tuggers - Lord Nelson Victory Tug (LNVT)

LNVT OWNERS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
TUGGERS
Winter 2013
LNVT Resources
LNVT Yahoo Forum:
groups.yahoo.com/group/LNVT/
FREE website on Yahoo.
A place to ask questions, get advice
and have discussions on all things
LNVT.
1. Click on “join this group”.
2. You will be given the opportunity to open a Yahoo account.
Select “traditional” if you prefer
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LNVT Wiki Website:
lnvt.org
Augments our Yahoo forum.
A place to view and add to our collective knowledge on each of the 87
boats and how they came into being.
Now with “Members Only” section.
Tuggers Newsletter:
Published quarterly PDF or mail.
Send additions/corrections for Captain’s List and Roster, or items for
publication to Editor byDEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE:
April 16, 2013
Association Officers
President: Dave Howell
[email protected]
Vice President: Macy Galbreath
[email protected]
Treasurer: Bill Rothert
214 Eagle View Lane
Port Ludlow, WA 98356
[email protected]
Website Moderators:
Phil de l’Etoile
[email protected]
John Howell
[email protected]
Editor: Craig Kurath
[email protected]
Assn. dues $10 year
Fifty Fourth Issue
FROM THE BRIDGE
Dave Howell, NELLIE D #63
If you haven't seen the movie The Red Violin, I recommend it. It's both entertaining and contains a unique perspective. In fact, it made me look at my tug in a new light.
The movie opens in a late 17th century luthier's shop. An
accomplished artisan is making a violin. His is an interesting life and it appears the story will revolve around him. It
doesn't. Instead we see his life's trials, and that of subsequent owners, but only while they're in possession of the
violin. The Red Violin is a window into their lives. In a similar fashion Nellie D. is my Red Violin and the means by which I know her six previous owners. What I hadn't clearly grasped, or
perhaps didn't wish to grasp, is that Nellie will be the window through which future owners
view my life. I hope they'll say that during my tenure I was a bold, adventurous captain and a
great steward. What stories will your tug tell about you?
In this issue you'll read about a mechanical failure that could have easily sunk LADY KATIE
#24. A lesson learned from this incident is to check all the bilges regularly.
The market for LNVTs continues to improve. Two more tugs sold this quarter.
Bob and Birdie Jenkins, SEA TURTLE #14, are new tug owners, septuagenarians and in
April will begin the 6000 mile Great Loop. When I asked Bob why they're taking on such a big
first cruise he said, "If not now, when?"
Having fun and keeping it simple,
Welcome Aboard!
We are pleased to welcome Tosh and Nicole. They live in Annapolis, MD and have recently
purchased BLUE JACKET #20. We look forward to hearing more from them as they restore
her to her glory!
John Brennan, from Vero Beach, FL, joined the Association in November. He is a wannabee
and says he is actively looking for a tug.
Another wannabee is Tom Smitherman from Montevallo, AL who may purchase an LNVT in
the next couple of years. He currently has a 20’ cruiser/tug and has been cruising the ICW
and inland rivers for the past 2 ½ years. He loves cruising at slow speeds.
Tug Talk
Joe Mehrkens and the Mehrkens Galley
By Sally Seymour, SALLY W #42
A starboard galley on LNVTs is called a “Mehrkens Galley”. It is named after Joe Mehrkens, PERSERVERANCE #32, who
specified this layout when he ordered his tug from Loren Hart. This design places the stairs from the salon to the pilothouse on the
port side. Although many of us have surmised that this removes the danger of falling backwards down the stairs when at the helm,
Joe provides the answer, and adds another reason.
He says his Sundowner tug had a “galley-passageway-pilothouse configuration like the Mehrkens Galley. Much of my time
on the water in SE Alaska was at the helm and we had a very primitive but reliable autopilot – me. We were also younger then and
more likely to go out in rougher waters. So I envisioned someday standing at the helm in 3-4 footers and falling back down the companionway into the galley. Alternatively, I thought I’d rather fall back on the pilothouse bench seat. Also, under calmer seas I liked to
sit on the bench seat and steer with my feet.”
Unfortunately, the tug was lost in a storm. “We met Loren Hart and Lane Finley at the Seattle Boat show. We really fell in
love with the boat and they were very anxious to make a sale. After the third visit in two days and they knew they had us. I made a
down payment with the agreement they would talk with Tommy about some changes including the galley arrangement. Tommy was
great and made the boat a real project.
Joe continues, “There were other changes such as a longer galley table, an L-shaped bench seat, louvered lockers, four
defrosters in the pilothouse, etc. I still have a copy of the requested changes in the family archives.” He concludes, “I wish they were
still made. I would like to build the ultimate LNVT using all the prior owners’ ideas – most of which are not mutually exclusive from my
read.”
Even though the Mehrkens Galley layout first appears in Joe’s hull #32, it wasn’t until the production of the last six tugs that
the Mehrkens galley became standard spec. And it looks like his other suggestions took hold as well.
lnvt.org.
CHECK OUT THE WIKI: www.lnvt.org
Did you know that updating your tug’s page is fun— and easy. Simply go to lnvt.org and mouse on your boat, then
mouse on the “edit” button near the page’s bottom. Don’t worry if you make a mistake, since this is a Wiki it’s easy to
revert to any earlier version. Just mouse the “history” button. Need help or just have some questions?
Send them to Dave, [email protected].
Don’t forget: To enter the “Members Only” area click on the LNVT burgee– like the one pictured here.
2
Our First ICW Trip
By Ed and Mary Ann McChain, THISTLE #47
We had never had the time to go down the Intracoastal Waterway before due to our work schedule, but now having both retired
we were eager to give it a try.
When Ed and I started planning our trip, we had planned to leave Urbana, VA in late October or very early November, but we had
to wait for hurricane Sandy and a nor'easter to pass on by before we could leave. Finally, on November 7th, we and our two Border
Terriers, Connor and Piper, departed. We headed out in ugly weather, and the winds were still very strong. We planned on waiting it
out in Jackson Creek near Deltaville before heading down the Bay. After two days at anchor, we headed south to Norfolk.
We anchored at Hospital Point in Norfolk and caught up with Josh and Shea, some young friends who are living on their 32 foot
sailboat and beginning a new adventure as they head south. They followed us down through the Dismal Swamp, through the locks
and on to Elizabeth City. We thought the Dismal Swamp was beautiful, peaceful and very picturesque. Being fall, all of the golden
colors reflecting off the water were really beautiful. The North Carolina Welcome Center was very nice and a great place to walk the
dogs. The dock was also a free tie up.
I had never been through a lock before so I found it very interesting, to say the least. For Ed, having spent many years sailing
Lake Ontario and using the Oswego River, these locks on the ICW were pretty simple. When we came into Elizabeth City, we were
looking for the free docks that we had read about. There were some docks where we saw folks waving and shouting that we could
come in for a free dock. This was not Elizabeth City town dock, but The Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City. They were
very helpful in getting us tied up and offered us their showers, laundry facilities, anything we needed, and they also offered to drive us
to the grocery store. So we took them up on their offer and we able to get some fresh veggies. We only stayed there overnight and
were on our way the next morning. What a fine time we were having, folks so friendly.
Josh and Shea were still following along behind us as we headed to Albemarle Sound, Alligator River and Pungo River. We found
ourselves cruising along with the same boats day after day, and began talking with them on the radio and found that they are going to
about the same place we were going! We were talking to a fellow on SV Pearl while on the Alligator River and he had been down the
ICW about a dozen times. He was full of interesting information. His name was Kevin and he was from East Port in Annapolis, and he
is a musician who writes and sings nautical tunes. He ended up anchoring with us that night in a very remote part of Alligator River. We
had a nice evening visiting with Kevin and our friends, Josh and Shea.
Active Captain said there was a dock nearby where we could walk the
dogs, and sure enough there was a dock but it was not nearby! It was
quite a long dinghy ride into a little creek in the blackest water I have
ever seen! The dogs were able find some grass and do some sniffing! It was an extremely quiet night on the Alligator River, what a serene spot.
The next day we were in Pungo Canal and the weather became
pretty nasty, lots of wind and rain so we slipped into Dowry Creek to a
marina there that was rated very high on Active Captain. The docks
left much to be desired, tiny little finger pier to get off the boat, not
very safe! But it was a good place to be out of the nasty weather that
had come up so quickly. This was right outside of Belle Haven, NC
and my sister has a house in Washington, NC. We called her and she
came for a visit and we went out to dinner. She had never seen Thistle before, so she was anxious to see our new boat.
Heading South in the Dismal Swamp
The next morning we left Dowry Creek and headed on south on the Pungo River, on to Goose River and then on the Neuse River.
Along the way we talked to several boats from Canada, very large Nordhaven trawlers that were traveling a lot faster than we were,
and they would very politely radio us and tell us they were passing......so we would talk to them and they told us about a marina near
Oriental, NC in Grace Harbor called River Dunes. We decided to check it out, and found out that the docks were only $1 a foot, and
if one pays for 5 nights, get 2 nights free, such a deal and the weather was rotten and windy and, did I say COLD? The amenities
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were awesome! The place was just beautiful! They had a beautiful two story club house with fireplaces that were roaring the entire
time. Sitting next to a roaring fire felt really nice! They had a very nice laundry room, steam showers and the place was landscaped
perfectly. There were many very large beautiful private homes, some for sale and it was just very pleasant to be there. We ended up
staying there a few days. We met many nice couples who were also waiting on the weather to improve before continuing south on the
ICW. They served dinner in the club house most nights at a reasonable rate. Our friend Kevin on SV Pearl was there when we arrived
and we enjoyed spending time with him again! He even wrote a song about all of us being "stuck “at River Dunes due to the weather!
So here’s to those smarter, to those who chose right
And have been sitting by the fire at River Dunes tonight
Cause the schedule, the Devil, a nasty Cuss
And good to those out in there……from the toasty and dry rest of us
The good ship Thistle and those on High Spirits
Who know the true meaning of well written lyrics
Enjoy the fine company and yes the the warm fire
And Pearl looks forward to catching up again in temps higher
What a place to be stuck! They also had a loaner car so you could
go into Oriental for groceries or whatever. Wonderful place, we will
definitely go back there on our way home this spring
(Riverdunes.com). The weather finally improved and we left River
Dunes and headed south towards Morehead City.
A Nice Day at the McClellanville Seashore
Thanksgiving was the next day and we had a reservation in Masonboro, a little north of Wilmington, NC. We arrived fairly early and I began preparing our Thanksgiving feast. We had a turkey roast, stuffing,
gravy, green beans and bread and a pumpkin loaf for desert. It was
great. I have a childhood friend who lives in Wilmington, she and her
husband came down to the marina for a nice visit later that evening.
Thanksgiving was very strange without family all around but we enjoyed it just the same. I will have to have a belated Thanksgiving dinner for our family when we get home.
Much of the Intracostal in NC and SC has many very shallow places and even though you are following the charts, you can still find yourself in shallow water. One of our traveling days, there was a
pilot house sail boat in front of us who appeared to be very familiar with the water depths. Now I know if he can get through, so can I,
and I’m not proud. We talked on the radio a lot that day which was a big help and also found that people were very curious about our
boat and had lots of questions. We met a couple in NC on a big trawler who were from Gloucester VA, very close to Urbanna. What a
small world. Unfortunately we did not see them again because they travel much faster than we and they were headed to Vero Beach,
Florida.
After we left Masonboro, NC, we headed for Myrtle Beach. I was looking forward to seeing it all from the ICW because I spent a lot
of time at Myrtle Beach when I was a child growing up in South Carolina. It was also interesting to see the outer banks from the sound
side because that is where my family went for summer vacations when my sons were young and still at home. The marshes and the
grasses along the waterway were beautiful. I believe we saw dolphins every day!
We went into the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club at Little River, SC for fuel and stayed the night. We went to a restaurant nearby called
Clark's, the food was delicious, best salad I think I ever had anywhere! Some of the folks we met at River Dunes were staying in contact with us and they were going to be in Georgetown, SC that night and were hoping we could join them but we could not find a slip
anywhere. It was going to be a really long day for us if we made it all the way to Georgetown. We were on the Waccamaw River and
something was swimming in the water ahead of the boat. We slowed down to take a look and it was a wild boar with big tusks! He
was swimming as hard as he could, poor thing!
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Our next stop was the Leland Oil Company in McClellanville, SC. We arrived fairly early in the day so we took a walk around town,
which is not really a town but one restaurant. The live oaks there were stunning! There was a sign in front of one of the trees called a
Deer Head Oak and a sign on it said it was over one thousand years old. I guess the folks there really treasure the live oaks because
we saw where many were measured and marked. They are very special and beautiful, that is for sure!
Next stop was Isle of Palms, SC. It was not far from McClellanville but we had to wait on the tide before we could head to Charleston, so we stopped there for the night. We walked about six blocks to get to the ocean. We walked around, Connor and Piper enjoyed a good walk on the beach. It was a fairly warm day for a change! They had a little store there at the marina where I went to pick
up a few items, like cereal. A small box of Frosted Flakes was $6.29!!!! But we needed cereal!
We left Isle of Palms and headed to Charleston City Dock for two days. We were excited to see Josh and Shea anchored out by the
marina. We had lost them while we were at River Dunes, so it was good to see them again. We also saw some other folks that we
had met in NC. The marina has a shuttle to take you downtown to the market areas so we did and ate at Bubba Gump’s! Charleston
has a lot of charm, a really nice place to visit. My mother went to nursing school there, and that is where she met my father and they
got married in Charleston. They are both deceased now, so it has a special place in my heart.
We left Charleston and headed to Lady's Island Marina. We had read that it was a nice place and that a Publix was in walking distance. At this point we needed a few groceries. But the marina was a disappointment from the start. The power would not work and
we could not plug the boat in for heat, and their Wi-Fi did not work either. We began our walk to Publix, which was more like two miles
at least, which was okay on the way there, but not on the way back loaded down with bags of groceries! As we were trying to balance
our load on a carrier that we use, a woman stopped and asked us if we would like a ride, Would we? We were so thrilled! I told her
that we had two dogs with us, but she did not mind at all and took us back to the marina. My other complaint about this marina was
that there were no trash cans anywhere! Not on the dock or near the office, just nowhere to be seen. I asked and was told you had to
walk up to the dumpster near the restaurant, which was more than a short walk away from the docks. Oh well, you can't believe everything you read!
Next we are going on to the Savannah area, the Isle of Hope. The route today was very interesting because of the current. We saw
a sailboat that was in front of us take a big spin in a circle as it crossed the Savannah River. Just swirled it around, a quick three sixty,
but he got it under control and entered the narrow cut on the opposite side as he should, all was well. I have never seen current like
this before! We tied up at the Isle of Hope, which is actually at Savannah, it was very nice there. We took a walk and signed up for
the loaner car to go for a drive and to go to dinner. It is a beautiful area, and we had no problem finding our way around. We went to
dinner at the Driftwood and we happened to bump into a couple who had tied their sailboat up right in front of Thistle at the dock.
They were from Erie, PA and were headed to Boca Raton, FL. We ate dinner together and really enjoyed the company. I had shrimp
and grits! After dinner, we all went in the loaner car to the Piggly Wiggly to get some wine to share back on the boat. It was a really
nice evening and we ended up cruising along with them all the way to Sapelo Island the next day. We anchored near Sapelo Island
and were very curious about the island from the beginning. There was a large ferry dock and many cars parked alongside the road
but we never saw one person! We went for a walk with the dogs and the live oaks were beautiful. It was very quiet and we saw signs
that told us that the University of Georgia has research facilities there. Later in the day, we saw the ferry come into the dock and lots
of people climbed off, We have since learned a lot about the island and on a return trip after Christmas, we took the ferry over to Sapelo Island for the tour, very interesting! The mansion and the Gullah community called Hog Hammock are just a few of the high lights
of Sapelo Island.
We arrived in Brunswick, GA the next afternoon. There were areas where the water was supposed to be shoaling and very shallow
but we had no problem at all. Our friends Josh and Shea went on south, as Brunswick was our destination. The Brunswick Landing
Marina is huge! And it had very substantial concrete floating docks to deal with the 9 foot tide there. The marina is very nice and well
maintained, we felt very good about leaving Thistle there for the winter.
The historic downtown area of Brunswick is within close walking distance. There are beautiful live oaks all over, many lovely
churches and nice little shops to visit. We also found a restaurant that we just loved, right there on the main Street. It was Fox’s Pizza
and their pizza is wonderful! Each time we go down to visit the boat this winter; I am sure we will have to have pizza at Fox’s!
Our return trip after Christmas was lots of fun, sightseeing and also taking day trips around Brunswick on the boat. The Georgia
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Port Authority is very close by and we watched workers unloading new cars from a huge ship. There was a ship there from Bergen,
Norway being loaded also. We went to visit Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island and visited all of the places that were mentioned in
the local literature. On Jekyll, we visited the Turtle Center, which is basically a turtle hospital and you can watch the doctor and his
staff as they work on the turtles and you learn all about their needs and what brought them to the hospital. Extremely interesting!
We toured some very old buildings and some ruins. I had seen to term "tabby" in reference to many buildings but we did not know
what it meant exactly. So we found out that the buildings were made with equal parts of lime, water, sand and oyster shells. In looking at the ruins, it was easy to see the oyster shells and how it was constructed. We saw this on the islands, Jekyll, St. Simons and
Sapelo. It was used from the 1500’s through the 1800's. We found all of this to be very interesting!
We are back home in Urbanna, VA now and plan to drive back down to Brunswick again in February for a week or two. We will
probably take the boat down into Florida then. We will go in March, closer to spring and start the trip north to the Chesapeake Bay
and the Rappahannock River. This time we plan to stop at different places from the trip south in November. It’s not a difficult trip, but
it is a little different than some other cruising you may have done, give the ICW a try, I think you will like it. We are looking forward to
our next adventure!
Tug Talk
Tug Tips: A Safer Dutch Door Handle
How often has vibration and gravity conspired to allow your Dutch
door handles to fall into an open position? That can be a dangerous
but here's a novel solution. By simply (1) removing the Dutch door's,
exterior escutcheon's, three retaining screws and (2) rotating the escutcheon 120 degrees and then (3) reinstalling the screws, Ed
McChain, THISTLE #47, has solved the problem. As the picture
shows, Thistle's handles point skyward when unlatched; an unmodified handle would point downward. Gravity keeps Ed's modified handles latched. He says the same modification works for the companionway doors too.
Ed and His Modified Dutch Door Handle
Calendar of Events 2013
Please let us know of other events that should be listed on our calendar.
January 25—February 3
Seattle Boat Show
Seattle WA
www.seattleboatshow.com
February 14-18
Miami International Boat Show
Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach, FL
www.miamiboatshow.com
February 28–March 3
Baltimore Boat Show
Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore, MD
www.baltimoreboatshow.com
August 23-25
West Coast LNVT Rendezvous
Roche Harbor, WA
[email protected]
September 6-8
Mid-West LNVT Rendezvous
TBA
[email protected]
October 4-6
East Coast LNVT Rendezvous
Howell’s Dock
Church Creek, MD
[email protected]
6
Meeting Jim Backus
By Sally Seymour, SALLY W #42
Photos by Allan and Sally Seymour
Part of the fun of a long voyage is making plans, not to be confused with
(ahem) making a “schedule”, which is anathema when cruising. We like to
contact LNVT owners well in advance when our route will pass by their hailing
ports. The response is always enthusiastic, and plans, not a date, are made.
We hit the jackpot in Long Island Sound when we proposed a get-together
with Hal and June Findlay, owners of LE PAPA #24, and Jim Backus, the
naval architect who designed our tugs. With the meeting set, we tied up next
to Le Papa in Cos Cob, CT and Jim drove from nearby Stamford to meet us.
Jim Backus, Sally Seymour, Hal and June Findlay
aboard the Findlays’ Le Papa #24
It is a great honor, and somewhat nerve-wracking, to have the man who designed your boat step aboard. Jim confessed that he had been on an LNVT
only once in the past 15 years, when he attended the Seattle Rendezvous in
2006. We found that surprising, and told him how much attention our tugs
attracted. He seemed flattered and was pleased when Allan said it evoked a
smile from everyone we met. The design is a classic.
In the early 80s, Jim moved from Connecticut to Washington State,
and hung out his shingle. Three weeks later, Loren Hart came
through the door. The Lord Nelson Victory Tug was Jim's first commission, and proved to be the most successful of his career.
As Jim stood in the pilot house
of Le Papa, he glanced across
the dock to Sally W. “Do you
see what's missing?” he said.
We were clueless. He pointed
Allan and Jim chat between Sally W #42 and Le Papa #24
to the pilot house and grabbed
pen and paper. “I specified
wood trim just below the windows.” And he proceeded to
sketch the missing element.
We cruised to dinner aboard Le Papa and enjoyed an evening of tug talk. Jim talked about his collaboration with Loren
and Tommy Chen, the builder in Taiwan. More detail can be
found at www.lnvt.org/tug-history. Thanks, Jim. We are all
grateful for your striking rendition which led to many happy
owners.
Jim sketches the missing detail
Detail from Jim Backus' original
architectural drawing showing the
wood trim under the pilot house
window
Newlyweds Hal and June Findlay
7
LADY KATIE IS ON SABATICAL
By Capt. Bill & Katie Horwitz, LADY KATIE #28
Hello Fellow Tuggers………..The following is the saga of our LADY KATIE, #28 now hard aground at our farm, “Shady Shores”, in
Odessa, Florida.
First, aging has the effect on even avid “rag sailors” to move on to a more user friendly Trawler. Certainly our LNVT purchased several years ago met this requirement. As a knowledgeable ex-Coast Guard, 100 ton former live aboarder, it was love at first sight….and
that was in 1985 when I saw my first LNVT at the Miami Boat Show. (Sure wish I had opted for that LNVT without the hassle of several other boats before I finally acquired #28) My beautiful wife Katie wasn’t as enamored when we found her….. It required a lot of convincing….. to include giving her an open wallet to rehab the interior to include the finest yellow Italian custom leather interior…, fresh
water head to name a few.
Finally….she was ours……now how to use her at my “later” stage in life. Now retired, living in Florida, I “thought” cruising would be a
natural. IT WASN’T! (Funny how aging changes your desires) Lady Katie was given to regular (and not so regular) day outings on
the Gulf of Mexico out of Clearwater where she was berthed. We sure loved the attention she garnered!
Alas…..the outings became fewer and Lady Katie became my floating “man cave”. We did continue our boating on a regular basis,
only now downgrading to our pontoon boats. (One on our lake here at the farm and another in Clearwater)
I was happy with that arrangement UNTIL a few months ago I got a call from the Marina…”Lady Katie was listing to port at the Marina.” After emergency pumps removed the water, the problem was a sheared off fitting from the raw water intake cooling the shaft. To
date no one can figure out why or how it was sheared off….not electrolysis or any logical explanation. Two Insurance surveyors
spent hours trying to determine “why I was at fault”….they finally gave up! The yard estimate for water damage was astronomical…… Decision time….what to do? The yard was running up charges for temporary repairs and storage. My solution……transport
her to our farm and put her in Retirement/storage. Initially that alternative would allow me a leisurely alternative for making all of the
necessary repairs, plus some long needed refurbishing out of the water. (I had mastered the three day bottom job turnaround, but
without addressing time consuming stuff…)
Moving day………Ugh!.....Cranes, tow trucks (the lowboy trailer got stuck several times) and generally a 12 hour ordeal to move only
a few miles from the Marina to our farm, not to mention several days of site prep for the “final resting” spot, pictured above.
I’m still happily rehabbing Lady Katie, THOROUGHLY, and now must admit that I’m enjoying her daily by having her nested here at
home. The explanation for gawkers visiting the farm is that she was cruising at a high rate of speed (7 knots) when she ran aground.
(12 miles inland?)
We could have sold her before the incident….glad we didn’t…..we could have “scrapped” her after the incident….. (What would my
fellow Tuggers, especially Dave Howell have said?) Instead we are, and will CONTINUE to be proud owners of one of these classic
boats….perhaps at some time Lady Katie will be the best preserved specimen? (Perhaps there could be a new category for an
award?)
Oh….. For those wondering…. The most generous settlement from
Allstate (they really were fist class to deal with!) went partially into
three new “Lady” class boats….. a new easily trailerable “Donzi”
retrofit, (Miss Katie), a new Fiesta pontoon boat (Katiebird) used
almost daily in our lake and a Hurricane Deck boat, (Kiss Me Kate)
now kept in Clearwater Beach and used on our weekly trips to our
beach house. Life is Good!
Lady Katie on the (sort of) Hard
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8
IN THE DETAILS
Cascading Projects
By Dave Howell, NELLIE D. #63
Funny how one job branches out into many others and even funnier that each time this happens we're surprised.
Removing the old bow thruster on NELLIE D. left a 4" hole in the thruster tube. The hole took 10 layers of fiberglass and lots of sanding to repair. Putting in the new Vetus 95 thruster required relocating the 8D battery, which sits on the thruster tube, a little aft. Moving the battery meant that the 20 gallon holding tank needed to be moved aft too. Of course all those 1-1/2" holding tank hoses might
as well be replaced as they don't exactly smell sweet. Removing the toilet's effluent hose reminded me that I hated the fact that it was
(1) above the toilet room floor rather than hidden below it, (2) routed through the engine room and (3) was a ridiculous 25' long. After
a little work, viola, the new 8' long hose is hidden under the floor and goes nowhere near the engine room. Naturally the toilet's water
supply was rerouted under the floor too. With the holding tank out we found the source of a persistent odor--a 90% blocked vent line
caused the tank to go positive pressure (and thus leak) each time the
Vacuflush was used. To make vent line access easier all the anchor
chain was removed from the bow's locker. Heck, with the chain out
might as well refresh the paint on the chain's 25' length marks, check
the integrity of the chain locker's floor, and replace the hoses to the
bow's water bib and pump out. "But wait, there's more!", as they used
to say in those Ronko commercials, with the thruster, battery and
holding tank out what better time to paint the bilge and refinish all the
wood in the stateroom? Ah, cascading projects--you get the idea.
Our estimated week on the hard to replace the bow thruster turned
into a six week long mini-refit. We got tons of jobs, big and small,
done. Why is it then, now we're back in the water and out cruising,
that Nellie's To-Do List is longer than ever? Sounds like a question for
another day.
Bicki Howell refinishing all the wood in the stateroom--and there's a
lot of wood!
Thanks Tommy!
By Dave Howell, NELLIE D. #63
Those white bi-metal hole saws are the ones pros use to drill big holes. I've
seen these bits go through 1/4" stainless steel plate fairly effortlessly. So, with
a brand new, 4" bi-metal hole saw tightly chucked into the drill I confidently
began cutting the floorboard under Nellie's toilet. Grind, grind, grind, the going
was unusually and painfully slow. I checked the bit but it was sharp as could
be. More grinding yielded slow but sure progress. Finally, after the bit cut
through, I examined the core sample. What I thought would be merely 3/4"
plywood turned out to be 1/2" of fiberglass, followed by 1/16" of stainless steel
plate, followed by another 3/8" of fiberglass. Why is this floor so robust? I can
only surmise that knowing toilets are prone to leak and subject to large torsional loads, Tommy Chen built the floor to withstand the worst.
LNVT Is On Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/LNVT/126944910650190
9
The incredibly strong floor under the toilet is an almost 1"
thick amalgamation of fiberglass and stainless steel plate
LADY KATIE (Continued from Page 8)
From Dave Howell: Got a good look at Lady Katie yesterday. Here's what appears to have happened. Bill was running the tug while
still tied in the slip. With the gear in reverse the shaft came uncoupled from the transmission. The backward motion of the shaft was
enough to shear the raw water coupling off the top of the packing gland. Bill gave me the insurance company's accident report and he
has some lessons learned. This will be covered in the next Issue of Tuggers.
Editor:
Bill writes that there was no damage to the interior spaces. He removed all the bronze items and shined them to look their best when
they are reinstalled. He also added grab rails on the starboard side above the windows and the galley. The wheel and the anchor
plate were thoroughly shined up. “After trying to install a captain’s
chair at the wheel that proved to be cumbersome….I used its base but
with a simpler round removable seat that works quite well. Lady Katie
will continue to be spiffed up and improved during her ‘extended stay’
here on the farm”.
Polished Bronze Ready for Reinstallation
Helm Station Perch
REMINDER: Tuggers dues are due now!
As you probably noticed we changed the format for notifying Tuggers of the LNVT Association dues. All notices went out via email if
we had your email address. A few also went out via the postal service. Regardless, we hope you received the notice and have
returned it with $10. If you missed the notice, let Bill Rothert ([email protected]) or Macy Galbreath ([email protected]) know. It will be
re-sent. Remember to check out the Yahoo forum and the LNVT wiki. Our dues support both of these great Internet sites.
FOR SALE
Winter 2013
Looking for a boat? Listing a LNVT? Be sure to utilize the following sites:
yachtworld.com: Brokerages post listings on this website (YW)
lnvt.org: Boats for Sale are highlighted in blue. Owners may post info on their boats.
groups.yahoo.com/group/LNVT: Our website offers the opportunity for owners to post their boats for sale.
1983
1984
1985
1985
1986
LADY HAMILTON #12 (YC)
CONCINNITY #17 (YW)
LA SALLE #23
PUFFIN #26 (YW)
TALAPUS #36 (YW)
37’
37’
37’
37’
37’
1986
1987
AFTER ALL #48 (YW)(Pending)
ECCO DOMANI #55
37’
37’
1987
1999
URSA #49-6
SHERYL ANN #41-5 (YW)
49’
41’
508-428-4735 or [email protected]
877-274-6768
586-899-3935 or [email protected]
252-633-0317
888-293-6546 or
[email protected]
866-372-9311, [email protected]
[email protected], 907-566-3266 or
907-748-5458
Please contact David Fogg 941-359-1015
877-311-0559 or 360-981-3758
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MA
MI
MI
NC
WA
124,550
139,900
180,000
129,900
149,500
ME
AK
139,500
144,000
ME Priced to Sell
WA
241,900
Tug Tips
'Tug Tips' is a forum to exchange information about simple solutions to problems. Send your tips to Craig Kurath to share with the fleet in the next issue.
Foredeck Cushions
By Sally Seymour, SALLY W. #42
Owners have devised some clever ways to make
sitting on the slanted foredeck more comfortable.
Original LNVT standard specs call this area “the
overhead of the forepeak cabin.” Pam Bates,
MONKEY #52, designed this large wedge cushion.
The beanbag backrest provides ultimate flexibility
to accommodate seating preferences.
Pam Bates
Bates’ foredeck cushion
Ed McChain, THISTLE #47, had a similar idea with these individual ones. Their single size works well on both levels of the foredeck. Notice the nice finishing touch with the boat name.
Two cushions
Ed holding one cushion
Life Ring Throw Line
By Sally Seymour
Here's a tidy way to stow a very important item. John Isaksen, NEPTUNE #35, installed a capped PVC
pipe to hold his life ring throw line.
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Ships Stores
See the wiki for more items.
Make out checks and send to LNVT, 214 Eagle View Lane,
Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Order now for spring boating and for gifts!
LNVT Burgee
LNVT burgees are 22 in. long Cost:
$25 includes US postage.
LNVT Pins
We have these great little (1 5/8 x 1
in.) pins in blue and off-white.
Order them as gifts for family and
souvenirs for your guests. Cost:
$5.00 includes US postage.
LNVT Tee Shirts
Big supply—all sizes and colors.
Available in red, green and blue,
sizes S, M, L, XL XXL. Cost:
$12.00 includes US postage.
LNVT Drink Koozie
Keep your beer cold and show
LNVT pride with these new koozies.
Available in green or blue. Cost:
$3.00 includes US postage
“VICTORY TUG” Caps
Big supply. Available with red,
green and blue bills. Cost: $16
includes US postage.
Join Us!
Be sure to save the dates for this year's LNVT rendezvouses. There are actually three great get-togethers planned for 2013. We will
be putting the schedules and event details on the LNVT.org site in a few weeks so be sure to check that out. Some of us are planning to attend all three events and we sure hope we will see you there too.
First up is the West Coast gathering which is being organized by Jill Toney-Dann, CIELITO #51, and will be held 23-25 August at
Roche Harbor in Washington. Contact Jill at [email protected].
New this year is the Mid-West rendezvous scheduled for 6-8 September
hosted by Trevor Croteau, HJORTIE #33. Trevor has lots of activities
planned for this fun event and you can contact him at [email protected]
for reservations and more details.
Last, but not least is the East Coast event held at Bicki and Dave Howell's,
NELLIE D. #63, home in Maryland 4-6 October. Contact the Howells at
[email protected].
CAPTAINS LIST
Please note that this issue does not include the Captains List. A current list is always available on the wiki. We will send a new
copy in the Spring Tuggers after 2013 dues are paid. Sending the list once a year not only helps us save paper and expense, but
gives us the option to publish more pages in the newsletter. Please let me know if you have questions, concerns or corrections.
Craig Kurath, Editor
[email protected]
12
** Original Owner
?? Last known owner/boat name
Boats for sale in red.
LNVT Roster
Winter 2013
LNVT 37
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
HULL # NAME
EXCELSIOR
VICTORY
HIAQUA
RAVEN
CARLA B
BOLD EAGLE
TUGNACIOUS
LADY
TUGBOAT ANNIE
ALICE M
DRIFTER
LADY HAMILTON
not built
SEA TURTLE
TEDDY BEAR
CAP SAUMON
CONCINNITY
ONEIDA
CALLISTO
BLUE JACKET
LITTLE BITT
TESS II
LA SALLE
LE PAPA
ANNABEL LEE
PUFFIN
LORETTA MAY
LADY KATIE
DOREEN
LITTLE BOSS
TITAN
PERSEVERANCE
HJORTIE
ROSEBUD
NEPTUNE
TALAPUS
ELNORA
ANNIE
2
5
CAPT. MIKE
SHERYL ANN
2
3
4
5
MARY K
URSA
VICTORY
SOUNDER
OWNER
Teevin
Allnutt
Payne
Lawrence
Butterfield
Mazure
Bachofen
Rothert
Yano
Colabella
Brown
Dunning
Jenkins
Reich**
Noreau
Fahndrich
Egan
Irwin
Chontosh
Eldred
Griffiths
Capitan
Findlay
Weaver
Surratt/Prentice
Johnston
Horwitz
Benedict
Cooper
Stage
Mehrkens**
Croteau
Smith, C&R**
Isaksen
Goetz
Mitchell**
Kurath
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
HULL # NAME
MORNING MIST
ARAMIS
THEODORE BAYRE
SALLY W
KEDGE
BODACIOUS
DUN WURKIN
THISTLE DEW
THISTLE
AFTER ALL
MOCKO JUMBIE
KATIE LYN
CIELITO
MONKEY
MINOT’S LIGHT
BRIGADOON
ECCO DOMANI
OUR VILLA
LOON
AWESOME!
SEMPER FIDELIS
PET TUG
OWNER
Sharp
Taylor
Shrier
Seymour
Peterson**
Lanzarotta
Barker
Blackwood
McChain
Skinner
Riggs
Field
Dann
Bates**
Heckinger
Hugdahl
Grams
Glinski
Mutch
Hildahl
Bauer
Steplock
TUG E BEAR
NELLIE D
WHIMSEA
GEORGIA J
KNOCK OFF
BRAVE DUCK
JOHN WILLIAM
TORTUGA
LORD NELSON
FRAM
RENEGADE
TORTUGA
CRUZ-IN
KUKUI
J EDGAR MOSER
Shann**
Howell
Robertson
Nusbickel**
Niccolls
de l’Etoile
Mackie
Gabriel**
van Dommelen
Lee/Burke
White
Kelly
Sterling
Spatola
Salter
LNVT 41
Campanelli
6
CAROLINA
Toews**
(NOTE: hulls 1, 3 and 4 not finished as Victory Tugs)
LNVT 49
Smith, Ed
6
Fogg
7
Markus
8
Windecker
9
(NOTE: hull 1 was never built)
13
LADY JOANN
POLAR MIST
DOLPHIN DE LITE
!MAMMA MIA!
Sousa
Baggs
Smith, K
Pilon
Bartig
LNVT Newsletter
Craig Kurath
PO Box 82
Port Townsend WA 98368
THE ULTIMATE LAWN ORNAMENT
LADY KATIE #28 IN DRY DOCK
Photo By Bill Horwitz
14