race began, the infamous Frying Pan appeared on the river and got into position at the finish line. But then a new challenge took place. The cruise liner Seabourn Legend showed up early to pull into her berth at the passenger ship terminal. This meant she would cross the race course as the tugs thundered downriver. She told the Frying Pan and the McKean to get out of the way, but was politely informed that thirteen tugs were heading downriver at full throttle. The Legend prudently elected to hold her offing. When the tugs came into view from the Intrepid, the sight was truly incredible. Unless you have seen it with your own eyes, you cannot imagine the image of power conjured up by the sight of thirteen tugs churning and thrashing their way down the river at full bore. Race announcer Mark Sedgwick's proper British accent became very unreserved as he relayed a minute-by-minute account of the battle. Suddenly we noticed that two small sailboats, unaware of what was coming down the river, had tacked into the race course. One was chased down and diverted by the Coast Guard picket boat and the second was warned off by a bravely dispatched zodiac from the lightship. Drama on the Hudson! It was no surprise that the gigantic Richmond Bay took the cup but, incredibly , the forty-five-year-old Gotham finished second, followed by the Bruce McAllister which had won in '93. The Hackensack had to settle for fourth place
The Gotham and the Hackensack strut their stufffor the pre-race beauty contest, set against the fireboat McKean' s water display. Photo by Steve Canon.
this year while the fifty-nine-year-old Rainbow brought up the rear. The Tilly, built in 1943, won best vintage tug, the Franklin Reinauer was voted best looking tug and theMaryH. took best dressed crew honors. Regrettably , there were no legitimate mascots entered this year. For you statistics buffs, the average tug was 91 feet long, was propelled by 2,200 hp and was built in 1962. That says a lot for the working longevity of these stout-hearted vessels. Next year we'll divide the fleet into horsepower classes with trophies for each division. Anyway, the event could not have gone off better. We are looking for sponsors for next year 's race; we are, after all, a non-profit organization. The total cost for trophies, banners, the crew barbecue, the children's events and other
expenses will be about six thousand dollars. We're hoping fuel companies which service the tugs, marine suppliers and industry sources will chip in to help celebrate the working boats that keep the Big Apple on the move. It's great public relations for the towing industry and a great day out for the crews, their families and the public in general. It's all part of keeping our maritime heritage alive and well, not just in museums and magazines , but out there on the water, where it belongs. See you next year! J, Jerry Roberts is senior curator at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum. For information on the Tugboat Challenge, he can be reached at 212 957-7049 or byemail at: roberts@intrepid-museum.com.
Deckhands from the Bruce McAllister and the Mary H. compete in the line-throwing competition. Photos by Steve Canon.
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SEA HISTORY 80, WINTER 1996-97