Alaska Packers 22m Tug

The engine aboard this tug is a significant historical artifact. This engine room is the cover photo for the book "Engines Afloat, Vol. II, the Gasoline/Diesel Era" by Stan Grayson. Hardbound copies of this book sell for $75 - $150. The engine design originated in 1916. It is a direct reverse, air start, slow speed diesel producing 200 HP at 324 RPM. However, it should be noted that the 200 HP rating is quite conservative. In fact, the engine will push this 73 foot tug quite strongly with a substantial bow and stern wave and can tow a 50 foot tug at speeds over nine knots, which it did on its "delivery trip" from Alaska in 1960. It was built in 1940 in Oakland California and carried to Alaska by ship to be installed in this boat. This engine is original in this boat and has been in continuous service for 70 years. The engine still sounds and operates as it did when the current owner purchased the boat in 1960. The only repair work ever needed by the engine was valve grinding, which can be performed on this engine without removing the heads. By all appearances this engine will continue to operate for many more years with no trouble. The owner has a large stock of major engine components which have never been needed. One great advantage of this particular Atlas engine is that it has always been fresh water cooled using a keel cooler system. Most Atlas engines installed in boats have been sea water cooled and have suffered accordingly after years of service. This engine is close to the condition in which it left the factory. In normal service, the engine operating temperature stays under 100 degrees F.

The engine is a classic design with external valve gear (needing periodic oiling by the engineer). It is relatively quiet in operation and very efficient. It is also quite large and heavy (approximately 45,000 pounds). It was originally designed to be operated by an engineer standing beside the engine. The current owner adapted the engine controls to be manipulated from the wheelhouse by cable so that the engine can be safely operated by the captain from the wheelhouse or by an engineer in the engine room.

The engine starts with air pressure much like a steam engine. The air storage system is remarkable in that it has almost no leakage and is able to store pressure sufficient to start the engine for periods of months at a time. Air pressure is produced by a compressor system built in to the engine (the "seventh cylinder"). An auxiliary compressor is provided as a backup.

An engine driven generator supplies electrical power and battery charging when underway. Two auxiliary generators, one diesel and one gasoline, provide back up electrical power when anchored.

The engine is equipped with a "sailing clutch" which allows the engine to be disengaged from the propeller shaft so that it can be warmed up or used to power the anchor or towing winch.

Very few of these engines remain in service. The value of QUAIL is largely as a platform for this engine which is a highly desirable collectors' item in itself.

Wood spars ()

32 volt battery, 3 batteries charged by: engine, generator

This boat is a conventional heavily-built work boat constructed in a boat building yard owned by Alaska Packers at Kogging, Alaska, about 18 miles up river from Nak Nek on Bristol Bay, Alaska. It was built as a working tug in 1940 and has continued in that service ever since. It has never been out of service and is only semi-retired today. The hull and deck house are in good working condition. The bilges are dry. The hull shows the usual repair and maintenance as would be expected in long service as a working tug. The exterior finish is typical of a work boat. Below the waterline, the hull is in excellent condition and was just hauled and painted in October, 2012. The wheel house and deck house are in good condition. The low "dog house" over the engine room is in poor condition and needs to be replaced. This is a simple wood structure. The decks are wood planked with a canvas coating and painted. The canvas coating is showing wear. The hull planking is roughly finished. The hull is very water tight with dry bilges, and reportedly does not take on water at all. However, it is likely that a new owner should expect to do some restoration work on the hull, at least for cosmetic purposes.

The exterior metal components such as the stem cap, rails and the anchor and tow winches are operational but show wastage as would be expected from long service. A new owner should expect to do substantial cosmetic restoration of external painted surfaces as well as replacing the engine room dog house.

The low rails all around the deck are designed to facilitate line handling when towing alongside and would generally be considered too low to serve as safety railings for recreational use.

In typical fashion for a working tug most of the hull volume is devoted to engine room providing space for the very large engine and auxiliaries. Fuel, air pressure and water are all contained in cylindrical tanks located in the aft and sides of the engine room.

The engine room is accessible through a hatch and ladder from the aft deck and forward through a companionway to the large bow compartment. Unusual for a tug of this size, the large bow compartment provides a roomy accommodations area with six berths, shower and large, open floor space. Three individual berths are arrayed along each side of the room for a total of six. A space heater, wash basin and shower stall (enclosed with a shower curtain) are installed along the rear bulkhead of the bow compartment.

One additional bunk is provided in the large wheelhouse.

From the bow compartment there is a passageway aft to the large engine room and another passage way and stair up to the galley/dining area on the main deck level. From the galley/dining area there are two steps up to the large wheelhouse. All accommodations appear to be very much as they were originally constructed in 1940 with some more modern upgrades in the galley. A refrigerator has been fitted in the galley but is not currently in service.

A head and sink are in a separate compartment forward of the galley and accessed through a separate hatch off the starboard side deck.

4 burner gas cooker/stove