“Sturdy government tug acquired by Sea Scouts” from the March 12, 1964 Door County Advocate
Sturdy government tug acquired by Sea Scouts
Most people have to scrape to take a trip and Sturgeon Bay’s Sea Scout Ship 500 is no exception. Members have been scraping the paint on a 45 ft. tug all winter and this summer will chug off to adventure.
Their diesel-powered tug was a happy find. Periodically C. P. Haberman of the Sturgeon Bay vocational school gets a list of items the government plans to dispose of. On a list last fall he saw the Corps of Engineers tug Algoma located at Kaukauna. From there on it was Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Haberman told Howard Krauss, chairman of the Ship 500 committee for the sponsoring Sturgeon Bay Lions club. Krauss passed the word to John Taube, Scout institutional representative in the club. Taube notified the Nicolet Area Boy Scout Council office in Green Bay, Scout officials contacted the Corps of Engineers and within two months Ship 500 had itself a tugboat.
Last Nov. 2 the Algoma was piloted to Sturgeon Bay by a crew of Sea Scouts and advisors. The Fox river locks were kept open one day later in fall so the tug could get out.
In charge of the cruise was the skipper of Ship 500, John Maples. Maples is a former engineer on a lake freighter and is now in the electrical department at Peterson builders. Sharing duties at the helm was Fred Sorenson, a professional pilot. Another Ship advisor, Vernon Conrad, diesel expert, was also along and Scouts Greg Swagel, Jim Kern and Richard Schoenbrunn made up the rest of the crew.
There are presently 14 active members of Ship 500 and their “new” tug will sleep them all on a cruise. Its normal crew as a Corps of Engineers utility tug was three.
The name “Algoma” had to go because of the athletic rivalry between our two cities so the Scouts chose a new name, “Rebel.” Here are the spirited girl’s statistics. She is 45 ft. long, has a 13 1/2 ft. beam and draws 6 1/2 ft. of water. Power is supplied by a Kahlenberg 60-70 diesel. The engine is awesome. Each of its four cylinders is about the size of a room space heater and has its own cylinder head temperature gauge. Compressed air is supplied to the cylinders for ignition. The compressor is a two-stage Kahlenberg.
The engine was made for power rather than speed but propels the tug along at a healthy 10 1/2 miles per hour. It turns at only 350 revolutions per minute. Fuel capacity is 400 gallons so at five gallons burned per hour the Rebel has a long cruising range. It could make Chicago non-stop.
Conrad said the engine is “like new.”
While the Scouts labor to make the Rebel see-worthy there’s no doubt that she’s seaworthy. Not so with the 38 ft. surfboat the Ship had been using. It was in such sad shape the Coast Guard wouldn’t pass it. Many of yesteryear’s Sea Scouts remember the surfboat with fondness, however. Advisors and first mate Peter Krauss said “The fellows used to take her out to see what was going to happen next. If there was no trouble on a cruise they were disappointed.”
If tugboats have sentiment the Rebel must have had a lump in her manifold when she chuggcd info Sturgeon Bay last November. She was built in 1939 by Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Her facelifting, however, is taking place at the Palmer Johnson Boats yard. Maples said Mike Kelsey of Palmer Johnson Boats has practically adopted the ship. The yard picked the tug out of the water and will put her back in at no charge. Kelsey has done innumerable favors for the Scouts. He has even had the tug included in the yard’s insurance coverage of all boats there.
Since 1939 the tug has served with the Engineers at Kaukauna, Kewaunee and for a time at Sturgeon Bay. She had been idle at Kaukauna for a year before the Scouts got her. She won’t be idle any more.
The Rebel is well equipped. In addition to a fine engine she has a built in carbon dioxide fire control system; a fire pump off the main engine that will maintain 100 lbs. of pressure on three 1 1/2 in. hoses at 200 ft,; a depth sounder and ship to shore phone.
The ship has caught the imagination of many in Sturgeon Bay. Soon after she arrived offers of help began to pour in, totally unsolicited. Off the top of his hat Maples ticked off a number: cash donations came from Capt. John Roen, the Bank of Sturgeon Bay, John Purves, Jack Ginsberg, Peterson Builders, Taylor Lumber, M. W. Miller, Bill Draeb and Ace Howe. Prange’s gave paint for the hull, as did Christy and the Dry Dock. Gordon Seaquist and Harvey Swagel of Peterson Builders did electronic and welding work, respectively. The ship to shore phone is from Baudhuin Yacht Harbor. “I hesitate to give names, because I’m bound to forget someone,” Maples said, “We appreciate anything anyone has done for us.”
First mate Krauss got a 1500 watt A. C. generator through the Milwaukee Tool Co.
He spoke of the valuable experience offered by Sea Scouts, one that is instructive while teaching responsibility. “If any of these boys wants to go into sailing they have a good start right here,” Krauss said.
Whether they do or not they learn about seamanship and mechanics. Maples noted seven of his boys have graduated into the U. S. Power Squadron basic course with high grade averages. Three have gone to diesel classes and two finished ship mechanic’s course at the vocational school.
New members are always welcome. Age range is 14-18. Many have stayed beyond 18 as advisors and continue to enjoy the experience Sea Scouting offers. Present members are Larry Berg, Pat Brunet, Mike Brunet, Charles Corcoran, Mike St. Cyr, Denis Cihlar, James Kern, Loren Benson, Richard Schoenbrunn, Ron Greisen, Eric Haberli, Eric Heil, Greg Swagel and Dave Barbeaux.
The Rebel will be more than just instructive fun. Ship 500 will have an emergency crew ready to get the Rebel under way in minutes. The tug would be valuable in fighting waterfront fires.
She will be launched soon with proper and solemn ceremonies. This summer she’ll be constantly on the go. Ship 500 has been invited to Escanaba, Kaukauna, Kewaunee, Milwaukee, the Michigan tulip festival, and of course will be a star attraction at the biggest blast in water Scouting, the Bay Jammer at Marinette-Menominee. The boys would also like to take a trip to Mackinac island.
Maples said there is a possibility the Mariners (Girl Scouts equivalent of Sea Scouts) may ride to the Bay Jammer on the Rebel. He’d even like to see Mariners learn to run the tug.
Sea Scouting will gain two new Ships Mar. 23 when Ship 500 installs officers of new Kewaunee and Egg Harbor Ships here. Tom Birmingham will be Skipper and Hoyt Vrooman technical advisor for the Egg Harbor Ship. —CFH.
SEA SCOUT SHIP 500 is the proud owner of a 45-ft. former government tugboat. The Scouts will re-name the tug “Rebel.” They have been working on their ship all winter at the Palmer Johnson Boats yard. —Advocate
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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