Mark Orange wanted to take a trip a boatyard in Staten Island where his friend is renovating an old tug boat.
We put in just North of the Outerbridge Crossing,
in the Aurthur Kill waterway.
From our map it looked like the boatyard might be South of the bridge.
The tide was heading that way. It flows into the ocean as the sea level recedes.
From here we were just around the bend from the Atlantic, and the ebb tide was pulling us quickly.
Next stop – Ireland, said Mark.
We found what we thought looked like the boat yard,
and we scouted for the tugboat.
Here she is, the New York Central Tugboat #13.
Eric and Christina showed up with some friends to give us a tour of the boat.
Most of the work so far has been on the hull of the boat.
The tug was built in 1887 – before we knew how to make steel!
So some parts are made of Iron.
Christina pointed out the plates on the hull that Eric replaced. She described the process of botling and bending the new steel plates by hand.
Below deck, Eric told us about his plans.
When the boat was made, it had a steam engine, but it was replaced with this diesel engine.
Eric fired up the motor and I was suprised how quiet it ran – even down here in the metal drum of the hull.
Down another hatch,
Eric showed us a section that he will divid and fill with water as a ballast.
Under the aft deck, Christina noticed something…
This is a part that she spent hours chipping rust and painting – not an easy task in such a small crawlspace. It has already started to rust again.
They don’t get to come out here as often as they would like because of their jobs and responsibilities. I know just how she feels.
Here is the whole crew, Eric Fischer and Christina Zafiris our hosts on the left, then Suzanne Thorpe, Mark Orange, Darren Vigilant, Missy Eaton, Anna Davolio, and me on the end.
Darren Vigilant is also working on a boat out here.
We stopped over and admired his beautiful and meticulous metalwork.
Eric and Darren came to the boat yard around the same time and each thought their projects would take about 3 months. That was 3 years ago.
We said goodby to the New York Central Tugboat #13.
On the way out Erik pointed out an old NYC landmark, The Purple Barge, here at it’s final resting place.
Everyone waved goodby.
The tide was flowing back to the North now,
filling the Arthur Kill with water from the Ocean.
We drifted back with almost no effort.
Here is a picture that Eric Fischer found of NYCTB#13 in her heyday.
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