Clear coating REAL tugs

[tugs53]

I had no idea til today, but McAllister Towing (USA) is 'clear- coating' the paint of their newest, and some older...tugs.


WOW

[model tugman]

A few years ago until they were amalgamated with Ship Towage  (London}  Sun tugs last topcoat of paint  after chipping and priming etc  was always mixed 50/50 gloss paint and varnish to give a long lasting high gloss finish, which is why they always looked pristine.No matt finish and rust allowed.
just look at this 80 years old tug laying at a breakers yard after she had been layed up on moorings for a long while as well. she still looks good.

[2tugboats]

Interesting. . .clear coating is top drawer with me. I built and painted signs
for years. After all the painting, I always gave the illustration a coat of clear.
They just come to life and as you showed with the old tug in the break up
port, Mike; looking good to the end.

I love the "real paint jobs" on many of the tugs here. Flat Matt, faded, and even
the rust-drooling that looks perfectly as it occurs on all tugs and other work boats.
Clearly, no pun intended, my paint job below does not look "real", but it's ok.



Is it just me or do any of you get an instant prang of loss every time you see
a tug or ship about to be scrapped. . .I usually have a brief moment of fantasizing
my saving the tug and mounting it in my yard. . .something other than just
destroying it.

Thank you for sharing Model Tug Man,
Michael

[des]

Hi Michael

Contrary to feeling a pang of loss seeing a tug being broken up ....

As an apprentice long ago, I worked in a shipyard building tugs.  I used to get a real buzz of satisfaction and achievement seeing a tug that I had worked on heading out of port on her delivery voyage somewhere around the Australian coast.

I've recently been researching these tugs.  Out of 75 ships built in the period mid 1950's to mid 1970's, I've been able to track almost all of them, and obtain photos of about 40 of them.  Many are still working, in many places around the world as well as in Australia.

Des.

[2tugboats]

Hi Des. . .In my mind's eye, I instantly watched your decades of tugboat building, spectatular.
I was a hot-dog pipe fitter welder for decades on mostly freezer freighters. It was quite
interesting that 40 of your tugs are still laboring away on the waters. Sort of even furthers
your feeling of accomplishment from building them. Amazing what our ship building days
stores for us when we come up with a sea story for land lovers.

Thank you Des,
Michael