If you are of a particular age, your early childhood was enriched with a series of children’s books called Little Golden Books. One of these stories was about a young tugboat called Scruffy who went to travel the world. If you still have Scruffy in your heart and you want to travel in a certain scruffy style, then we may have the vehicle for you. Take a gander at this 1913 Steel Tugboat for sale on eBay in the waters off of Algonac, Michigan. For a mere $17,500 you can take to the seas, or at least the Great Lakes in search of adventure in tribute to Scruffy. Thanks again to T.J. for this awesome find!
Little Golden Books got their start in the dark early war year of 1942. The series has sold over one and a half billion books, with a lot of those sales coming from the classic “The Poky Little Puppy.” “Scruffy the Tugboat” was another one of their big sellers. The story follows a little toy tugboat named Scruffy who wishes to do more than just sail in a bathtub. He is taken to a little brook in a pasture by the man in a polka dot tie and his son, where he is set free in the rushing water. The brook turns into a stream, then it widens into a small river and then it grows a big river.
Scruffy is overwhelmed by how big everything is and begins to think this is not going the way he planned. Just before he ends up in the ocean he is rescued by the man and his son. Returning home, Scruffy is content to stay in the comfortable confines of his bathtub.
While children’s books such as “Scruffy the Tugboat” are written for such reasons as to tell a story with a moral or to simply entertain, some of them stay with us in our minds. We read a story about a certain thing in our childhood and it plants a seed that may not sprout for decades, but when it does…
If you read about Scruffy as a kid, you cannot help but feel a soft spot for this old tugboat. Built in 1913 by the Cowles Shipyard in Buffalo, New York, this ancient tug shows off the handsome yet stereotypical lines of a classic tugboat. Stretching 60 feet in length and 15 feet in width, it was built the old-fashioned way using steel rivets. So, what do you do with a retired tugboat?
Believe it or not, a number of people must have read “Scruffy the Tugboat” as kids and still have that little spark of adventure in their hearts. Retired tugboats are often turned into pleasure craft. The New York Times did an article on a couple who live aboard a much larger tugboat for six months out of the year. The owner thinks he and his wife are the only ones who partake in this passion. However, here’s a blog about another couple that decided to stop renting in Seattle and start renovating a tugboat to live in year-round.
While the tug we see in these photos is definitely not move in ready, it seems possible that a talented soul could make this boat into a nice little abode. The seller tells us that there are four separate cabin compartments besides the mechanical sections. While not huge in size, they seem to be big enough to make some cozy little rooms for a couple or maybe a small family.
The pictures show the potential here. A lot of the paneling looks to be quite old, perhaps even original to the boat. If you stripped everything down to bare wood and properly coated it with the stain and/or varnish of your choice it would probably look great. From there it would all be about space management. The recent trend of small houses has filled the internet with pictures and plans for furniture and appliance ideas that would work well in a project like this.
While the tugboat itself may be over 100 years old, the powerplant is a much more current Allis Chalmers 420 hp diesel, and there is also a 15-thousand-watt generator running from a separate location. There is no information provided about how many gallons of diesel either engine eats per hour, but I am sure their appetites are ample. It might be better to plan on being tied up somewhere with power provided from shore. Still, the chance to ply the waves in style is there.
Is it a good idea to convert a tugboat into a floating home? Considering the cost of real estate in most metropolitan areas has skyrocketed in the past few years, the idea is far from crazy anymore. It would take a lot of work and a load of folding money. However, the ability to change the scenery out your window occasionally would be worth the hassle to many. Maybe once you saw a lot of new scenery in your tugboat you might pull a Scruffy and motor back home to stay. That would be OK too.
Do you remember the Little Golden Books? Was “Scruffy the Tugboat” a favorite of yours? Tell us your childhood book memories and what you would do with this tugboat in the comments.
Well, “does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours”. Scruffy sure made an impression on this author, to be honest, I don’t remember that particular character. After Looney Tunes, nothing seemed right. Being a “landluber”, anytime I can’t see a shoreline, I get nervous. In a 110 year old vessel, more so. The engine is an “Auntie Alice” 6138T, does anyone here remember “Big Al”? I believe Big Al was a “turned up” 6138T painted purple as an entry into the semi truck market. In the late 70’s, I remember a guy with a cabover Freightshaker had a purple motor. At the time, I didn’t give it a 2nd thought. At 450 hp. it was supposed to be the most powerful truck engine, but I believe crankshaft failures doomed the motor from the start, and all were replaced with BC Cummins. This? What’s scrap metal going for these days?
I sure remember Big Al. Actually the engine was a good performer out of the box but as many truckers have done, they couldn’t keep their hands away from the DFWI screws (just HAD to have a teensy bit more to get over that hill) until they had them turned up to the point where they were competing with a nuclear power plant. I remember one guy taking and shoving the torque cam all the way forward in the injection pump. The governor rocker passed under the cam completely and jammed itself under the cam when the rpm increased, thus it ran away blowing purple chunks of cast iron all over the highway. I was rather upset with Auntie Alice giving the jerk warranty over it but they wanted to stay in the trucking game and didn’t want any adverse publicity. It ended up backfiring anyways…
Silly me, I should have known you’d know. In the 70s, the “standard” motor was a BC Cummins or 2 cycle Detroit of around 300hp. If you had a 350,that was a “road” motor. Cat hadn’t quite got the truck motors down, with 1693, 450 hp “Clatterpillars”, but unreliable, and V12 Detroits( Buzzin’ Dozen) claimed 450 hp, but more like 425, if it ran that long to measure it, that is. A-C had the most dependable tractors( the D-17 my favorite) and I thought they had a shot at the truck market, but something about the demands of a road motor( shifting, hills, etc) as opposed to a tractor application that has a more stationary throttle, didn’t cut it. That Big Al motor was kind of a last ditch effort, as A-C was going down fast anyway. It was a sad day when they demolished the West Allis tractor plant, now an apartment and business complex, but at one time, a lot of tractors rolled out of that plant, not to mention, it employed half the city. Oh well,,,
Imagine the continuing work it took to preserve this guy for all those years. If the buyer has enough property to dry dock it it could be a fun guest house or whatever.
Retired Sailor, Living In Florida. This Is Almost The Size Of My Single Wide. I Could Live On This.
Some of the younger audience might be more familiar with Theodore the tugboat.
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My kids grew up with Theodore, Emily, and The Harbourmaster (Denny Doherty from The Mamas and The Papas). Our oldest grew up to be an airline pilot and sent us images of him standing next to Theo in Halifax.
Had the pleasure of operating/piloting a tug of similar vintage although wooden hull c.1910. Atlas engine/no transmission/shift the valve train 180 degrees to change rotation. 350 rpm top end. The engine started on compressed air and the rudder was controlled with air. A leaky air storage tank made for some creativity exciting drift maneuvering…
Yes I remember Scruffy. I had the book and many other Little Golden Books. It’s how I learned to read. Thanks, Jeff for the memory trigger.
There was a popular illustrated children’s book called “Little Toot” about a tugboat. It wasn’t a Little Golden Book, though. Disney made a cartoon of it.
I do like the idea of using it as a seafood restaurant somehow.
Don’t forget Tug boat Annie
I’m confused, I looked and looked and could find no poop on the deck. So what is a poop on the deck? I know it’s a ship thingy, but what?
Ha! Made my day, Al,,,apparently, I always wondered that too, and it’s called that because it comes from the French word “poupe”, which means stern. Usually an elevated platform at the rear of older ships.
My Dad was in the navy and he told me that the “Poop Deck” was the fan tail and that was its purpose. You had to go, you hung your backside over the edge and let it go. Fed the sharks…
Marine and truck engines are apples and oranges, different cams, turbos, exhaust configurations. I would be more concerned with the integrity of the hull. Might be a better idea to put it on land near water and make a dinner out of it.
That’s true, heck, even 2 cycle Detroits make for good marine applications. I read typically, older steel tugs like this weigh in excess of 220 TONs,,IDK, at $150/ton scrap, that’s almost $33grand,, sounds like the way to go for me.
Not sure where you are getting your weight from. This one is probably closer to 60 tons as she floats. Shipping companies wanted the weight to be billable and tugs were built to be powerful but not overly heavy.
Thanks, I had no idea, and something off the innernet[sic]. 220 sounded like a lot to me too.. Even at 60 tons, any movement will require one of those special moving outfits that charge probably $500/mile. I just don’t see the appeal of something like this at all, boat wise, that is.
Actually, it was SCUFFY the Tugboat [emphasis added].
I had Golden Books, but for the life of me I can’t remember one of them.
I do remember buying a paperback book from the bookmobile, some kid and the donut machine. Good Lord that was 60 years ago, no wonder I can’t remember. But I always loved that story. Wish I could remember the kids name
Perfect for the man whose wife is demanding he take her on a cruise.
The overhanging deck on the stern had holes in it, for a direct drop into the sea. Some ships had more than one stepped overhang, for the poupe, or poop. Much later, still sailing ships had seats over a trough through which sea water could be routed to flush the poop away. And, the trains, even in the US, in the 1950’s , the older ones, had direct drop onto the tracks. And then flush, but still drop onto the tracks, wherefore the sign: “Do not flush while in station”.
Yeah Angel it has been a long time. I believe it was in the 50’s when I first started getting them at the Grocery store. I remember “Tom Truck” and a few others that I don’t remember the titles to. My brother Pat (RIP) and I would get a new book every Saturday when our parents went grocery shopping at the Farmers Market. We were country folk and only went to town on Saturdays. I do remember one about a tug boat but can’t remember the title. I seem to remember one about a large dump truck getting stuck on a country road and a farmer pulling him out with a pickup, the was probably one of the ”Tom Truck” stories. Well thanks for the memories. Tug boat dry dock idea seems most logical to me.
God Bless America
Angel, the book was Homer Price, by Robert McCloskey. – the donut machine story. Great writer and I read most of his books as a kid. Also wrote One Morning in Maine and Centerburg Tales
Scott,
Robert McCloskey was a distant relative of mine, but I always said his name difference was like Christmas: Noel [No “L”]. My dad’s name was Robert McCoskey, and everywhere he traveled people would ask him about the books he wrote!
I remember about 1965 when a lady overheard our family name as it was called for a restaurant reservation. As we sat down at our table, she approached dad with the book “Make way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey. She asked dad if he was Robert, and when he said yes, she opened the book and begged him to autograph it for her child.
Not wanting to make a scene, he signed it, but of course left out the L. Dad’s signature was always very clear, every letter. Surprisingly she noticed the missing letter, & got upset. Dad pulled out his wallet and showed her his US Government ID and his driver’s license. She was very embarrassed, apologizing profusely!
Scott, thank you! I owe you. I must have read that story a thousand times, one of my favorites.
John M… that dump truck story sounds vaguely familiar. Or else I’m thinking about a bunch of us kids playing with Tonka trucks under someone’s porch. Yeah, I grew up in the country also
Now that I recall there was another Little Golden Book about a car that wanted a garage. I believe that the car was or resembled a Model T. It was my favorite LGB. I believe that I wore my Mom out reading it umpteen times. Yes I was born a car nut.
What a great party boat! I hope someone has a good time refitting and cruising!
This is a popular listing! This would make a nice house boat. I’ve seen a few in Florida and Maine completely done over and not cheap upon completion.
A potential buyer needs to look at this tugboat realistically. Over 100 years old, hull plate thickness is a primary concern. Integrity of the rivets is also worthy of inspection. If this tug has been in fresh water all its life, that is a very positive attribute. Realistically it be given a once over by a qualified Marine Surveyor and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard for safety purposes. I have been a Marine Engineer for 50 years and have a real soft spot for the Naval Architectures involved in such tugboats. If nothing less a buyer could contract a heavy hauler to rig and move that piece of history to a back yard, place it on a set of reinforced concrete blocks and the new owner could put it in shape to work as a “Granny Flat”.
Carbob,
I believe they made a TV show about that. It was called ” My Mother the Car”, with Ann Southern and Dick Van Dykes brother
Living in San Francisco Bay, I see a lot of cool tugs. This is my buddy Chuck’s 1947 tug. He is an auto-mechanic by trade and he has gone through it. When he first got it, he removed the cabin and craned the motor out and rebuilt it and put it all back together. In the 20 years I’ve known him, it has always been spotless. He is there working on it every few days. Everything on it works. I once broke the prop shaft on my old boat a couple marinas down, he came over and towed me back to my slip. I have a soft-spot for tugs.
Are we digging up the Titanic now?
Yes, Angel Cadillac Diva I remember that. You betcha I watched it too!
Well it did have a beautiful old car in it at least as depicted in the Jams Cameron movie.
The first book I remember reading was the Good Samaritan. Well after Doctor Sues books. I wonder if this old girl could still ply the barges on the Mississippi?
So back to the boat….110 year old steel vessel with questionable innards. No way would I see the high seas or even the high wave action on the Great Lskes. This is a dry dock AirBNB for someone near the Lakes or perhaps the Illinois or Mississippi Rivers.
Take this to the UK where the new owner could call it Boaty McBoatface 2.
Without a bollard to remove, a great canvas awning would certainly add a lot of outdoor Lanai-type space on the stern deck. This could be a LOT of fun!
I can vouch for the “Poop on the track”. . The only passenger train trip I’ve ever had was from Athens Ga. To Ft. Lee , Virginia in 1966 for my first Army Reserve annual 2 week summer camp training . . The train we were on must have been pulled out of moth balls . . Every thing on the line had priority over us . . We sidetracked quite a bit . . It was a rough ride . . Poop did indeed hit the road bed . .