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Latest Fremont Tugboat Newsletter Sept/08
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23 July, 2010
I am still working on my new book Lifeboat Station Sailor and I have had luck getting more pictures. Jim Gold of Hoquiam is sending me a picture of his dad, Fred, who was my Commanding Officer in 1957 at Grays Harbor! Thanks to Roland E. Miller Jr., Leiter S. Hockett is sending me pictures of his dad Leiter. I received pictures of the ODANAH, a halibut schooner that I towed in after she broke her tail shaft, thanks to Don Fastabend at Astoria Marine Construction who knew the family and gave me the name. Brady Engvald sent me 200 photos that Harry Webb took and he is playing detective in trying to run down pictures of the FRANK L III & the VICTORIA. If it wasn’t for Brady I think that I would just give up on any pictures out of Westport and thanks to Roland for getting me in touch with Brady.
We lost two and got one back. My man in Ballard reports that the tug SOUND was being towed to Port Angeles by the tug CHIEF (Bob Simmons’ old boat.) when she floundered and sunk somewhere in the Straits and her engine the 200 H.P. Enterprise is going into Skip Lampman’s old YTM the MICHAEL which is called the 702 now,———– how’s that for a bunch of rumors.
 - CHIEF TOWING 702 ALONGSIDE.
Also General Construction came in with one of their big floating cranes and picked the RUSTLER off the bottom and set her on the hard at the West Wall (Fishermen’s Terminal). Then the port built a fence around her because they are investigating the possibility of someone being aboard just before she sank———another great rumor, info from My Man in Interbay.
 - RUSTLER ALL FENCED IN.
 - SIDE OF RUSTLER SHE WILL END UP IN A DUMPSTER SAD ENDING FOR A REAL TUGBOAT.
Our new tug the GENERAL LEE looks just great without a deck. The old deck was thin so Tom and Erik and Keegan took it off and now they can get at the interior and paint her up with some 235. She is built very strong; with the deck off you can now see the construction, she weighed 16 tons when SeaView East unloaded her. More info on her: she was owned by Rainer Log Co. in Port Angeles and is about a 1950 hull. The Makah Tribe had her for a while and she worked at the Neah Bay log dump pushing bundles.
 - MR. KEEGAN STANDING WHERE THE DECK WAS ON THE GENERAL LEE.
 - GENERAL LEES 6-71 WITH AFTER BURNER GIVES HER 310 H.P. ADAIR SAYS WE CAN TRICK IT UP A LITTLE AND GET 500 H.P. OUT OF IT.
The 4th of July went very well this year it got cloudy and rainy in the afternoon and that slowed the crowds down. We, of course, had our Seattle Police Officer at the entrance because with 50 or 60,000 people walking by our door you just can’t take any chances. We got to visit a little in the South Lake Union doings; they invited the old tugs and we got to Rob Paterson off the JOE and Bob off the TEAL and saw Randy & Ben Flodquist now from Anacortes.
 - MARK ON LEFT; HIS SENIOR CITIZEN FRIEND IS ROB PATERSON OF THE TUG JOE.
 - BEN & RANDY FLODQUIST DOWN FROM ANACORTES. LINDA, RANDY’S WIFE, SAID HE IS YOUR MAN IN ANACORTES.
 - NORM DIBBLE, THE OLD DOC FREEMANS STORE HEAD MECHANIC, CAME TO SAY HELLO.
 DIXIE TOWING F/V ZENITH DOWN THRU AURORA AND FREMONT SPANS.  COOS NUMBER 6 GETTING NEW HIGH PILOT HOUSE.  THE TRITON, FRED DAHLS TUG, GOING BY OUR HOUSEBOAT.  CROWLEY'S CHIEF WAITING FOR THE FREMONT BRIDGE TO OPEN AT 0900.  SEA PRINCE PUSHING ONE AHEAD.  THE OWL, ANOTHER CANADIAN TUG, WAS THE LOUISE IDAHO IN CANADA. OF COURSE, IN THE STATES SHE CAN ONLY BE A PLEASURE BOAT.  ANOTHER CANADIAN TUG THE TEXADA FIR BUILT IN THE STATES AND THEN TOWED IN CANADA FOR YEARS. WE CRUISED WITH HER FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHEN SCHOEBEN OWNED HER.  TUG TEAL NEVER LOOKED BETTER.  LADY WASHINGTON OUT ON AN EVENING SAIL  FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS.  GRACE AND TOWLINE ERIK MADE UP TO F/V BLUE NORTH GOING TO STABBERTS.  GRACE TOWING BLUE NORTH.  GRACE OVERTAKING ME .  GRACE PUSHING BLUE NORTH INTO STABBERT DRY DOCK.  COURAGEOUS AT THE TRAWLER PIER AT FISHERMAN'S TERMINAL. Anacortes had a workboat race and a flea market and pirates, etc and Margie & I were invited. We had a good time looking at all the stuff for sale. At the very last of the booths I found a Swift boat model for sale about 2 feet long complete with 20 MM guns. As you might have guessed it is now in my museum. We also went down to the docks to see the races and the workboat parade and the tugboat models but it got too hot with too many people and when the cannon went off, that was it for us. I had lost part of my hearing 20 years ago when Dee Cowan fired off a cannon on the stern deck of his tug TROJAN in Friday Harbor. So we went up to the Flodquist’s new home overlooking the bay and pestered Linda until everybody from the Skagit R/C Ship Modelers showed up. Ron Burchett and Gary King came down from Canada and took a bunch of pictures of all the boats. We had a great feed and BS session and got back to town about 2300. Thanks for opening your home to everyone, Randy & Linda – it was a delightful time.
 MODEL TUGS, MY FAVORITES.  KEITH SCHERMERHORN, BUSY GUY, HE WEARS A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS.  MODEL OF THE GARY FOSS SHE SOUNDED GOOD GOING BY WITH A LOG RAFT.  LINDA FLODQUIST AND HER SON BEN.  RON BURCHETT & GARY KING DOWN FROM CANADA.  SANDY & TOM STEVENS.  MODEL OF SWIFT BOAT IN MY MUSEUM.  PARADE AT ANACORTES. PHOTO THANKS TO RON BURCHETT & GARY KING  CONVERTED ARMY TUG T 893. PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING.
 TUG SKAGIT WITH A NICE BONE IN HER TEETH.
 BIG LANDING BARGE.  ARMY ENGINEERS DEBRIS BOAT PUGET. PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING.  QUAIL OLD TIME ANACORTES TUG WITH 200 HP ATLAS. PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING.  ARROW LAUNCH TAXI BOAT. PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING.  BIG ED CHARGING ALONG IN HIS EX-BRINDLE CANNERY TENDER STERLING PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING.  NEW CROWLEY TUG BEING BUILT AT DAKOTA CREEK.  MARK & MARGIE HOLDING DOWN THE COUCH IN RANDY & LINDA'S NEW HOUSE. PHOTO THANKS TO BURCHETT & KING. Michael Dean one of our Men in Ladysmith sent down several tug pictures; thank you Michael.
Our Man in Maine, Bill Page, sent more tug pictures and tells me that it is so hot back there he can’t believe it. He said he would sure like to be cruising in Canada in his new fishboat/yacht that he is building.
 MAINE TUGS: TWO FOURNIER TUGS, FORT POINT AND CAPT.BILL AT THE MOUTH OF THE PENOBSCOT RIVER ACROSS FROM BELFAST NEAR SEARSPORT- TANKER TUGS. PHOTO THANKS TO BILL PAGE OUR MAN IN MAINE. Deep Sea Tom and Keegan took the DIXIE out into salt water to do a couple of tows and of course the phone rings immediately and Towline Erik and I go put this Longliner into drydock; funny how it always works that way.
We watched the new tug DANA KRUZ run around in Ballard in Foss colors. She is 92 x 36 trippple screw and very shallow draft to work way up north. She is on a bare boat charter between Cruz Marine and Foss. Fred Whal built her in Reedsport, Oregon and she is really a neat looking boat.
 DANA CRUZ IN FOSS COLORS.  DANA CRUZ & BENJAMIN FOSS AND CONTAINER BARGE JUST MAKING THE BALLARD BRIDGE. I received a phone call about whether I was still interested in a CHERYL ANN model; of course I said yes and the voice on the other end said “I think there is one in my attic”.. now the waiting begins – what fun.
This time I had more photos than space so next issue I will play catch up.
Keep sending those tugboat photos, you brighten everyone’s day.
Your Man in Seattle,
Fairtide Mark
It’s cold and wet; we’ve actually had a few California folk go home. Guess that may help the crowded freeway calm down a little.
The new book, Lifeboat Station Sailor is coming right along; am I glad that I saved all those pictures. I am searching for Gene Brown or his son Mark as we served together at Westport. I need pictures of Fred Gold, our Commanding officer, in 1957 at Grays Harbor Lifeboat Station and pictures of the crab boat FRANK L III – which sank on the bar in February, 1959 and the crab boat VICTORIA, which sank on the bar in January, 1958 and the ODANAH, a halibut schooner with the house forward, that I towed in 1957. I think the ODANAH is based out of Astoria and I am trying to make contact with them.
We had a great lunch in La Conner with Roland and Nancy Miller. I served with him at the lifeboat station and he’s doing a proof read for me; it sure was fun seeing them – last time was maybe 10 years ago.
 NANCY AND ROLAND E. MILLER, JR.
 ROLAND AS A YOUNG COAST GUARDSMAN HE WAS TOUGHER THAN NAILS. Capt. Towline Erik and Capt. Deep Sea Tom have been busy – they are always pushing somebody around. I got some good pictures of them towing the OCEAN PIONEER back and forth to dry dock but I have to do better with night shots, not quite up to my standards. Tom has seen more salt water lately; I wonder where he had to go to get his nick name.
 GRACE AND DIXIE JUST MAKING THE FREMONT BRIDGE.
 RORY FROM STABBERTS AND CREW.
 DIXIE ALONGSIDE OCEAN PIONEER.
 GRACE AT STERN OF OCEAN PIONEER JUST ENTERING NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD DRYDOCK.
 DIXIE PUSHING OCEAN PIONEER INTO DRY DOCK.
 OCEAN PIONEER GOING DOWN THRU THE BRIDGES IN THE SHIP CANAL. I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT TOM AND ERIK WORK AT NIGHT TOO.
 OCEAN PIONEER REALLY FILLS UP PETER'S DRYDOCK. I told you last time that the STINGER had died; well, her replacement finally showed up… on a truck. Jack Wolfe (Associated Boat Transport) brought her to us; all 16 tons of her – now called the GENERAL LEE. She is 25 feet long and 11 feet wide and has an afterburner which makes a 6-71 put out 310 H.P. Of course we took the house off and put that in Tom’s garage and tore the rest of the boat apart so more on the new project later.
 GENERAL LEE IN FOR REPAIRS JUST NEEDS A LITTLE REWIREING.
 GENERAL LEE UNDERWAY TO THE REPAIR YARD. CAPT. TOM STOLE THE HOUSE AND TOOK IT TO HIS GARAGE.
 HOUSE BARGE TOWING
 JEFFERY FOSS WILL BE STATIONED IN NEAH BAY AS THE RESCUE TUG. Capt. Erik gave me his roll of film this morning and on it is a picture of water and underneath the surface on the bottom is the old tug RUSTLER. They have been trying to give her away but no takers and she sank at Fisherman’s Terminal. I have some pictures of her she when she was very pretty and all fixed up when Foss owned her. I think she had a 110 H.P. Atlas and then she got a big Murphy – that I think Steve Tate put in her.
 HERE LIES THE RUSTLER-------ON THE BOTTOM.
 THIS IS THE LAST PICTURE THAT I TOOK OF THE RUSTLER LYING AT FISHERMANS TERMINAL.
 RUSTLER IN FOSS LAUNCH AND TUG COLORS. Also the old tug SOUND (Carl Foss) is being dismantled, the house is off her now. I have old pictures of her as a Gilkey Bros. Boat and evidently still in steam. Capt. Rob Paterson owned her for a long time. The engine was an Enterprise 170 H.P. at 300 rpm’s and they put aluminum pistons in it and called her 200 H.P. at 400 rpm’s, so says my man in Gig Harbor. There are rumors that the engine is going into another tug?
 TUG SOUND WITH HOUSE STILL ON HER.
 TUG SOUND WITH HOUSE REMOVED.
 SOUND AS STEAM TUG LOOKS LIKE CAP SANTE IN THE BACKGROUND.
 SOUND AS CARL FOSS BOOMING ALONG.
 TUG SOUND WHEN ROBIN PATERSON OWNED HER. NANCY M is the name that Manson put on the SHELLEY FOSS and then repainted her in Manson red. Thanks Lisa!
 SHELLEY FOSS IN HER NEW COLORS AS NANCY M. I have more pictures from Our Man in Whidbey Island, Stan Willhight, thanks Stan.
 TUG CALEB IN DRYDOCK AT ANACORTES 4-18-2010 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT OUR MAN ON WHIDBEY ISLAND THANKS STAN.
 SMALL GRACE TYPE FOSS HARBOR TUG OFF MUKILTO WA 10-19-1978 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 ANDREW FOSS AT THE LOCKS. 12-1975 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 SEA PRINCE HOLDING FERRY AT MUKILTEO DUE TO DAMAGED WING WALL 11-1975 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT
 PACIFIC TRADER WAS PACIFIC TITAN AND SUFFERED A BAD FIRE. I THINK DOUG LOGAN GOT HER AND MADE A CRABBER OUT OF HER PICTURE 9-9-1978 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT. Bob Richardson, our Man in Coos Bay, has sent me pictures of his latest big trip. This time the photos are of the new C.G. Buoy Tender FIR; so I added some old pictures of the old FIR. I understand that the new boat has been sent to the Gulf to help in the oil spill.
 NEW COAST GUARD BUOY TENDER (FIR) AT COOS BAY. PHOTO BY OUR MAN IN COOS BAY BOB RICHARDSON. THANKS BOB.
 OLD FIR MUST BE A SPECIAL DAY WITH ALL THE FLAGS OUT.
 OUR TUG SOVEREIGN WITH OLD FIR IN TOW. I also made a big mistake! I listed the builder of the NUMAS WARRIOR model as Art Anderson when actually it was Ian Macpherson that built her; someday I will learn how to read. Also another picture of the Miki LLOYD B. GORE; gad, what a pretty boat.
 MODEL OF MIKI LLOYD B GORE IT SURE LOOKS REAL PHOTO SENT ON BY GARY KING. Thanks to Doug Leen, Our Man in Petersburg, for the picture of the KATHADIN. I believe that Doug is looking to bring the boat down our way to Seattle – so if anyone knows of a good moorage spot for a 70’ boat, call me and I’ll pass it on.
 KATHADIN IN WINTER SUN SHE MAKES GREAT SOUNDS WITH HER WASHINGTON. One of our men in Agate Pass Capt Skip Lampman sent me a stack pf tug boat pictures. I took this one black & white negative up to Moon Photo and had it printed it really turned out great so I will have more to share with you.
 SKIPS PHOTO OF THE ANNE W, AUDREY AND THE BUCKEYE. THANKS SKIP. Mike Wright sent me some pictures of a model meet in San Francisco thanks Mike.
 TUG MODEL MOJO. CREDIT STARBOARD PLAN FOR PHOTO. THANKS MIKE.
 MODEL TUG WITH RED HOUSE. CREDIT STARBOARD PLAN FOR PHOTO. THANKS MIKE. Keep sending those tug boat pictures! The blog should work better now that our man Dan has tuned it up.
Fairtide Mark
PS: No word yet out of Our Man in Anacortes…
June 6, 1944 – June 6, 2010
On D-Day I was 10 years old. How lucky can you get; if I had been 20, I might not be writing this newsletter. Thank you to all our Armed Services. If not for you, Europe would have a new language.
The Tug Company has been busy pushing the fishing fleet out of town but we are sure happy to see them when they all come back.
 RORY AT STABBERT'S
 NORTH CAPE
 DIXIE WITH OCEAN PIONEER ALONGSIDE AT STABBERTS.  WHATS THIS.
 GRACE ASSISTING CAPE GREIG DOWN THRU THE BRIDGES.  GRACE & CAPE GREIG MAKING THE FREMONT BRIDGE.
 DAN MONTGOMERY OUR REALTIVE CELEBRATING GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE.
 VISITING WITH 3 OF OUR MOORAGE CUSTOMERS WHO HAD HAULED OUT THEIR 3 BOATS AT CANAL TO WORK ON THEM.
 A NEAT YACHT THAT I CAUGHT GOING BY OUR FRONT DOOR.
 K SEAS TUG PARAGON IN DRY DOCK AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
 MARGIE AND A NEW BATCH OF SUMMER ? FLOWERS. I had several visitors this last couple of weeks which always makes me happy. Tom Stevens was in town so he dropped by and we had a good BS session.
 TOM STEVENS AT HOME WITH ALL THE MODELS. Capt. Skip Lampman, one of our men in Agate Pass, dropped by and brought me a bunch of old tug boat pictures and some neat negatives which I will get made into b/w photos. Then I will share them with you; thanks Skip! He had his own tugboat company, Inlet Towing, as well as working as a Captain for the big boys. Skip is a old hand at the tugboat business and it’s always fun to talk with him.
 CAPT. SKIP LAMPMAN BROUGHT TUGBOAT PICTURES.
 ELK II, IBIS AND FLYER A SKIP LAMPMAN PHOTO. Chris Eden, who has been a moorage customer for the last 25 years, dropped by. I didn’t even recognize him as he has lost 65 pounds and looks just great. We discussed my new book “Lifeboat Station Sailor” as he publishes the Antique Boat Society magazine “Rudder” as well as flying all over the world taking professional pictures for his company.
 MARK & CHRIS EDEN HAVING A GOOD TIME. Bob & Janice Spearing of Victoria, B.C. dropped by to say hello. Bob has saved a ton of information on Canadian Tugs and has given me a lot of stuff on U.S. tugs. I hardly have time for work with all this visiting going on, but I still wouldn’t miss a word of any of the great conversations. BOB SPEARING DOWN FROM VICTORIA BC.
 JANICE SPEARING. I missed Don Brunson from Manson but he left off an old- time kerosene light, thanks Don, what fun. Tike Hillman, retired now from Manson, sent on a nice email getting us up to date. I think Manson has the corner on neat people.
A lot of neat stuff comes in via my computer. Thanks to Mike Wright for a great shot that Steve Rees took of the North Arm tugs tied to their dock.
 NORTH ARM TUGS FROM MIKE WRIGHT PHOTO BY STEVE REES. Art Anderson supplied me with 6 pictures of his newly built model of the NUMAS WARRIOR.
 NUMAS WARRIOR BY ART ANDERSON AND PHOTO TOO.
 ANOTHER PHOTO OF THE NUMAS WARRIOR PHOTO AND MODEL BY ART ANDERSON. Gary King sent down more photos of the christening of the BRAtt and the model tugs that were at the tug meet in Vancouver, B.C.
 BRATT PUSHING SEASPAN RESOLUTION BACKWARDS PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT.
 BRATT A TOWER OF POWER PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT.
Stan Willhight sent along another package of great tugboat photos.
 JEFF W BUILT BY AMERICAN TUGBOAT CO. OF EVERETT A 1975 PICTURE BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 SELRIC A YTL JUST COMING OUT OF THE LOCKS 1975 STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
 SUSY ONE OF THE EARLY FIBERGLASS TUGS OF DUNLAP NOW A PRIVATE BOAT OF RON RENNEBOHMS 2010 PHOTO OF STAN WILLHIGHT.
 SKAGIT SHIP MODELERS MEET IN ANACORTES 2010 PHOTO BY STAN WILHIGHT. While I am thanking people for sending me neat stuff I want to say thank you to Capt. “DeepSea” Bulson and Capt. Towline Erik and their crews for all the pictures that they take and usually don’t get credit for on all the multitude of tow jobs that they do. I real feel like a flake just sitting in my big office chair while they do all the work. Of course Margie always reminds me that it is up to me to get the history down on paper because it all dies with me if I haven’t written it down. I have been especially busy filing pictures of fishing vessels I must have over 100,000 photos here, but never enough, and I have had to ask our Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, as well as the Columbia River Maritime Museum, for a few more pictures for my new book. I was able to get several from the Coast Guard Museum in town here. Had a great lunch with Howard Giske of MOHAI – he got me a picture of the halibut schooner EAGLE which really helped me out.
We got a new Dickinson oil stove for the BLUEBERRY to put in her foc’sle. The old one never worked very good (another brand) so we bought a new Dickinson. We have some exciting news but it is strictly on a need to know basis so maybe next time I can talk.
 MARK & MARGIE AND NEW STOVE. Margie and I were really disappointed with the results on the TV show ‘Survivor’. My hero, Russell, lost out on the big prize, but won the hearts of America in the online vote for a smaller purse. My next pick, Parvati, also lost to the default winner, Sandra, who did nothing during the whole show except complain. I think she won only because everyone hated the others for being so smart and crafty. Oh well, on to the next season.
I am still looking for Gene Brown or his son, Mark. Also, I have never found a model of the tug CHERYL ANN – that I could afford! Keep those pictures cominG.
Your man in Seattle,
Capt. Fairtide Mark
 SUNSET OFF OUR FRONT POURCH PHOTO BY MARGIE FREEMAN.  ST.EVAL DENNIS WASHINGTON YACHT GARY KING PHOTO.  BRATT AND THEA FOSS AT THE TUG MEET PHOTO GARY KING.
 - THESE ARE TUG MODELS THEY LOOK LIKE THE REAL THING AT THE TUG MEET IN VANCOUVER BC. PHOTO BY GARY KING.
Ron Burchett sent more photos of the BRAtt – the good one is her pushing against the SEASPAN RESOLUTION; Ron says she is fun to run.
 TOM STEVENS ALL DECKED OUT FOR THE MEET.
 ANOTHER MODEL AT THE VANCOUVER MEET PHOTO BY GARY KING.
 WAY TOO FANCY FOR TUGBOAT TYPES!
 - MODEL TUG MASTER PHOTO BY GARY KING.
May 24, 2010
Tug STINGER dies and ends up in steel dumpster. We had to cut up one of our favorite tugs. We took her out of water at Seaview East and she got the same fate that the BARF did several years ago. We just plumb wore her out. We saved all the goodies for the next skiff – including the Detroit 8-V 71 and the 38”, 4-blade wheel but the rest of her is now probably melted down into reinforcing rod. What a great boat she was! I bought her up in Everett and we made a super portable bow thruster out of her.
 MR. KEEGAN CUTTING AWAY THE STERN ON THE STINGER.
 CAPT. "DEEP SEA TOM" IN HIS GET DIRTY UNIFORM.
 LOOKS PRETTY SERIOUS MARGIE IS ASKING QUESTIONS.
 TOP HALF OF STINGER IS GONE.
 CAPT. ERIK USING ROSEBUD TO GET WHEEL OFF SHAFT.
 NOT TOO MUCH LEFT OF HER NOW.
 ALL DONE EXCEPT FOR SWEEPING UP. THE BOAT IN THE BOX.
 CAPE GREIG AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD READY TO BE UNDOCKED.
 TUGS JEEP & DIXIE PULLING CAPE GREIG OUT OF DRYDOCK AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
 DIXIE HAS GOT HER AND IS GOING PIERSIDE WITH HER.
 WE CAUGHT THE BOYER BOAT SONJA H GOING BY WITH A BIG RAMP BARGE ON OUR WAY HOME.
 STEAM STERN WHEELER SEATTLE QUEEN GOING BY OUR HOUSEBOAT. SHE IS NEW TO LAKE UNION AND CAME DOWN FROM KETCHIKAN.
 MARGIE READY FOR MARINA MAY'S SCHOOL AUCTION. SHE KNOWS HOW TO BID.
 RAZ, A FENCE RAIL CAT, WAITING FOR ATTENTION. HE MISSED BATMAN.
 OUR GRACE IS RIGHT AT HOME ALONGSIDE THE FOSS 300.
 FISHING VESSEL SOVEREIGNTY IN FOSS DRY DOCK.
 DIXIE JUST MAKING BALLARD BRIDGE WITH F/V VAERDAL BOUND FOR LAKE UNION DRY DOCK.
 GETTING READY TO TOW NORTH CAPE OUT OF LAKE UNION DRY DOCK.
 WOLLOCHET, A MANSON TUG, IN A FOSS DRY DOCK.
Capt. “Towline Erik” is doing quite good health-wise. He is now working full days but the operation still hurts so he wears his bib overalls and we call him “Farmer Erik” but he still doesn’t lift over 200 pounds (or was that 20 pounds?), per doctor’s orders.
 CAPT. ERIK IN THE BIBS AND AL (TARGET) WYLIE ON THE GRACE VISITING.
Our cat Batman didn’t show up to work on Monday and we looked all over the area and asked everyone we knew if they’d seen him. He is a roamer but always comes home – especially in the a.m.. We got lucky he showed up Monday night. We got a call around 10:30 p.m. from our moorage customer Drew that he was petting him on the stairs. We all breathed a sigh of relief. He has a Fremont Boat collar and phone number and a microchip in his shoulder (or is that ‘on his shoulder’ – as he is a tough guy and must get it from Erik). Any way he home safe & sound.
Capt. “Deep Sea” Tom and mate “Brutus” Keegan went to salt water again. It just blew like hell – I kid him about whether or not he has his periscope up. They leave and Capt. Erik just goes out and fires up the GRACE because we know that we will be busy. This time he took me and the JEEP along because it was blowing 25 to 30 and we were moving 200 footers in and out of dry docks. The GRACE works very well with her 60 inch, 5-blade wheel. We moved 3 big vessels and were on our way home when this 180 foot fishing vessel temporary lost power at the Ballard Bridge. Erik turned around and leaned on the side of her to hold her up wind for a few minutes while they fixed the problem.
 MOANA WAVE - 210 FOOTER IN STABBERT DRY DOCK.
 GRACE GIVING A SMALL PUSH UP WIND.
We towed the steam crane Foss No. 300 next door and lifted a 60 foot yacht into the water on tugboat race day, needless to say that took care of any racing.
 FOSS NO. 300 STEAM CRANE LIFTING A BIG YACHT.
 ALMOST IN THE WATER TUG, DIXIE ATTENDING.
Ric came in third in Class C with the HORNET but the winner of that race was a really long ex-fish packer named the STERLING. I will never understand why they let long boats race short boats the dynamics of long hulls let then win out every time. How about long boats racing long boats? What an idea!
Skip Lampman, one of our men in Agate Pass, sent us a picture of the TEAL charging down the pass. Thanks Skip!
 TUG TEAL IN AGATE PASS. PHOTO BY SKIP LAMPMAN.
Rick Prosser brought me in pictures that he took in 1963 or 1964 as a kid working on my brother-in-law’s tug the ARYLN NELSON. Thanks Rick - I passed them on to my sister Merry too.
 PAT STOPPELMAN'S ARYLN NELSON IN THE LOCKS 1963-64.
Jim Currie passed away he was the docking master at Lake Union Dry Dock and a good guy. Only 56 years old – we will miss him.
 JIM CURRIE, DOCK MASTER AT LAKE UNION DRY DOCK.
Ron Burchett and Robert Allan launched their new aluminum 26 foot ASD training tug the BRAtt in time to have her at the big tug meet in Vancouver, Canada. Gary King sent me down a big bunch of pictures and I will share more of them with you on the next blog. It is very well done and shows you what you can do with superior talent. It’s a neat boat but I would not want to be the first one to put the first dent in her, boy she is pretty.
 THE BRAtt - A BRAND NEW TRAINING TUG. ISN'T SHE A BEAUTY.
 MORE BRAtt AT THE TUG MEET.
 CHECK OUT THE SPELLING OF HER NAME.
 LOTS OF RIDES.
Last but not least I am looking for Gene Brown or his son Mark. Gene built those beautiful seine skiffs over at 14th NW and served
in the Coast Guard with me at Grays Harbor. I’d like him to proof read my new book “Lifeboat Station Sailor”. I am in now about 46,000 words and 200 pictures and charts and plans etc.
 JUST CAUGHT HER OUT ON TRIALS THIS MORNING. NEW BOAT JUST LAUNCHED BY KVICHAK FOR THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPT.
 BRAND NEW DUTCH PILOT BOAT GOING IN THE WATER AT KVICHAK.
 CROWLEY'S TIOGA AT THE FOSS SHIPYARD.
 A COUPLE OF WESTERN'S BIG BOYS AND THEY ARE BIG.
 CROWLEY'S RESPONSE AT THE FOSS SHIPYARD AFTER COMING OFF THE DRY DOCK.
 DIXIE WITH BLUE STAR ALONGSIDE AT STABBERT'S ON A NICE DAY.
 BATMAN DOESNT KNOW THAT HE IS A CAT AND LIKES HIS COFFEE WITH A LOT OF CREAM.
Keep those tugboat pictures coming this way.
Your Man in Seattle.
Fairtide Mark
PS: Looks like I need a “man in Anacortes” for pictures…
PPS: We are looking for a replacement for our big seine skiff
PPPS: I am still looking for a CHERYL ANN model and a Lindberg
Q ship model.
May 5, 2010
Erik started running a tug again (and then going home!) after his operation; he has been home for a month now and he still gets tired and it hurts a bit but he is up and at ‘em. Thanks to all who made this possible from the Group Health personnel (doctors, nurses, attendants, office force) and to those who helped cover his duties – his partner in crime Capt. Tom Bulson, Mr. Keegan and Big Al and especially to Erik’s very caring wife, Heidi, who covered the day shift and Margie who stayed nights in the hospital with him and did her regular office duties too (she’s in charge). Thanks to all of you who stopped up to see him and sent e-mails and cards. He really appreciated all the sentiments. It’s nice to have him back.
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Capt. Towline Erik is all smiles on his first day back on the job.
ERIK AND TOM COMING
AWAY FROM THE PIER
WITH THE CAPE GREIG.
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Both Dad and Erik are enjoying the moment.
Man your battle stations the armed HAWIIAN CHIEFTAIN is passing us that means she is going past my front porch.
Out of the hole and mking the first turn. JUST STARTING INTO THE DRYDOCK AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
IT'S ALWAYS NARROW AND YOU HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
SHE FILLS UP THE STABBERT DRYDOCK.
 JOHN MAGNUSON CAME VISITING FROM BAINBRIDGE ISLAND.
 MARK AND RICHARD SEABORN WE GO SO FAR BACK WE ALL QUIT COUNTING. Meanwhile, April has been a very busy month. Our granddaughter, Marina May, turned all of 8 years old. She had a big party with friends – make that 20 very energetic friends and a nice quiet party the next day with the 5 of us. Then she was baptized & confirmed and then had her first Communion with most of her 2nd grade class.
What a fun day that was with a big family lunch out afterwards. Then Heidi had her birthday with a yummy dinner out with family. All the nice stuff that makes great memories.
 ERIK AND MARINA MAY.
 UNCLE DAN, HEIDI, MARGIE, UNCLE CHRIS AND MARINA.
 MARINA WITH FRIENDS - SO SWEET!
I have an aluminum skiff for the BLUEBERRY and I got to looking at and thought I would bring it by the yard and see if Tom thought that he could save it. Next thing I know, it is upside down getting a new coat of paint – thanks fellows.
Now we have two men in Agate Pass: Ben Sias sends us a picture of the EXPRESS towing the DIAMOND Z down Agate Pass; my sources say that EXPRESS will tow her to the Bering Sea this spring. Then our friend Capt. Skip Lampman sends us a picture of the NORMAN MCDONALD on the beach in Keyport. The last engine she had was a 30 HP 2 cylinder Atlas and Commodore Whaley used to scare us by towing around some very big boats – like 150 footers – you know the old saying it’s the man behind the gun, he sure proved that out. Thanks fellows I need the photos.
NORMAN A McDONALD IN KEYPORT. LOOKS LIKE SHE HAS BEEN GONE FOR A LONG TIME. PHOTO CAPT. SKIP LAMPMAN
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NORMAN A McDONALD TOWING A TYPE OF YO. THE ATLAS IS PUFFING.
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NORMAN A McDONALD HEADED INTO MARINE POWER AND EQUIPMENT WITH YO TYPE IN TOW.
Probably the most interesting boat that Capt. Deep Sea Tom has been towing around is one of the new catamarans for San Francisco. They have a history of being hard to tow because of their configuration and being very light you just barely put it in gear and the boat just jumps. Capt. Tom just slides in under the bow and makes up push style; he had to tow it up to the Foss Terminal from Pacific Fisherman and it works best if he just backs it all the way – looks strange and he warned the Ballard bridge that he was coming thru backing up so the bridge guy wouldn’t get upset.
 EXPRESS TOWING TUG DIAMOND Z ALONGSIDE IN AGATE PASS PHOTO BY BEN SIAS.
 DIXIE WITH SAN FRANCISCO FAST CAT FERRY.
 DIXIE IN THE NOTCH.
 DIXIE ALMOST FILLS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO HULLS. Also they were down at the Foss terminal with the steam crane FOSS NO. 300. The 300 and a 500 ton Ness Crane rolled over this 150 ton new concrete house boat float so that it was right side up and it made quite a wave.
 DIXIE WITH FOSS NO. 300.
 FOSS 300 ROLLING OVER CONCRETE FLOAT.
 BIG WAVE. Then they got to move the “Deadliest Catch” boat: Sig’s NORTHWESTERN at Pacific Fisherman. I never miss a program! You know that whatever they make, they really earn it catching King Crab – fishing is not for the faint of heart.
 DIXIE MADE UP TO SIG'S NORTHWESTERN AT PACIFIC FISHERMAN.
 DIXIE BACKING OUT WITH DEEP SEA TOM AT THE BACK DECK CONTROLS.
 CROWLEY ATB OCEAN RELIANCE JUST PAST BALLARD BRIDGE.
 CROWLEY TRACTOR CHIEF, ALSO JUST CLEARING BALLARD BRIDGE. Ron Burchett, one of our men in Ladysmith BC, sent me more pictures – including a nice picture of him and his 2 boys Alan and Shawn – than I have room to print but here goes. Ron drove back to Mystic with several radio controlled models and tug stuff for the new tug exhibit at Mystic Seaport. Margie and I have been thru Mystic and it’s a really fun & interesting place. I got invited to the opening but can’t make that – too many irons in the fire. Press release on Ron and Robert Allan’s new training tug BRatt which is a combination of his name and Robert Allan – famed Canadian tug designer. She will be just like a big tug except she is 26 feet long with twin diesels and Azmithing drives and cuter than a bugs ear; they really did a bang up job on her design. He and Art Anderson sent along a picture of the ferry to Texada Island bucking some really nasty weather but I could not make it print.
 ALAN, SHAWN AND RON BURCHETT: NICE FAMILY AND GREAT GUYS.
 RON BURCHETT AND ENTRANCE TO MYSTIC SEAPORT.
 THREE BURCHETT TUGS; NOTICE THE SINGLE KORT NOZZLE.
 BRAtt - TWIN ROTABLE NOZZELS WILL SHE EVER BE A HOT ROD.ALL PHOTOS FROM RON BURCHETT.
 BRAtt a RON BURCHETT AND ROB ALLAN TRAINING TUG 26 FEET LONG AND THE FIRST ONE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
 TUG FREEDOM EVIDENTLY AN ATB OF PHILLLY RON BURCHETT PHOTO.
 KINGSTON II TUG AT MYSTIC SEAPORT RON BURCHETT PHOTOS.
 GREAT POOL GREAT PLACE TO RUN NOT PLAY WITH RC TUGS.
I have been working every spare minute on my new book Lifeboat Station Sailor , I’m up to about 45,000 words now I recovered the lost 10,000 words or should I say that I rewrote them, never did find them. I have been pulling pictures out of the scrap books and folding them into the story and I found the last item for the story where the INVINCIBLE was sold off surplus by the government and I had saved the bid sheet… it was in a 1972 scrap book. I have an awful time working at the computer at times, it seems like this black cat Raz likes my lap and it is hard to type with him there.
INVINCIBLE on a choppy day
Here are a few more pictures from our man in Coos Bay Bob Richardson and Stan Willhight our man on Whidbey Island thanks fellows.
 Capt. Chris Common on the tug COOS BAY and the pilot on the PRINCE OF NATURE is Capt. George Wales thanks Bob.
 HARRIS BAY ex steam U S Army 149 foot LT at Marine Power and Equipment on Lake Union.
 MARINE EXPLORER LEAVING THE LOCKS AN EX U S ARMY LT BELONGING TO MARINE LEASING (PETE WOECK) LAST 2 PHOTOS BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
We are looking for the old tug BAER renamed the SEA OTTER please send info to me at mark@fremonttugboat.com.
 BAER - SEA OTTER IS MISSING AT LEAST NO ONE HAS FOUND HER YET.
Keep those pitures coming.
Your man in Seattle.
Fairtide Mark.
April 14, 2010
The bad news is that Capt. Erik had to have an operation. He doubled over in pain a few weeks ago and through the use of modern technology it was determined that Erik had a hole in his #2 overboard discharge. He has been having stomach pains for about 20 years but nothing that didn’t clear itself up almost immediately. Dr. Chao at Group Health did the operation, taking out 8 inches of bowel. He is home and healing well and the real pain has almost gone away and the patient is chomping at the bit to get back into it and get back on his favorite tug. The doctor says in the next couple of weeks that Erik can remove the hose clamps. If you want to pick on him his E-mail is capteof@aol.com
 ERIK WITH BEARD AND DAD WITH MUSTACHE
 MARINA MAY,THE PATIENT. MARK & MARGIE.
 CAPT. ERIK AND SPENCER HAVING A GOOD LAUGH. YOU WILL NOTICE THEY BOTH HAVE ON HARD HATS AND SAFETY GLASSES.
Capt. Deep Sea Tom Bulson and crew Keegan ‘Brutus’ Brown and Al ‘Bullseye’ Wylie have been covering well for Erik and they haven’t missed a job. Deep Sea has been in salt water a lot lately and has had his share of winter weather like winds gusting to 50 knots in Port Townsend. I always kid Tom when I call him on the cell phone and say “do you have the periscope up” because he always has the DIXIE decks-to. Thanks to our man in Agate Pass, Ben Sias, for the nice pictures of the Dixie charging along in flat water with the sun out. It was blowing hard westerly down Saratoga Pass and Capt. Tom said there was an 8 foot chop running at Elliot Point on the flood. It is hard to get rough weather pictures.. it seldom looks as rough as it is.
 OUR DIXIE IN AGATE PASS. PHOTO BY BEN SIAS
 SHIFTING AT FVO
 IT GETS REALLY NARROW WHEN YOUR TOW IS 40 FEET WIDE.
 DIXIE SHIFTING K-SEA'S PARAGON.
 PARAGON IN STABBERTS' DRYDOCK.
 CAPT. ERIK WITH STINGER PUSHING ON PACIFIC STAR AT STABBERTS.
 OAK BAY CUT AT PT. TOWNSEND. THERE USED TO BE A FERRY HERE WITH A 2-CYLINDER WASHINGTON 30 HP.
 CAPT. DEEP SEA TOM AT HOME ON THE DIXIE.
 DIXIE IN HEAD SEA.
 Z BIG NAVY TUG.
 COAST GUARD ESCORT FOR CARRIER.
 PAUL "CHIPS" BAILEY JUMPING ROPE WITH MARINA MAY.
 SIMON JOHNSTON, OUR MAN FROM MANSON.
 BATMAN MAKING COPIES HE IS A LOT OF HELP.
Bob Richardson, our man in Coos Bay, sends on pictures of Gus Beaudry standing in the engine room of the tug NORTH BEND and it is just as clean and well painted as the picture shows. When I was in her engine room all I could say was “wow”.
 LOOKS LIKES HE IS COMING FOR LUNCH AT BOB'S HOUSE. PHOTO BY BOB RICHARDSON
 GUS BEAUDRY IN ENGINE ROOM OF NORTH BEND. MARGIE & I HAVE SEEN IT AND IT REALLY IS THAT CLEAN & SHINY.
Stan Willhight, our man in Whidbey Island, sent me a beautiful silhouette model of the Canadian tug RELIANT tug for my birthday and he freely admits that there is no way you can live long enough to complete all your fun projects and that’s my take on it too. He also told me about a type of model that I had been building for years; it’s called a “SQUINT”. A squint model is one that if you turn the lights down low and kinda squint, well then it doesn’t look to bad. Love it.
 RELIANT MODEL BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 HALF MODEL OF TYEE & PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 PACIFIC FOAM IN EVERETT 4-20-79. (AN EX-U S ARMY ST.) PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 THE MIKI TUG POLAR SEA IN SEATTLE 9-20-79. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 STANDFAST (EX-ARMY ST) 8-79. I RAN HER UP THE COAST FROM PORTLAND IN 1972. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 CHIPPEWA OUTSIDE THE LOCKS 3-8-79. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 DUNLAPS' SUIATTLE AT ASTORIA 10-27-08., PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 SEA RANGER IN THE LOCKS 1-13-83. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 AMERICAN CONSTRUCTIONS' TULALIP (EX- ARMY ST; SISTER TO STANDFAST) WITH A 343 CAT 2-8-2010.
 MONMOUTH AND BARGE IN LOCKS 4-22-79. I USED TO TAKE THE HEAD END OF HER OIL BARGES IN THE LOCKS. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 MARILYN (EX-IVER FOSS) 400 HP ENTERPRISE IN THE LOCKS. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
 NANCY BEAR (EX-NANCY FOSS; EX-CALCITE) AT LA CONNER. PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.
Our man in Maine, Bill Page, sends on wonderful pictures of his troller yacht the MALVINA. Margie & I saw it under construction in his big shed – what a work of art! The wood in her is just beautiful as he used several different kinds of wood that make the boat jus sing. I told him that the boat should be varnished and go directly to a museum. Bill has just acquired a new Hundested single-cylinder diesel of 39 HP and you should hear the tale of it. I can’t even begin to relate where the engine has been but maybe we could talk him into writing it up. Oh, and it is for sale. Also he has included a picture of a new steam engine that Bill Lowe has built up at Rockland, ME – where the fog never clears off in the fall.
 BILL PAGES' NEW HUNDESTED ONE CYLINDER; 39 HP DIESEL. NOW FOR SALE FAX: 207 354 6297
 NEW STEAM ENGINE BUILT BY BILL LOWE IN ROCKLAND, MAINE. PHOTO BY BILL PAGE.
 BILL PAGES' NEW TROLLER YACHT HE BUILT. PHOTO BILL PAGE.
 JACOB PIKE - WONDERFULL OLD SARDINE CARRIER; NICE LINES. PHOTO BY BILL PAGE.
 PATRICA WILSON AT PORTLAND, MAINE. PHOTO BY BILL PAGE.
 SAMPSON ALONGSIDE LOG RAFT IN SE ALASKA. PHOTO BY KEITH STERNBERG.
More bad news: my computer died – the dreaded blue screen appeared and when it passed it took 10,000 out of 44,000 words I had written on my in-progress book “Lifeboat Station Sailor” with it. No way to get them back, even though I had saved it along the way – unless I wanted to spend a few thousand on it. Al Wylie said ‘Mark, it’s time.” So Margie and Al and I hot foot it over to Office Max and cough up for a new Windows 7 version which takes a little getting used to, but I sure like it.
Now the important stuff: On the TV show ‘Survivor’, Russell survived Boston Rob and Coach, but I think that is a mistake at this time. ‘Ax Men’ is just wonderful: J R Browning is back on course with a new contract and Craig at Rygard Logging threw a fit and walked off the job and the diving loggers are just a hoot; it seems like I know all these fellows from my past…
I can’t seem to catch up on my e-mails so be patient with me I have too many irons in the fire.
CORRECTION: We called out the tonnage on Foss’s front end loaders last time at 40 tons. Since then we’ve learned they are 50 & 60 ton loaders! Go get ‘em!
Send me your tugboat photos & you’ll get your name in lights! And, I’m still looking for the Cheryl Ann model.
Your man in Seattle,
Fairtide Mark
March 29, 2010
It blew hard all night rained like hell and wasn’t what you would call warm out. Tom, Erik and Al’s first shift at o’dark thirty at Seaborn’s was this cruise ship SPIRIT OF ‘98 that was about 5 decks high and had to come out and go back into this narrow hole with all kinds of small craft and yachts around. We had to move her out because she was blocking in another vessel.
 SPIRIT OF '98 HOW MUCH WINDAGE DOES SHE HAVE? DIXIE ALONGSIDE.
 DIXIE MADE UP TO SPIRIT OF '98, HOW MANY DECKS HIGH IS SHE?
Not how I would want to start the week but I didn’t have to go! I got to stay next to the oil stove, of course a few hours later the wind dies and it stops raining. Now the sun is almost out and they are gone again this time for a 105 foot LCT landing craft that needs a shift out of Pacific Fisherman’s shipyard and up to her winter moorage at the Seiner’s Association. It’s a tight hole so they take the STINGER (which is 20′ long, 250 HP with a 8-V71 and a 38 inch prop) and the JEEP (which is15′ long with a 135 HP Ford diesel and a 24 inch prop); both are open tugs and they tight-line her so nothing touches. We call Deep Sea Tom an optimist because he didn’t have his oil skins on when they left. When they get thru with that they have to go a couple of miles from Lake Union to Seaview East with this big fancy yacht the GOLDEN DELICIOUS and tight-line it and definitely not touch it! The last thing that you want to do is to have the DIXIE or the GRACE take a fancy yacht alongside and scratch it or get it dirty, so tight-lining is the order of the day. We even have yacht blankets but there is nothing like staying away from the hulls completely.
 WALDO OLSONS' TUG, NOW A MEMBER OF ISLAND'S FLEET, SHE WAS ASSISTING TWO GRAVEL BARGES LANDING ON THE UPPER DUWAMISH RIVER.
DEEP SEA TOM WITH 2 BOATS IN TOW.
 TOW LINE ERIK WITH ONE OF THE LAUNCHES IN TOW AT FOSS.
 AMERICAN LADY JUST PASSING UNDER THE AURORA BRIDGE; STINGER ASSISTING.
 TOW LINE ERIK PUSHING WITH STINGER.
 STINGER PUSHING ON GULF WINDS SEEMS LIKE CAPT. ERIK IS REALLY PUSHY.
 MR. KEEGAN HAS ALL UNDER CONTROL.
 BOATS AFLOAT TOW WITH JOHN HOLDING DOWN THE HEAD END.
 STINGER: SHE IS ALMOST AS WIDE AS SHE IS LONG.
 DEEP SEA TOM FINALLY GOT OFF THE BOAT.
 TUG GRACE: NO RUST ON THAT DECK OR IS IT THE COLOR OF THE PAINT?
 TRACTOR TUG ANDREW FOSS AND FOSS NO. 300 WITH THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND.
 CAPT. KEEGAN AND HALFTRACK WITH BIG TOW.
 DIXIE AT OUR DOCK BEFORE THE SUN HID BEHIND A CLOUD.
More birthdays in April: my cousin Al who is older and smarter than me has his 77th
birthday in April; we are the same age for about one month. Our granddaughter, Marina May, will be 8 in April and her mother Heidi Anne also has a birthday in April and last but not least Deep Sea Tom finishes the month out with his birthday.
Tom found me the info on our old tug STANDFAST her new name is FOX. She started out as the LINDA K in Portland where I bought her in 1972 – seems just like yesterday.
A big thank you to all the folks that send me tug boat photos I always try to pass them on so that everyone gets to see them: No hoarding allowed. Thanks to Bob Richardson our man in Coos Bay; Grant Snyder our man in Newport; Keith Sternberg our man in Lopez Island; Don Medforth our man in Nanimo; Ron Burchett our man in Ladysmith; Art Anderson our man in Vancouver BC; Stan Wilhight our man on Whidbey Island and Michael Dean our other man in Ladysmith; Mike Wright our man in Maple Bay; Bill Page our man in Maine; Lisa Haug our friend at Manson and Alec Guiness our Man in Havana.
 MANSON CREW BOATS: JOHN AND SPEEDY IN THE GULF. LISA HAUG PHOTOS.
 MANSON DREDGE BAYPORT IN THE GULF. LISA HAUG PHOTOS.
 SALVAGE OF HELEN McCOLL AT NEWPORT OR. GRANT SNYDER PHOTO.
 NORTH BEND BACKING OUT FROM HER DOCK IN COOS BAY. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO
 LINE BOAT BLANCO READY TO DEPART. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO
 ATB TUG GALVESTON IN FOR REPAIRS. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO. GALVESTON IN THE NOTCH OF THE PETROCHEM PRODUCER. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO.
GALVESTON and barge outbound just cleared rail road bridge. Bob Richardson photo.
 CHARLIE YATES ENTERS PILOT HOUSE. MARK THE DECKHAND HOLDS LADDER FOR GEORGE WALES COMING DOWN PILOT LADDER. TUG & BARGE HEADED FOR CALIFORNIA WITHOUT THEM.
 GALVESTON AND HER BARGE HEADED SOUTH CALM DAY FOR FEBRUARY. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO
 YARROW IN DRYDOCK AT CRUISE AND BANKS ABOUT 1915. BOB RICHARDSON COLLECTION.
 MARTIN D IN SE ALASKA SHE HAD A 600 HP BUSCH -SULZTER. KEITH STERNBERG PHOTO.
 MIKI MIKI MARY MAKIN ON FIRE. ART ANDERSON PHOTO
 SEASPAN TROJAN. PHOTO FROM ART ANDERSON
 RIV-TOW LION PRIOR TO HER SINKING AT NANIMO AS A DIVE SITE. DON MEDFORTH PHOTO
 FALBRO, FALT BROS, COWICHAN BAY. DON MEDFORTH PHOTO.
 GLEN ROVER AND STORMAWAY II. DON MEDFORTH PHOTO.
 GEORGINA, FALT BROS, COWICHIAN BAY. DON MEDFORTH PHOTO.
 A TUGBOATER'S "DREAM" : TOO HIGH AND TOO WIDE. PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT & MIKE CLAXTON
 HUGE!! PHOTO FROM BURCHETT & CLAXTON.
 FOSS TUG SEA IMP IN EVERETT A CLASSIC IN STEEL. STAN WILHIGHT PHOTO.
 RELIEF LIGHTSHIP ON UMATILLA REEF STATION.
I have been hard at it on my new book I have now written over 32,000 words of hot air for LIFEBOAT STATION SAILOR. When I get to the end then Margie will read it and tell me where I went wrong and then the real work starts filling in the blanks for her. It has been fun to write about my experiences 45 years ago - lucky that I kept fairly good records and lots of pictures. I had Captain Erik read it and he said he had tears running down his cheeks laughing so hard at parts of the story. It is a serious tale but I have injected a lot of humor into it because of all the funny things that happened along the way.
I have a new hero. It used to be J R Ewing on Dallas now it is Russell on Survivor he did a real stand up performance when he gave the hidden immunity IDOL to Parvati and saved the day for her and shot down Boston Rob’s latest scheme - show them the way Russell ! (Hope he doesn’t get voted off this week.)
I have lots of good cat pictures for the next blog but not enough room this time. I am still looking for a plastic model of the tug CHERYL ANN in kit form or a completed model any condition Randy Flodquist found me the last one.
FAIRTIDE MARK
March 15, 2010
Red letter day on the 15th – I made 76 years young and our good friend, Lodo, made 80 on the 13th!
This coming Saturday our long-time friend, Jim Huckins, will be 81 and I will just get in trouble if I give out the other ages.
Lodo is our cruising partner from Canada. He survived WWII and the Nazis in Holland and emigrated to Canada. He and Daphne are going back to Holland to celebrate the liberation on its 65th anniversary.
My old friend Jim Huckins was always a Lake Union Type and very salty. We are all lucky to still be here. We’re all getting to the age where we add the two digits together – so I just turned 13! Margie’s not sure if I get to act like 13 though.
In the last blog, I mis-named the PACIFIC PATROIT. I called it the AMERICAN PATRIOT . So sorry, all wrong, bad me.
Thanks to Don Medforth our man in Nanimo and Bob Richardson our man in Coos Bay for more tug boat photos but I am going to have to start doing 4 blogs a month to get all the photos out. Deep Sea Tom gave me about 500 photos from past jobs that we have just done and Keith Sternberg sent me a great picture of the MARTIN D… I better get my you know what in gear.
Speaking of typing jobs I have really been working on the new book “Lifeboat Station Sailor” I am in over 21,000 words so I just want you to know that I haven’t been just lying around drinking mint julips giving Capt Erik orders.
 SEPT 1957 MARK RUNNING MLB INVINCIBLE TO SEATTLE FROM GRAYS HARBOR.
Understand that our old tug the STANDFAST has been sold again. A navy fellow came up to Captain Deep Sea Tom in Everett when we had the DIXIE up there last week and inquired if she was one of our old boats. Deep Sea said “Yes, Capt. Mark bought her in 1972 and ran her up the coast and she was the mainstay of our fleet for a long time.” Evidently he had just purchased her and was going to get in touch with me… any one know his name and address? Capt. Deep Sea Tom likes working in Puget Sound and the DIXIE is just as snug as bug in a rug. Capt Towline Erik and I have been taking care of the fresh water work with the GRACE when Tom is out in the salt water. GRACE will pull about 2/3 of what DIXIE pulls so GRACE has no trouble keeping up with the fresh water tows.
 KEEGAN ALWAYS WORE FUNNY GLASSES. HE KINDA LOOKS LIKE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE...
 RAZ MA TAZ HAVING A GOOD TIME.
 NEWLY BUILT DUTCH PILOT BOAT AT KVICHAK.
 WESTERN GIANTS
TOWLINE ERIK ON THE GRACE SHIFTING KELLY MAE TO PACIFIC FISHERMAN.
 GRACE AND LANDING CRAFT KELLY MAE.
 GRACE (EX-GRACE FOSS) WAITING FOR THE BALLARD BRIDGE.
 TUG GRACE - CAPT. TOWLINE ERIK LIKES TO RUN HER.
 CAPT. MARK WORKING ON HIS NEW BOOK - I'M SURPRISED, NOT MAD.
 AMAK USED TO HAVE A 160 HP ATLAS IMPERIAL.
 CACTUS (EX-USCG) WILL BE CUT UP FOR SCRAP BY STABBERT.
 BLUE BALLARD JUST BEFORE TOWLINE ERIK SHIFTED HER OUT OF DOCK. ON HER VISOR IT SAYS FREE BALLARD.
 K-SEA'S PARAGON.
 COMANCHE AT FOSS MARITIME.
 CRAIG AND SANDRA FOSS.
 RUBY XIV WITH RED STACK AND 300 HP WASHINGTON AT EWING ST.
 THE WESTWARD; DAD BOUGHT HER SURPLUS AFTER WWII AND RAY STICKLER RAN HER UP THE COAST FOR US FROM CALIFORNIA.
 GRACE WITH A LITTLE BONE IN HER TEETH.
 TOWLINE ERIK AND GRACE PUSHING ON THE STABBERT DRYDOCK.
 YELLOW ROSE BEING ROLLED OUT FOR LAUNCHING AT KVICHAK.
 DIXIE SHIFTING FOSS 300 OVER FOR LAUNCHING YELLOW ROSE.
 FOSS 300 GETTING SLINGS INTO POSITION FOR THE BIG LIFT.
 FOSS 300 MAKING LIFT OF YELLOW ROSE.
 FOSS 300 HEADED FOR THE WATER WITH YELLOW ROSE.
 KVICHAK LATEST - THE YELLOW ROSE - BUILT FOR THE HUSTON PILOTS.
Pictures in the blog are of the CROWLEY tug PATHFINDER going by our front door towed by the CROWLEY Tractor Tug CHIEF. You will notice that her windows are boarded up for the trip down from Valdez. She ran up on Bligh Reef while scouting for ice. And damaged her bottom. Probably headed for Lake Union Drydock?
 CROWLEY'S CHIEF TOWING PATHFINDER.
 PATHFINDER GOING PAST OUR HOUSEBOAT ON LAKE UNION.
PATHFINDER BEING TOWED BY CHIEF.
I am looking for a plastic model of the tug Cheryl Ann either still in the kit or built and I don’t want the one that was priced at $1,000.00. I have 2 that I built but have use for a third one. She and Preston Foster were the lead in a old TV series that took place in Long Beach. Any condition is OK old and tired would be just fine.
 SAM FOSS. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO. Margie says we have some open moorage available call her at 206 632 0152.
FAIRTIDE MARK
MARCH 1, 2010
First: a big thank you to all the folks that have sent and brought in tugboat pictures. Ron Burchett sent pictures of the MARGUN aground and iced up in Alaska and the brand new Robert Allan-designed and Martinac-built new U.S. Navy ASD tug at Bangor. Don Medforth sent down several Canadian tug pictures and nice articles on the steam tugs RFM and MASTER. John Kobanuk sent down pictures of several big models of Canadian steam and diesel tugs that he built. Bob Richardson, our man in Coos Bay, sent on more pictures of the Harbor, the Bar and all his friends at Coos Bay. Capt. Fred Jerrel brought in several calendars that Matt Lyon made and we had a chance for a short BS session. Thanks to all, I will use them in the blog as soon as possible. When I say “sent down” that is probably a misnomer as most stuff comes into the internet but it is always fun to see the people in person.
 RIVTOW CAPT. BOB WITH MODEL MAKER JOHN KOBANUK.
 MASSET, MORSBY AND HARO ALL BUILT BY JOHN KOBANUK.
 CANADIAN STEAM TUG HARO MODEL BY JOHN KOBANUK
 GULF RIVAL. PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 EXPORTER, SHE HAS THE RIGHT HOUSE COLOR! PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 THE DRIFTWOOD (FORMER STRAITS TUG HARO); NOW THE MOTHERSHIP FOR THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE LODGE. PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 CLIVE (EX-SECHELT CHIEF). PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 C. T. TITAN. PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 CANADIAN STEAM TUG MASTER, PHOTO FROM DON MEDFORTH.
 MARGUN, ASHORE IN ALASKA AND ICED UP. THEY GOT HER OFF! PHOTO SENT IN BY RON BURCHETT.
 NEW U S NAVY TUG VALIANT YT-802 AT BANGOR. PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT.
 YT-802 MARTINAC-BUILT, ROBERT ALLAN-DESIGN. PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT.
 NEW U S NAVY ASD TUG. PHOTO FROM RON BURCHETT.
Nothing spectacular going on for the tug company; just nice, steady work thanks to our wonderful customers during very hard times. I can show you better with pictures than with talk. The SHELLEY is looking great in her Manson colors.
 DIXIE WITH AMERICAN LADY IN TOW.
 SUNRISE ON LAKE UNION OFF MY FRONT PORCH.
 OUR DIXIE SHIFTING BLUESTAR.
 BOYER'S BILLIE H, SAME NAME AS BOYER'S FIRST TUG, IN DRYDOCK AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
 CAPT. DEEP SEA TOM SMILING ON STERN OF DIXIE.
 DIXIE PUSHING HUSKY STERN FIRST TO NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
 DIXIE AND HUSKY JUST PASSING BLUEBERRY.
 K-SEA'S AMERICAN PATROIT LYING AT NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD.
 FOSS NO. 300 STEAM CRANE.
 DIXIE PUSHING FOSS NO. 300 AT THE TERMINAL.
 SHELLEY GETTING NEW COLORS: LOOKING GOOD.
 MARGIE (THE BOSS) BUILDING CAT 5 WIRES AT HOME. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING SHE CAN'T DO.
 INDY HE IS IN CHARGE OF THE HOME FRONT.
I have started my new book; well, okay, actually I started two, but for now I decided to stick with my Coast Guard book. “LIFEBOAT STATION SAILOR” is the draft name for it and it is about the time that I spent in the Service. It took 6800 words just to get out of boot camp, so I am off and running. I also took lots of pictures (never enough) so it should be fun putting it together. I will need some help from you on this: Arcadia published the last book that Chuck Fowler and I did together ["TUGBOATS ON PUGET SOUND"] but this one I have to learn a lot about how to publish a book that will probably not be on the Times Best Seller list. So any suggestions call me at 206 632 0152 or e–mail me at mark@fremonttugboat.com or my street address is 1059 N Northlake Way Seattle WA. 98103.
 MARK WITH STATION MASCOTT BARNEY. HE WAS A LOT OF FUN BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SHERIFF. Thanks also to Hans at Tugs & Towing Offshore Newsletter for the reprint of the Marine News (link) nice story about my being in business for 50 years. Thank You! You can access their web site at http://www.towingline.com.
Keep sending tugboat pictures, Fairtide Mark.
PS: Didn’t you just love the Olympics? The Canadians did a hell of a job providing snow and a wonderful show during a warm winter. Of course I think our Hockey team is just as good as theirs…now that ought to stir the pot just a little, eh.
PPS: We have a house rental coming available 4/1/10 (2 Bdrm, 1 bath) in Broadview….call Margie at 206-786-2897.
February 15, 2010.
I have been laid up for about a week with a nasty cold; I was trying to get this out last Saturday but went home instead and Margie would not let me out of the house until now. Lucky that I have more than one video to watch so I never get bored. All better now but I am so far behind that I will never get caught up. Just to finish what I have started I have to live to be 108 and by that time I will have lost interest…sad story ?
The towing company has been quite busy assembling all the floats for the Big Seattle Boat Show; that is a pretty intense process that takes a couple of weeks along with trying to fit in your normal customers but the weather has sure been good. El Niño has sure made a warm winter for the tug crews but it’s hell on southern California getting all our storms. The poor Olympics can’t get enough snow or cold and it rained all night just before the grand opening. But we will all suffer for no snow pack – Karnack predicts.
We had a lot of interesting stuff going on as you will see in the picture section including making the Seattle Times with a picture of Capt. Erik towing a log float with huge cedar logs in it. The float came out of water at Seaview East and the lumber will be used in making furniture. The owner has his own portable saw mill, so it will be easier for him to make good use of the wood. Almost like AXE MEN on the TV and the 2 fellows that were getting logs off the bottom of the Hoquiam River. I hear by the grapevine that the DNR was more than a little upset with them but it makes for great viewing. They have escaped down south and are now harvesting logs off the bottom with the aligators.
 OUR TUG DIXIE SHIFTING SARGASSO SEA INTO STABBERT'S
 DIXIE PUSHING SARGASSO SEA INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE WEST INNER PIER AT STABBERT'S.
 AXE MAN KEEGAN BROWN & CAPT. DEEP SEA TOM BULSON AT BOATS AFLOAT SHOW.
 OUR TUG DIXIE PUSHING STEAM CRANE FOSS NO. 300 AT THE FOSS TERMINAL.
 FOSS NO. 300 PICKING 40 TON LOADER OUT OF THE HOLD.
 LOADER COMING ASHORE AT FOSS TERMINAL. BIG, ISN'T IT?
 OUR DIXIE WITH PACIFIC STAR ALONGSIDE.
 CAPT. ERIK DOING HIS FAVORITE TOW. HE ALWAYS WAS A GOOD LOG MAN. A PHOTO OF THIS TOW WAS IN THE SEATTLE TIMES.
 OUR DIXIE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE KIDS WORKED AFTER DARK.
 MORE DIXIE AFTER DARK, IT MUST BE TRUE.
 LOOKS LIKE MANSON RED PAINT GOING ON THE SHELLEY ?
 MARK AND CAPT. BILL FOUNTAIN HAVING A LAUGH ON THE STERN OF THE MARGARET ANN.
 MARGARET ANN MADE UP TO CRANE BARGE DB 9.
 INDY OUR 17 POUND CAT AT HOME HE IS WHAT YOU CALL FAT AND SASSY.
 BATMAN LOOKING OUT MY OFFICE WINDOW.
 RAZZ ALWAYS JUMPS UP ON THE RAIL TO SAY HELLO, HE IS 9.
 BATMAN TRYING OUT A NEW PERCH; HE LOOKS RIGHT AT HOME.
 CAPT. DEEP SEA TOM FOUND A NEW HAT AND IS HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH IT.
 OUR DIXIE WITH AMERICAN LADY ALONGSIDE JUST MAKING FREMONT.
Our man in Coos Bay, Bob Richardson, sent us several good pictures of tugs and the Coos Bay Bar. You can see it breaking outside the tug in the shallows – wow! great shots Bob; I think he takes part of them out the front window of his and Virginia’s home. Thanks Bob.
 HEIDEL BRUSCO HEADED OUT OF COOS BAY WITH 2 EMPTIES. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO.
 LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE WAVES BREAKING JUST OUTSIDE HER. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO.
 JUST MAKING THE TURN. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO
 TAURUS ON HER WAY OUT OF COOS BAY. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO
 DUNLAP'S TAURUS AND DUMP SCOW AND CRANE HEADED OUT. OBSERVE THE WAVES BREAKING BEYOND THE JETTY. BOB RICHARDSON PHOTO.
Our man in Whidbey Island, Stan Willhight, has sent us another great set of photos. Wonderful shots of the P&T PIONEER and her log tow in the La Conner slough with help of Dunlap’s PULL & BE DAMNED and the SNEE-OOSH. P&T PIONEER was built for Pope & Talbot by Prothero Boat Co. on Lake Union and launched in 1951 and was powered with a 260 horsepower Washington diesel which much later was replaced with a D353 Cat of around 400 H.P. She is alive and well in Canada after being sold at the big auction when Pope & Talbot closed the mill at Port Gamble many years ago. She was supposed to be the successor to Boyer’s SUSAN H but she was never as pretty and had about the same horsepower – in my opinion. Dunlap’s PULL AND BE DAMNED was built in 1971 with 240 hp. by the Skagit Corp. and the SNEE-OOSH was built in 1970 Post Point in Bellingham with a 350 hp Cat.
 P&T PIONEER IN LA CONNER SLOUGH WITH PULL AND BE DAMNED AND SNEE-OOSH ASSISTING. STAN WILHIGHT PHOTO
 P & T PIONEER NOTICE HOW SHE NARROWS IN TOWARD HER STERN SO THAT SHE CAN TURN AWAY FROM A LOG RAFT JUST BY PUTTING THE RUDDER OVER. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
 P & T PIONEER BOW VIEW FROM BRIDGE ACROSS SLOUGH. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
 PULL AND BE DAMNED ASSISTING. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO
 SNEE-OOSH ASSISTING, STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO
The pretty NANCY FOSS was launched as the CALCITE in 1907 To keep her upright they lashed a cedar log to each side so that she would not roll over before she got her engine. Jack McCrary told me the story because he was at the launching. She ended her career with a big Cummins Diesel and after Foss sold her someone had let the water-cooled reduction gear freeze up and break and they were running it without cooling. She was called the NANCY BEAR.
 NANCY FOSS. WASN'T SHE PRETTY?
The picture of the two tugs laying together sure show the new and the old. The inside tug being the Invader class Crowley boat the CAVALIER and outside is the MARY D HUME who is now bleaching her bones on the Oregon coast at Gold Beach. The photo was taken after Crowley bought American Tug in Everett. Crowley was a Good Samaritan and gave the boat to the Curry County Historical Society because she was built at Gold Beach and someone tried to hoist her out of water and she fell ruining the hull; you can see her from the highway, sunk. No good deed shall go unpunished.
 MARY D HUME AND CAVALIER. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO
DAPHNE was one of a class of 165 foot Coast Guard Cutters launched in 1932 at Bath Maine with a pair of Winton Diesels totaling 1340 hp. Sold surplus in 1954 she was reengined with a pair of 398 Cats; gad, she was pretty. One of her owners was Pacific Western Lines. I was told she ended up in Mexico.
 DAPHNE. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO
 DUNLAP'S HERCULES. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
 WARIJIYA NEW TUG FOR KUWAIT BUILT BY ROZEMA BOAT WORKS. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
 AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST CROWLEY'S NEW TRACTOR VALOR. I UNDERSTAND SHE IS IN THE 6000 HP RANGE. STAN WILLHIGHT PHOTO.
Stan thanks for all the great tug boat pictures.
Also the new owner of the PATRICIA ANN (ex-LEA MOE) that we found in Astoria sent us a wonderful e-mail. Any one having info or pictures of her can contact him: Jody Rutledge at jody@acstelco.com or 645 N. Morgan Street Portland Or. 97103.
A real nice article was published by the Marine News magazine out of New York on our 50 years in business. Thanks Raina.
Send any tugboat photos to me at: 1059 N Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103. Or mark@fremonttugboat.com. FAIRTIDE MARK
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