Tuff-E-Nuff (tugboat)
Encyclopedia
Tuff-E-Nuff, originally known as Thomas Cunningham Sr., is a late 19th-century tugboat
which has had a remarkable 112-year commercial career. She was still operating as a working tugboat as recently as May 2007.
Thomas Cunningham Sr. was built in 1895 by Neafie & Levy
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
for the Army Corps of Engineers. She was operated by the Harbour Board of the Port of Richmond
, Virginia
for more than eighty years.
After 45 years of service, Thomas Cunningham Sr. was sent to Newport News for the annual inspection where she was placed into "durance vile"—meaning the vessel was considered unsafe to operate. Her papers were seized and she was suspended from duty until repairs were made. The main complaint was deck issues. The Richmond City Council quickly approved the budget extension for $8,000 to get the repairs completed and get their tug back.
Starting in late 1948, Thomas Cunningham Sr. finally got a much needed major refit. The wooden pilot house and deck were replaced with steel versions, and a 500 hp Cleveland 8-268A diesel
engine was installed to replace the original steam engine
. The entire cost of the project, including sending two maintenance people to the Cleveland factory for training, was $65,927.02. Out of the nine bidders for the work, Dunn's Marine Railway, Inc. of West Norfolk won the bid and completed the work approximately $11,000 under budget.
In 1977 the vessel was sold into private hands, and reportedly became a salvage tug
in Florida
. In May 2007, the tug was placed on the market by her owners, a salvage company, who were hoping to sell her to restorers. As of 2008, she was registered as a recreational vessel according to the U.S. Coast Guard's Port State Information eXchange.
As of September 2010, Tuff-E-Nuff is on a sandbar in Georgia and an organization is working to sink the tug as an artificial reef.
On January 17, 2011, TUFF-E-NUFF was placed off St. Lucie, Florida and was renamed the Kyle Conrad and has become a memorial reef.
at Newport News, Virginia
. The engine has since been restored to working order—albeit powered by electricity rather than steam—and is on display at the museum.
The engine is a two-cylinder
compound type with an 18 inches (45.7 cm) stroke, and 206 ihp. The high-pressure cylinder is 12½ inches (32 cm) in diameter and the low-pressure cylinder is 24 inches (61 cm). The engine weighs approximately 14 tons and stands 10 feet 1½ inches (3.09 m) high.
In addition to the engine, the museum also has on display a handcrafted 1:24 scale cutaway model of the Thomas Cunningham Sr., as well as the original builder's plate for the engine.
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
which has had a remarkable 112-year commercial career. She was still operating as a working tugboat as recently as May 2007.
History
thumbThomas Cunningham Sr. was built in 1895 by Neafie & Levy
Neafie & Levy
Neafie, Levy & Co., commonly known as Neafie & Levy, was a Philadelphia shipbuilding and engineering firm that existed from the middle of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century...
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
for the Army Corps of Engineers. She was operated by the Harbour Board of the Port of Richmond
Port of Richmond
Also known as the Richmond Deepwater Terminal, the Port of Richmond is located on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, 100 miles from Cape Henry and approximately 78 miles north of Newport News, Virginia. It is located at 77° 25' west latitude and 37° 27' north longitude and lies adjacent to...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for more than eighty years.
After 45 years of service, Thomas Cunningham Sr. was sent to Newport News for the annual inspection where she was placed into "durance vile"—meaning the vessel was considered unsafe to operate. Her papers were seized and she was suspended from duty until repairs were made. The main complaint was deck issues. The Richmond City Council quickly approved the budget extension for $8,000 to get the repairs completed and get their tug back.
Starting in late 1948, Thomas Cunningham Sr. finally got a much needed major refit. The wooden pilot house and deck were replaced with steel versions, and a 500 hp Cleveland 8-268A diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
engine was installed to replace the original steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
. The entire cost of the project, including sending two maintenance people to the Cleveland factory for training, was $65,927.02. Out of the nine bidders for the work, Dunn's Marine Railway, Inc. of West Norfolk won the bid and completed the work approximately $11,000 under budget.
In 1977 the vessel was sold into private hands, and reportedly became a salvage tug
Salvage tug
A salvage tug is a specialized type of tugboat which is used to rescue or marine salvage ships which are in distress or in danger of sinking, or which have already sunk or run aground....
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In May 2007, the tug was placed on the market by her owners, a salvage company, who were hoping to sell her to restorers. As of 2008, she was registered as a recreational vessel according to the U.S. Coast Guard's Port State Information eXchange.
As of September 2010, Tuff-E-Nuff is on a sandbar in Georgia and an organization is working to sink the tug as an artificial reef.
On January 17, 2011, TUFF-E-NUFF was placed off St. Lucie, Florida and was renamed the Kyle Conrad and has become a memorial reef.
Mariners Museum collection
In 1951, the ship's original engine was acquired by the Mariners' MuseumMariners' Museum
The Mariners' Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia. It is one of the largest maritime museums in the world as well as being the largest in North America.- History :The museum was founded in 1932 by Archer Milton Huntington, son of Collis P...
at Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
. The engine has since been restored to working order—albeit powered by electricity rather than steam—and is on display at the museum.
The engine is a two-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
compound type with an 18 inches (45.7 cm) stroke, and 206 ihp. The high-pressure cylinder is 12½ inches (32 cm) in diameter and the low-pressure cylinder is 24 inches (61 cm). The engine weighs approximately 14 tons and stands 10 feet 1½ inches (3.09 m) high.
In addition to the engine, the museum also has on display a handcrafted 1:24 scale cutaway model of the Thomas Cunningham Sr., as well as the original builder's plate for the engine.