Cowles Tugboat

This piece of history has always been in FRESH WATER and it shows. 

Constructed in 1908 by Benjamin F Cowles at Buffalo, NY. 

Principal Dimensions:

LOA - 81' 6"

Length at Waterline - 76' 10"

Beam - 20' 0" 

Depth - 10' 6"

Draft - 8' 6-1/2"

Propeller - 70" diameter, 30" pitch 3 blade

Propeller Shaft - 5-3/4"

The hull is riveted construction with 3/8" plating. There are five watertight compartments. Accommodations include a chain locker at the bow, crew sleeping quarters, engine room, lazarette, and rudder compartment below deck.

Above deck accommodations include the galley, fidley (upper engine room), and engineer's quarters. The pilothouse is a half deck above the main deck, accessed from the galley or the main deck.

The boat was originally steam powered.

Repowered in 1947 a Kahlenberg C6 reversing marine oil engine was installed. It has 6 cylinders, 12.5" bore, 14" stroke and 10308 cubic inch displacement. The engine length is 19' 8-1/2", 51" width and weighs 35,000 pounds.

The engine is a two stroke cycle (2 cycle), dry sump, valveless engine.  Lubrication is by pressure fed drip lubricators. Oil is then scavenged from the crankcase and filtered to be reused in the bearings. Scavenging is accomplished by a pressurized crankcase passing the air through ports in the lower cylinder.  The pistons require new oil to help prevent carbon build up on the rings. Cooling is done by seawater. The engine temperature is controlled by the engineer manually. Starting is done by compressed air applied to each cylinder by the single lever control.

Accessories include an air compressor, a sea water cooling pump, a direct-connected bilge pump and glow plug starting aids.

The engine is direct coupled to the propeller shaft with no clutch or reverse gear. Reversing is accomplished by reversing the engine. This is controlled by a single handle lever that will rapidly start, stop and reverse the engine.

Hydraulic steering was installed at the time of the engine update. This can be used manually or with power assist. Four 1,000 gallon fuel tanks were installed. The engine uses 8 gallons of #2 diesel fuel per hour at half throttle.

Electrical power is provided by two diesel generators, one providing 110 V DC and the other providing 110 V AC. The navigation equipment is is powered by 12 VDC provided by the diesel generators. There is no generator on the main engine. Shore power is provided through an isolation transformer.

Some recent updates include some hull repair, major painting and cleaning, rebuilding the galley, replacing the pilothouse doors, rebuilding the lazarette, engine room repairs and major electrical work.

This piece of history has always been in FRESH WATER and it shows.

Constructed in 1908 by Benjamin F Cowles at Buffalo, NY.

Principal Dimensions:

LOA - 81' 6"

Length at Waterline - 76' 10"

Beam - 20' 0"

Depth - 10' 6"

Draft - 8' 6-1/2"

Propeller - 70" diameter, 30" pitch 3 blade

Propeller Shaft - 5-3/4"

The hull is riveted construction with 3/8" plating. There are five watertight compartments. Accommodations include a chain locker at the bow, crew sleeping quarters, engine room, lazarette, and rudder compartment below deck.

Above deck accommodations include the galley, fidley (upper engine room), and engineer's quarters. The pilothouse is a half deck above the main deck, accessed from the galley or the main deck.

The boat was originally steam powered.

Repowered in 1947 a Kahlenberg C6 reversing marine oil engine was installed. It has 6 cylinders, 12.5" bore, 14" stroke and 10308 cubic inch displacement. The engine length is 19' 8-1/2", 51" width and weighs 35,000 pounds.

The engine is a two stroke cycle (2 cycle), dry sump, valveless engine.  Lubrication is by pressure fed drip lubricators. Oil is then scavenged from the crankcase and filtered to be reused in the bearings. Scavenging is accomplished by a pressurized crankcase passing the air through ports in the lower cylinder.  The pistons require new oil to help prevent carbon build up on the rings. Cooling is done by seawater. The engine temperature is controlled by the engineer manually. Starting is done by compressed air applied to each cylinder by the single lever control.

Accessories include an air compressor, a sea water cooling pump, a direct-connected bilge pump and glow plug starting aids.

The engine is direct coupled to the propeller shaft with no clutch or reverse gear. Reversing is accomplished by reversing the engine. This is controlled by a single handle lever that will rapidly start, stop and reverse the engine.

Hydraulic steering was installed at the time of the engine update. This can be used manually or with power assist. Four 1,000 gallon fuel tanks were installed. The engine uses 8 gallons of #2 diesel fuel per hour at half throttle.

Electrical power is provided by two diesel generators, one providing 110 V DC and the other providing 110 V AC. The navigation equipment is is powered by 12 VDC provided by the diesel generators. There is no generator on the main engine. Shore power is provided through an isolation transformer.

Some recent updates include some hull repair, major painting and cleaning, rebuilding the galley, replacing the pilothouse doors, rebuilding the lazarette, engine room repairs and major electrical work.

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