TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale Adds Tugs, Shillelagh Returns to Ft. Lauderdale

September 20, 2005

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale, a Broward County based company, announced the addition of two tugs to assist boaters traversing the area. One of the tugs found its way here from Mississippi; the other tug was conceived in Dania Beach back in the 1980's.

The first tug launched was a 1977 26' Dusky completely refit for towing and assistance operations this year. It is equipped with twin Crusader inboard engines, a state of the art fendering system and push knee, 2 VHF radios for ease of communications and a full compliment of towing and salvage gear. "The boat was relieved from its life as a Mississippi recreational fishing boat," explained Hauf, "and put to work as a tug on the New River in Ft. Lauderdale." The Marlin tower was removed and extensive fiberglass and metal fabrication work was completed to transform the fishing boat into a commercial towing vessel.

The 26 foot length is an advantage when towing larger vessels in close quarters. "This boat can get into tight spaces when working in service facilities and marinas where space is limited," Hauf remarked. "The boat's twin engine configuration and relatively flat bottom compliment her size and allow our captains to safely tow many yachts where other boats could not."

In addition to the Dusky, Shillelagh has returned to what was once its original home. According to Mike Brown, the last owner of Shillelagh, he bought the boat from the owner of Universal Alco formerly located in Dania. The boat was only partially built. Brown had spent hours drawing tug designs and when he saw the design of this tug, he wanted it. Brown came to Florida, bought the tug and took it to North Carolina where he spent the next two years finishing the tug. Brown decided to name his new tug Shillelagh stating, "A shillelagh is a stout oak cudgel, or club commonly used as a walking stick. I thought it was a suitable name for a rough and tough tug." He maintained ownership until it was purchased this summer by TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale.

Shillelagh is a 26' Custom Steel Tug, with twin 220 hp John Deere 6068 engines with 3.1 gears and 34" propellers. It was originally designed for salvage work both offshore and inshore, where a vessel of compact size with substantial power was required. The hull is of extra heavy all welded steel construction, with Fernstrum keel coolers and fully protected running gear. "The length, maneuverability and power of Shillelagh make it the perfect tug to use in assisting our yacht customers on the New River," stated Hauf. "No other tug in the area has that combination."

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale was founded in 1989 by Larry Acheson. Recent growth resulted in the opening of a third port and the promotion of a number of captains, along with the recent purchase and launch of these tugs. The company provides towing and assistance to boaters in all of Southeast Florida and the Bahamas. The TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale operation has conducted thousands of salvage and towing operations over the years and routinely assists law enforcement with search and rescue operations. The company continues to expand its services to include charter and launch services and mega-yacht towing and assistance.

For more information, contact TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale at (954) 783-7821.

###