Page 32 - 2009 Lake St. Clair Guide Magazine

Bringing My New Tug from The bill for this was $30,000 which owners name, so once resolved, they were
Brooklyn to Lake St. Clair sounds like a lot, but compared to what it actually very nice and had lots of ques-
would cost here to pay and have shored up tions about the tug.
by Michael Shafer, Algonac, MI and fixed it was
a deal. We usually cruised
I bought a tug boat because I always around 8 mph sometimes
thought they were strong, massive, time- We did the trip faster sometimes slower,
less, and yes, elegant in a weird sort of in two legs. depending on tides and
way. They are the kind of boat that has There were currents. The whole
lots of history and will probably be around seven of us on trip was 900 miles. We
long after us. the first leg... averaged about 100 miles
Me, my brothers per day. We had a chase
My brother and I bought the tug from Mark and Miles, vehicle on land the whole
Brooklyn, New York. We bought the tug and Gordy, who time who would meet us
November 2007, and made about 6 or 7 is Mark's broth- at the next destination,
trips out to New York to work on her. The er in law. He's a retired iron worker. This bringing more parts and supplies for the
previous owner lived on it for 10 years in came in handy since the whole trip back group. Luckily, we had perfect weather
different marinas in New York City. He was a working trip. All the railings were except for the 2nd to last day leaving
also ran a bed and breakfast for a couple cut off and new ones fabricated and a new Cleveland heading toward the Detroit
summers, living down below while rent- set of stairs were built. Also along were River where we ran into some rough
ing out the rest of the boat. He then had to my girlfriend Jen's two brothers Glenn weather caus-
move to Texas, and the tug sat abandoned and Pat, and my nephew Drew. Mark and ing some sea
for 3 years. I own are own company installing base- sickness in the
ment escape windows (Egress windows) crew, includ-
We had to go through all the mechanical and have a history of building and re- ing our mascot
modeling houses. Miles works at a bank “Woody”, as
systems before doing alarm work, Glenn works at the well as encoun-
ever taking her Sandbar Grill in Algonac, Pat works for a tering what
out on a cruise. plastic injection company, and Drew goes seemed to be a
Once all me- to school and helps Mark and I a couple million flies.
chanicals were days. There was plenty a fun things for
looked over and everyone to do... lots of scraping, grind- We took a break to go home for two
up and running, ing, and welding during the trip. weeks after cruising from Brooklyn to
we took the tug Lake Oneida (in New York on the Erie
about 22 miles We were excited to get started on our Canal), before we started the second leg
to Staten Island where the tug was hauled journey. Within an hour of heading off of trip to Algonac. This leg had me, my
and extensive work was done. Lots of from Brooklyn we
welding, new thru hulls were installed, contacted the Coast Freighter we followed
about $1500 in zincs alone! It was sand Guard as required, thru Welland Locks
blasted and painted below the rub rail. prior to entering the
New York Harbor 78 year old dad Miles, brother Mark,
within site of the brother in-law Gordy, Mark’s other son
Jacob, Mark’s friend Mike, and my friend
Statue of Rich.
Liberty. Ten
minutes later Continued on Page 35......
they called us
and said they
were going to
board us. They
came up to us
by boat with a
huge machine
gun. Over a loud speaker they instructed
the captain to stay at the helm and
everyone else to go on the back deck...
very military style. Everything ended up
being fine, our paperwork wasn't quite
yet in order and still showed the previous

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