the only Bouchard boat wit this treatment?
I suspected it was Betz when I noticed her here, but had to look more closely to verify. I believe this is the first time for me to label–if not see–the B. No. 235 barge.
Gulf Venture . . .I’ve not often seen this 5150 hp boat light. Question: Does Gulf Venture currently work for John Stone?
Ernest Campbell departs MOTBY here, her mast perfectly shown against the Putin monument . . . he did come here for the dedication.
Gabby L. Miller . . she’s not been on the blog in a while. This 660 hp tug gives the right push at the right time in the right place sometimes.
The 2000 hp Eric R. Thornton dates from 1960, making her the oldest tug in this post except
More oldies. This is Marion, although I have no information on where and when it was built. Marion was one of two tugs operated by Disston and June Marine Construction, previously called Burcroft Marine Construction Company. Their other tug was Constructor. Marion sank in Weedsport, although I can’t find that date.
This tug may still be afloat.
It’s Morania No. 8 pushing Morania No. 170 barge. Has anyone seen her in Port-au-Prince Haiti? I wonder if this was a company slogan or something displayed more widely. I’ve never heard it.
The mystery tug, believe it or not, is Buffalo, somewhere in the Erie Canal. Click here for a few good photos of Buffalo taken by Tim Hetrick back in 2014. Maybe someone can put a date of the photo by taking into account the color.
All photos except Buffalo by Will Van Dorp. All the oldies here are by Steve Wunder.
tugster: a waterblog 
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July 11, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Jim Gallant
Yep, I guessed she was BUFFALO. I remembered that band rib around her stack from the post the other day. I’m glad it looks like she still has a future!
July 12, 2018 at 11:28 am
William Lafferty
Your Marion, Will, was launched in April 1898 by the Union Dry Dock Company, hull no. 86, at Buffalo for Hickler & Sons of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and named for a daughter of Thomas Hickler. Built at a cost of $15,000, it cleared for its new home on 9 May 1898. 60.25 x 18.4 x 8.42; 63.24 gt, 43 nt; single cylinder high pressure steam engine, 14 x 14, built by Whitmore & Co., Buffalo; firebox boiler, 8.5 x 12.25, built by Lake Erie Boiler Works, Buffalo. It became part of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company when that firm absorbed Hickler in 1908 and served GLD&DCo until sold in 1957 to Marion Tug Corporation of Williamson, New York, homeported at Oswego. It was converted to Diesel, 320-bhp, in 1959. It drifted through a couple of owners until Dissen & Juhn Corporation acquired it in 1974. In 1978 its service was changed to “recreational” and registered as a yacht owned by Audrey Susan McPherson and registered at Philadelphia. After that, who knows? Weedsport? The Constructor was built by Odenbach at Greece in 1950. D & J had two other tugs back then, the Fairfax and Sea King. Also the barge Destroyer, built by our friends the Johnston Brothers at Ferrysburg in 1908. I have several photographs of the Marion steam-powered, if you’re interested.
July 12, 2018 at 12:10 pm
tugster
William– As someone who grew up near Williamson NY and in the town of Marion, I am indeed interested in the photos of the steam-powered Marion. I’ll write via yr email as well. Thx for the invaluable info.