Cape Hatteras

For some reason I thought Kirby had only three of these 105′ x 36′ and 5000 hp boats: Cape Canaveral, Henry, and Lookout. So when I saw this one yesterday at Bayonne Dry Dock, I wondered which it was. From my first photos, I could not read the sign boards, and I eliminated the three Capes I knew using AIS, so I was stumped. Since this one has apparently been on the hard for a bit, its AIS transponder was turned off.

Note the crane truck raising its boom between the Christopher Edward lift and the tug.

I came back past a couple hours later, and noticed the boom was raised. The light was better too, which led me to conclude the tugboat was Cape Hatteras.

So after nearly four years after she was launched, I have a photo of Cape Hatteras. Now I need to catch up with Cape Ann, the last of five Kirby had built at Master Boat Builders. Cape Ann, which I may have to travel to the west coast to see . . . , and Hatteras, where’ve you been?

All photos, WVD.

Kirby also has the Heath Wood 5000 hp boat (s?) and the Tina Pyne 10,000 hp boat (s?) I’ve never seen Heath Wood in the sixth boro, I don’t believe.

If you’ve never read this thumbnail history of Kirby on Tugboatinformation.com, it’s worth a read. Is there a US company with more tugboats than Kirby? The Great Lakes Towing Company claims to be the largest here, but is that true?

Googling “largest tugboat” brought me to the stories of Belcher-Port Everglades and Belcher-Tampa . . . and their short lives. Find that story here.

Enough tangents, interesting though they be . . . I’m off to my other projects.