Newest Hull in the Sixth Boro 9

Kudos to Allen Baker for catching this boat coming through, and as of Friday morning she’s still in the boro even though she’s headed for Norfolk, I believe.

Have a look at her and see if you can tell any differences between this new boat and a long evolutionary string of Moran boats depicted here and culminating in the 6000s like Kirby Moran….

And the difference is . . .  she’s all different:  shorter (by almost 10′), cleaner (Tier IV), and with an all-different propulsion (Cat/Royce turning 94″ wheels v. EMD/Schottel turning 102″).  It would be interesting to see them side by side as well as from the interior.  There are other differences as well.

Again, kudos to Allen for catching this boat coming through on delivery south. 

Coincidentally, just last week I reread Tugboat: The Moran Story by Eugene F. Moran and Louis Reid, published in 1956.  That book covers 1850 to 1950, and I’d love to see installment two of the Moran story, covering the 65 years since Tugboat came out.  Is anyone writing it?  I’d step up . . . for what that’s worth.

A starting point is here, and in the Towline archives you find there.