In search of photos of the TRACEN Alameda training 'tug' circa 1978

[Cupamud]

Okay, it's late, er early, and rather than toss and turn and get the wifey grouchy, here I sit at 0300.   

Another thread discussion got me reverting my thinking to boot camp (again). I went to TRACEN Alameda Jun. - Aug. 1978. Part of our training was getting aboard a CG boat. We took turns relieving the helm and moving this dear old beast around the Island. This CG boat had a small wheelhouse with what seemed like a big old wheel covered in fanciwork and I think it was like 55' overall length? Does anyone else remember this vessel? It was my first sea time coming straight off farm country duty.

Any photos or further information would be great!   

[BuoyJumper]

Larry,

To me it sounds like one of those old 64-foot wooden tugs the CG used to have.  The CG had 15 of them numbered 64300 thru 64315.  Hans (vftb) was an instructor at Government Island and he told me this morning, "Yeah, I believe it was an old wooden hulled harbor tug.  There was very few on the west coast (that might have been the only one).  When I was an instructor, BMC Miller and I would take the boots out once a week (Thursday I think) to teach basic seamanship; we'd take her out to just under the Gate and turn around.  Had to be a good boat, she had a black hull".     



I am hoping that when Hans or one of our Coasties sees this pic it might help them remember if it was a tug like this one in the photo used for training recruits at RECRUTRACENALAMEDA.

[EX-CG-GM]

Could it have been this one?

Well hell, got a message saying the upload folder is full.

Here's a link to a lot of old CG pics.  You might cruise there and see what you can find.

http://www.coastguardpics.com/

[Jack]

Just spent the past hour checking USCG Cutters & Craft both the WWII edition and the 1946-1990 as well as Sutherland's Harbor Patrol Fleet 1924-1980 - with little success - the 64' tugs were all decommissioned and sold in the late 60's or early 70's with none still in the USCG in 1978 - could it have been a buoy boat, I can recall a 45' buoy boat that had quite a small cabin.

[CGRDCS]

I never went to Alameda for boot, not was at Alameda as an instructor.

But at Cape May, as an instructor/recruit career counselor, the Seamanship Section, had a number of the 32' Port Safety and Waterways craft that were used for seamanship training in the harbor.   These were only used for training and not part of Group/Station Caps May craft. 

Hawk

[rustybayonet]

Dame am I old - when I went thru boot, the only seamanship training we got was the damn 26' monomy surf boats

Was at Alameda 64-65 and don't remember anyuthing there like that, but as i told Buoy, I didn't get down to the docks very often, had me tied up working all the time in sick bay.

[sparky]

I was at Alameda the summer of 63...We used to have to check the bilge alarm or some such on an old boat that was tied up at the dock out where the whaleboats or whatever they were called that we had boat races in. Anyway, I just remember having to walk down on the pier and checking something...it seemed like the boat was called the "Alert" or "Active" or some such. Rumor had it that it hadn't moved in years.

On another topic, we were towing a 45' buoy boat from the Soo to somewhere in Lake Huron and sunk it as the tow was too short and the speed to fast.

[vftb]

Larry,

To me it sounds like one of those old 64-foot wooden tugs the CG used to have.  The CG had 15 of them numbered 64300 thru 64315.  Hans (vftb) was an instructor at Government Island and he told me this morning, "Yeah, I believe it was an old wooden hulled harbor tug.  There was very few on the west coast (that might have been the only one).  When I was an instructor, BMC Miller and I would take the boots out once a week (Thursday I think) to teach basic seamanship; we'd take her out to just under the Gate and turn around.  Had to be a good boat, she had a black hull".     



I am hoping that when Hans or one of our Coasties sees this pic it might help them remember if it was a tug like this one in the photo used for training recruits at RECRUTRACENALAMEDA.

Make it a little bit smaller Ron and you've got it; pretty sure it was a 55'.

[Cupamud]

Appreciate the responses from everyone--and that link, Ron--but I'm with Hans, it was a 55' or 56' something, and quite honestly, I don't recall the hull color.   

I know we didn't go all the way out to the Gate either.

As I recall more of the evolution, seems like a bunch of us were huddled astern and in turn, we'd be called up to relieve the messenger, the helm, and the lookout positions, with a couple minutes at each spot.

We boarded the boat near the causeway bridge onto the island. It would have been off to the right as you came onto the island.

Geesh, I gotta start sleeping in! This waking up early in "retirement" is making me, well, tired...   

[vftb]

As I recall more of the evolution, seems like a bunch of us were huddled astern and in turn, we'd be called up to relieve the messenger, the helm, and the lookout positions, with a couple minutes at each spot.

Correct, and it should have also been your first hands on exposure to the CG way of line handling; bow line, stern line, spring lines.  I'm talking the late 70 to mid 72 time-frame, things could have changed.  It did have a black hull, but it did also sport a bright racing stripe    We did go as far as the Gate, on the nicer days we'd take her just outside and make the turn; on ugly days we'd come about just inside.

[Cupamud]

Hans,

I'm sure many beers and years ago, I had enough brain cells left to recall the detail of which you speak, but my mind is now like a kaleidoscope--vivid colors and memories in many fragments, that don't quite match up in correct order. 


Thank you for adding to my (faulty) recollections. 

Larry

[vftb]

Thank you for adding to my (faulty) recollections.   

It honestly is my pleasure; giving some of my old neurons a little resuscitation 

Ya know, I keep looking at Buoy's picture, it looked exactly like that except I remember it a little bit smaller.  I did the same thing Buoy did and searched on the web and the smallest CG harbor tug I can come up with is 64'.  Maybe with age it shrank like everything else 

[vftb]

Ok, get the grapevine going.  Put out a call for a BMC (1971 - 1972) Miller also referred to as "Shortround" ( ); he'd know the answer for sure.

No, he was not short a round for his weapon, he was short and he was round 

[rustybayonet]

Talked about BMC Miller before, and just dawned on this old febble mind- the BMC Miller I knew when he was BM1 is the guy in themiddle of picture in my sign line in front of the eagle.  He isn't "shortround"

[BuoyJumper]

I made a post a Fred's and got an email this morning regarding the tug in question from a DC1 who was recruit Instructor Ehnisz at Alameda from 1979 to 1981.... who had been sent an email by (Zenone) aka ZOOMER, you remember BM1 Zenone don't you LTGunner?  Sounds like from this POST Tim, you had great respect for him as a DI.

   
         The "ZOOMER" in action at RECRUTRACEN ALAMEDA training recruits


Anyway here's what the email from Zoomer said:

Kirk,
Don't know if you can help this guy.....I don't remember...
Zoomer

Here's what the email from DC1 Ehnisz said:

From a Recruit Instructor - 1979 to 1981....    DC3, DC2, and DC1 Ehnisz....

56 foot - 'tug' - single screw - used for Helm commands - went out onto the bay once a week -  if nice, stopped an Angel Island - use if more than 3? 31's were full......not our first choice for maneuvering - especially backing with the single screw.  -  I have seen images on a website - can't find them at the moment.

31 foot - 'utility' single screw - used for Towing and Helm commands -