Tugboat "Dan"
Posted by: 
Taluss
N 36° 35.899 W 078° 18.202
17S E 741217 N 4053699
A long working tugboat finally retired from service and put on display
Waymark Code: WM5BKY
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 12/13/2008
Views: 17
From marker at site:
This tugboat, known as "Dan", has faithfully served the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers since 1948, before the construction of the John H. Kerr dam and reservoir. The little boat has lived a long, full life.
Dan was constructed in 1937 in Duluth, Minnesota. During the Second World War, she was known as HR No. 14. Dan served with her sister boat, HR No. 12, as a barge and to refuel other vessels. After the war, the 50 foot tugboat reportedly made an astounding trip through Lake Superior and down the St. Lawrence River, a trip length of well over 2,000 miles.
After coming to Kerr Lake, the boat once known only as HR No. 14 was renamed for the Dan River, one of the main rivers feeding into the lake. Dan's new primary activities were now to raise sunken boats and driftwood with the help of a 12-ton crane. She also pushed an 82 ft. by 30 ft. barge. The Dan and her three man crew also enjoyed jobs such as launching fireworks and overseeing boat races held on the lake. Her sister ship, stationed in the Norfolk Harbor, did not fair so well. HR No. 12 was completely smashed into two pieces after a collision that killed several crew members.
A lucky break came for Dan in 1967. A new diesel 6-cylinder engine was on its way to Cuba illegally when the Pensacola Naval Authority confiscated it. Dan was lucky to receive the new diesel engine to replace her old gas powered model. In 1973 she was fitted with a new 46-inch, three-bladed bronze propeller.
After 55 long years of service, Dan was respectfully decommissioned in 1992. Dan II succeeds her.
Is there a tour: No
If boat is a garden what was planted in it: Not listed
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