My new to me Aluminum Cruising Tug

[Chtucker]

I am sure this is going to be the start of a picture and long thread. Looking around here, I have found more information than the other places I have been looking.

We just went through survey of our potential new boat. 30' Aluminum cruising tug boat. It is in very sound and solid shape. It was built way, way heavy. The fitting and fairing of the boat are proof why the builder went out of business. Way to much cool fabrication to make any money.

It does have an area of stray current corrosion, which is what brought me here. I need to talk to a yard about an estimate for panel replacement. The survey indicating pitting up to 50% of the bilge panels over about a 3" wide by 4' long section.

The boat is losing paint in spots where there is dis-similar metals. I need to research, plan and save for a remedy. It won't be cheap.

Onto the pictures!

[Chtucker]

More pictures

[Chtucker]

BTW I am looking for yards/companies that can help me remedy some of the issues. Must have haul out capabilities and be in the Puget Sound/Islands area

[welder]

GREAT First Post and welcome to AAB.
What power is in her, who made her, whats her range and I'M IN LOVE with her...

You might want to call Russ at http://www.coldwaterboats.com in Marysville WA. , they do AWESOME work and can easily handle a boat that size.

[Chtucker]

It was made in Richmond BC by Fast Water Marine in 1994, now out of business. The boat cost $150,000 in 1994. The surveyor thought it would cost well over $300k to reproduce!

It is a full displacement Bruce Roberts design. It is way heavy built with 1/2" stringers. It weighs over 18,000lbs

24"x14 prop, 85hp Perkins naturally aspirated.

[welder]

My Cousin has a 85HP Perkins in his Cal 46 [ Sail boat ] and he put almost 15,000 hours on the 1st one [ I thought it ran fine ] but he put a new one in her for his around the world Cruz back in '86 . The 2nd Engine has about 9,000 hours on it now .

[Illgotoo]

A rare beauty for sure. The cabin looks really nice.

[welder]

Is that a State room aft of the Pilot house?

[Chtucker]

No, V berth up front, aft cabin is a huge galley out of mahogany on the port side and starboard is a convertible setee. There is no generator. Boat has an alcohol stove currently installed, but the exhaust a fuel plumbing are still there for a diesel, which is what I will put back in.

100 gallons fuel, 40 each black and fresh. Unfortunately it is not keel cooled... The only thing I wish they did.

[spoiled one]

That is a very cool boat. Are you thinking of going with a Dickenson diesel stove/oven/heater?

[Chtucker]

There is currently only a cooktop, so either we drop in a Wallas cooktop, or I prefer a full stove. First will be a BBQ off the railing.

[spoiled one]

Nice. I have a wallas cook top and oven. The stove takes a while to heat up, but works well once it does. The oven is the second best thing that we put in. The first was the espar airtronic heater. Wallas sure is proud of their stuff, eh?

[Chtucker]

I missed that the current cook top is alcohol. Not what I want in there. So either I replace it with a Wallas diesel cook top or go all out and replace it with a full diesel oven.


Attached are the paint issues. The surveyor did not express any great concerns over this, other than it needs to be addressed. I am inclined to take the boat back to bare aluminum and not have to deal with paint again. Maybe a few vinyl stripes on the boat. If I refinish the boat, I will probably have to blast it anyways. Might as well not worry about it in the future. I do like the look of paint though.

The pictures are around the wiper arm and the front hatch above the front V berth cabin.

I also need to do my homework on mounting hardware for an EPIRB and life raft. I am talking to a fellow about some sort of davit setup for a tender.

[Sabs28]

Cool Boat & Welcome Aboard. When you say "Cruising Tug boat", How fast does a boat like this go? I am asking because there are tugs in one of the rivers I launch in & they are very slow. The ones I see are 20' wide & 50' feet long, So that may be the reason for the lack of speed. Was this boat built for a "dual purpose" use? I don't know much about tug boats other than they pull, push & move things, So naturally I have questions.

So what panels need to be replaced??

[Chtucker]

Cruising=just traveling about with the family. It was built as a pleasure craft on a commercial design by a company that was building commercial fishing boats. They were intending to get into the pleasure market.

It maxes it out at 9-9.5 knots, cruises at 7.2 knots at 1700RPM burning under 1 gallon per hour. About 850 miles of range on 108 gallons of fuel with a little for reserve.

[Sabs28]

Slow & fuel efficient isn't a bad thing. At least you cant get a speeding ticket. Does a boat like this throw out a lot of cavitation/ prop wash behind it?? Can it be used for trolling?? I was about a 1/4 mile behind a big tug once, the prop wash was wreaking havoc on my ability to control my boat. The tug was about 50' long & made of steel, But I imagine an aluminum tug may be easier to push through the water with less power & make less prop wash than those giant steel tugs.

[Chtucker]

Not much at all.. Those commercial tugs have HUGE props with BIG motors just churning away. A 50' Tug might have a 48"-60" prop at thousands of HP.

[welderbob]

If the paint job is original than blistering around fastenings would be expected. You just have to be conscious about isolating thing when you put them back together. Tef-gel and plastic washers are your friend.
Best thing you can do for an aluminum boat is keep it clean and dry on the inside. With that drip-less coupling that bilge should be bone dry. I'd bet that the packing glad is not original. There could have been a bronze one there when the boat was built. With the water laying in the bottom and a little bronze sweat you will get pitting over time.

Neat boat,I'm an east coat guy ,but cruz'n the inside passage is on my bucket list.

Welderbob

[buck3]

Keep it for about 20 years then I'll be ready to buy it from you and take it up the inside passage. That thing would be my dream boat. The boat I live on 9 months out of the year only does 10 kts and is usually doing allot less. You get use to it and start enjoying the trip instead of the destination.

Good luck and we are looking forward to seeing more pics in beautiful places.

[Chtucker]

Survey written report received, nothing that I wasn't aware of on the day of the survey. Engine oil analysis came back normal. Be interesting to see if the seller balks at the survey...

More pictures and info to come...

[CWB]

Chtucker, nice project. I received you message and below is a contact for you. Ask for John.

Petrzelka Brothers
2320 Cedardale Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274
(360) 424-8095

Very likely you will have to find another shop for paint. There is only two up in that area we have found that have the ability paint an aluminum boat correctly. Just call me before to discuss the process.

Enjoy and look forward to seeing more photos.....

[S L Dave]

You get use to it and start enjoying the trip instead of the destination.

I like that thinking and look forward to slowing down at some point!

[Chtucker]

More pics from the survey...

Loan approval letter received, documentation service working on closing paperwork, Insurance lined up, delivery captain hired..

Just need to get logistics figured out (Ferries are not running to Victoria for the next few weeks)

[Chtucker]

and some more photos

[Chtucker]

and some more