Fish Tugs Of The Greatest Lake

Fishing Vessels of the Great Lakes

Compiled by Harvey Hadland

R.E. HELEN 213042 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1915 for Albert Goodman, Washington Harbor, Washington Island, WI Later owned by Goodmander Johnson, Washington Island, the boat fished out of Port Washington, WI from 1937 to 1939. Still later the boat was owned by Dan Lindal, Washington Island, and operated by Lindal at Bayfield, WI in the 1960s. The boat was dismantled at Bayfield in 1968, the 30-36 Kahlenberg was removed, and is owned by James Erickson, Bayfield.

R.G. COOPER Built at Manitowoc, WI in 1916, the 57 ft. x 14 ft. vessel was steam powered. Jay Wheaton, Port Huron, MI was the owner in 1938.

R.T. ROY 110910 A 56 ft. x 14 ft. steam-powered fish tug built at Cleveland OH in 1891 by Theophile Roy. The tug had several owners before coming to Bayfield, WI, where Sollie Boutin operated with her for quite a few years. The boat was abandoned in 1934. VIEW PICTURE

R.V.H. 236085 Built at Grand Haven, MI in 1936 by Robert Van Hall, and owned by him until his death a few years later. The 40 ft. steel hulled vessel was of welded and riveted construction and was equipped with a Model D8800 Caterpillar diesel. The boat was sold to Bethway McDonald Fishery, Grand Marais, MI, who had her until 1946, when she was sold to Floyd [Bing] Anderson, Port Wing, WI. In the early 1980s Anderson replaced just about all of the steel below the waterline. The wood cabin had been replaced with steel well before that. In the late 1980s the boat was sold to Earl [Butch] Livingston, Bayfield, WI. In the fall of 1999 Livingston replaced the Caterpillar with a 1948 model Cummins diesel. VIEW PICTURE

RAGNA Owned by John Ellefson, Washington Island, WI in 1912. The size of the gas powered vessel is not known.

RAINBOW A 27 ft. gas boat owned by Charles St ndre, Naubinway, MI in 1929.

RAINBOW A 65 ft. steam powered vessel owned by Kishman Fish Co., Vermilion, OH in 1928.

RAMBLER A 40 ft. gas powered vessel owned by Joseph Desjardine, Grand Marais, MI in 1946.

RAMBLER II A 50 ft. gas powered fishing vessel, owned by Fred Schmekel, Rogers City, MI. In the 1930s the boat was re-powered with a 45-54 Kahlenberg oil engine. VIEW PICTURE

RAMONA 229246 Built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1929, the 45 ft. x 12 ft. vessel was owned by Gills Rock Fish Co. [Maurice, Jacob and Simon Martin] Ellison Bay, from 1929 to 1937. WI Equipped with a 45-54 Kahlenberg oil engine, the boat was next owned by Verner Johnson, Elison Bay, from 1937 to 1969. Elmer Stein, Sheboygan, WI, was the owner from 1969 to 1972. Merle Mentink, Kenosha, WI had ownership during 1972 and 1973, and Roy Nelson, Milwaukee, from 1973 to 1977.

RANGER 233681 Built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1936, for Adolph Ruzek and William Westphal, Two Rivers, WI, the 40 ft. x 12 ft. vessel was equipped with a 30-36 Kahlenberg oil engine. Adolph Ruzek owned the boat until 1945. From 1945 to 48 Edward Pupeter, Two Rivers, was the owner. From 1948 to 1952 Harold Zoeller, Washington Island, WI, had ownership. Lloyd Young, Wash. Isl. had the boat from 1952 to 1955, and John Young, Wash. Isl. from 1955 to 1962. Clifford Young, Wash. Island had ownership from 1962 to 1973. Charles McDonald, Kenosha, WI was owner from 1973 to 1977. James Kaus, Sturgeon Bay, WI is listed as the next owner.

RANGER Built by T.D. Vinette Co., Escanaba, MI in 1972 for Young Greenfeldt Fishery, Washington Island, WI. The 45 ft. x 13 ft. 8 in. steel hulled vessel was equipped with a turbo charged Allis Chalmers diesel.

RAY 212445 45-foot steam tug, built in Manitowoc in 1914 for William DeYoung, Ludington, MI. VIEW PICTURE

RAZAL BROS. 259751 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1949 for Ludwig Razal, Sheboygan, Wis. The 39 ft. x 11 ft. all steel vessel was equipped with a 165 hp. Cummins diesel. Jerome Van Landschoot, Munising, MI bought the boat in 1961 and owned her until 1968, when he sold her to his brother Paul Van Landschoot. In 1981 the boat was sold to Ed Perkins and Russell King, Naubinway, MI A few years later the boat was rammed and sunk by a Yugoslav freighter. All three on board, including the owners, lost their lives. The boat remains where it went down, in 50 feet of water, in the vicinity of Trout and Whiskey Islands.

RECORD Built of iron at Cleveland, OH in 1884 for the Union Towing Wrecking Co. the steam tug was home ported in Duluth, MN. 74 ft. in length with a beam of 17 ft. the vessel was purchased by Russell Couture, Ontonagon, MI in the late 1920s and operated as a fish tug until 1936, when she was sold back into the towing trade.

RED WING Built at LaPointe, WI in the early 1940s, by Arvid Kron, the 32 foot vessel later bought by Irving Hadland, Bayfield, and re-powered with a Red Wing marine gas engine. An earlier name was then also changed to showcase the new engine. Martin Johnson, Bayfield bought the boat after returning from service in the military. The boat was eventually sold back to a Madeline Island party, and later dismantled

REDWING 224960 Built at Grand Marais, MI in 1924, the 40 ft. x 9 ft. vessel was equipped with 28 hp. gasoline engine, and was owned by Frank Vaudreuil, Grand Marais, in 1928.

REDWING 245421 Built at Portage Entry in 1932 by Winikka Boat Works, for Henry Mikkola Sons, Portage Entry. The 35 ft. x 10 ft. vessel was equipped with a 95 hp. gasoline engine.

REGINA A fishing vessel of unknown size, operated by Zylkowski Brothers Fishery, Marinette, Wisconsin,I during the 1940s.

REINDEER Built at Manitowoc, WI in 1914, the 38 ft. x 10 ft. vessel was equipped with a 25 hp. gasoline engine. In 1926 the boat was owned by Norman Allie, Two Rivers, WI. In 1943 Irwin Pulda, Racine, WI was owner. VIEW PICTURE

RELIANCE 211720 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1913. The 37 ft. x 9 ft. vessel was equipped with a 15 hp. gasoline engine. In the MVUS listings William Anderson, Algoma, WI was the owner from 1917 until 1930. Joseph Wacek, Algoma, 1931-1939. Lawrence Eggert,Fayette, MI, 1941-1942, and Rudolph Tallman, Fayette, 1943-1944. On Dec. 12 1943 the boat foundered while en route from Fayette to the Fox Islands. All aboard were lost.

RELIANCE Built at Naubinway, MI in 1923, by Henry Vincent, the 34 ft. x 9 ft vessel was equipped with a 20-24 Kahlenberg oil engine, and owned by Vincent Vanderberg, Muskegon, MI

RELIANCE Built at West DePere, WI in 1905, the 40 ft. x 10 ft. vessel was equipped with a 16 hp. gasoline engine. The owner in 1926 was John Garbe, Sheboygan, WI.

REX Built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1938 for Ed Bohman and Emil Pagel. The 38 ft. vessel was initially equipped with a gasoline engine. In 1947 Clyde Olsen, Ellison Bay, WI sold the boat to Julius Yauger, Two Rivers, In 1974 Chester Kozlowski at Dunkirk, NY was the owner, and in the late 1980s the boat was pulled out at a yard in Port Dover, Ontario and shortly thereafter broken up.

RHODORA 238305 Built at Portage Entry in 1930 by Winikka Boat Works, for Ernest J. Erkkila, Big Traverse Bay, MI. The 33 ft. x 9 ft. vessel was equipped with a 95 hp. gasoline engine.

RICHARD E. 246795 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1944, the first boat to be built following WW II contracts a the yard.. The 50 ft. x 14 ft. steel hulled vessel was equipped with a 75-90 Kahlenberg oil engine taken out of the wood hulled tug W.H. PUGH. The stern pilothouse and roof just forward of it were of wood construction. Owner, Frank Eichler, Kenosha, WI, had the boat until 1958, when it was sold to James R.[Ray] McDonald, Racine, WI. McDonald sold the boat to Reuben Peterson, Harbor Beach, MI in 1959. Peterson Had the boat until 1974, when it was sold to Robert Peterson, Manistique, MI. In 1979 the boat was again sold, this time to another Peterson, Hector Peterson, Fayette, MI. Robert Peterson had replaced the Kahlenberg with a GM 6-110 diesel. Joel Peterson, Fairport, MI, son of Hector, replaced the GM with a 250 hp. Cummins diesel, and also removed the stern house and built a pilot-house midship. SEE PHOTO

RICHARD H. 225353 A steam powered vessel built at Marinette, WI in 1923. The 48 ft. x 12 ft. fish tug was owned by William Prue, Green Bay, WI in 1938

RICHARD V. Built at St. Joseph, MI in 1934, the 38 ft. x 10 ft. steam powered vessel was owned by David Vischer, South Haven, MI in 1938.

RICHARD W. Built in the early 1930s for Wilson Bros., Northport, MI, the 48 ft. steam powered tug was re-powered with a 45-54 Kahlenberg in 1936. In the mid 1940s the boat was owned by John Cross, Charlevoix, MI.

RITA ANN Owned by Nelson H. Monroe, Westfield, NY in 1943, the 63 ft. vessel was equipped with two Chrysler Crown Marine gas engines with 3:1 reduction gears.

RITA MARIE Built at Bayfield, WI in the mid 1940s, by Frank Muhlke, the 35 ft. gas boat was owned by Martin Reuben. After just a few years the boat was sold to Sivertson Fisheries, Duluth, and was used in their fishery at Isle Royale, for many years.

RITTER BROS. 247127 Built by Burger Boat Co. in 1944 for Ritter Fisheries, Michigan City, IN. The 47 ft. x 13 ft. all steel vessel was equipped with a 60-70 Kahlenberg oil engine. In 1993 Cecil Peterson and his son Michael bought the boat, took it to Big Traverse Bay, MI but never fished with it. The Ritters had re-powered with a 350 hp. Volvo Penta diesel. After a few years the boat was sold to Lawrence Schweig, taken to Mamainse Harbor, Ontario, for painting and minor repair, where it was discovered the boat had to have a new bottom. After that work was completed the boat went to Chicago.

ROAMER Built by Sturgeon Bay Boat Works in 1936, for Johnson Voight, Ellison Bay, WI. The 42 ft. x 12 ft. vessel was equipped with a 45-54 Kahlenberg oil engine. Not too long after being built the owners moved to Port Wing, WI and the partnership was dissolved, with Norman and Harris Johnson taking ownership. The boat was operated at Port Wing until 1975, when the boat and dock and twine shed were burned in a fire of mysterious origin. Arson was strongly suspected. VIEW PICTURE

ROBERT LEE 241208 Built at Bayfield in 1940 by Evan Christensen. The 36 ft. vessel was owned by Carl M. Hendrickson and equipped with a Buick car motor. In about 1944 the Buick was replaced with a 115 hp. Chrysler Crown Gas engine. In 1958 the boat was bought by Walter (Bud) Peterson, who fished for a few years. At his death the boat was bought by Harvey Lyle Nourse, and later sold to an owner outside the fishery. The boat was also at Isle Royale, used as a dive boat. At present it is sitting in the woods in the Town of Russell, north of Bayfield, owned by Frank Halvorson.

ROBERTA A 50 ft. diesel powered fish boat owned by Kishman Fish Co., Vermilion, OH in 1985.

ROCK BASS A small gas boat owned by William Johnson, Gills Rock, WI in 1903.

ROMEO 238146 Built at Portage Entry in 1931 by Winikka Boat Works, for Arthur Lasanen, Big Traverse Bay. The 32 ft. x 9 ft. vessel was equipped with a 90 hp. gasoline engine. In 1965 this boat was observed abandoned at Black River Harbor, MI.

RONALD JAMES A 35 ft. gas boat owned by Clyde Cross, Charlevoix, MI in 1938.

RONNIE Built of oak at Pensaukee, Wis. , circa early 1940s for Albert and Ludwig Razal, Sheboygan, Wis. The 30 foot was equipped with a four cylinder Scripps Marine gas engine. The pilothouse was located over the engine space and the boat was used primarily in the set -hook fishery.

RONNIE Originally a pound net boat, the 32 ft. steel hulled vessel was converted to a gill-netter by an owner in the Houghton, MI area. In the early 1980s Roy Nelson, LaPointe, WI bought her and fished for a number of years, and sold to Ronald and James Boutin, Bayfield. The boat was then re-named ALLISON B. II and re-powered with a Perkins diesel. By the mid 1990s the boat had been ashore for a few years, and was eventually sold to Alan Newago, and was taken back to the Houghton, MI area. VIEW PICTURE

RUBY A gas boat owned by John Peloquin, Kewaunee, WI in 1929

RUBY Built on Madeline Island in 1935 by Art and Arvid Kron, the 30 ft. vessel was a double-ender, and equipped with a gasoline engine. After a few years the boat was sold to Stark Bros. Fishery, Cornucopia, WI. The Starks had her until 1945. In 1950 Arvid Forsberg and Albo DiGiacinto owned the boat.

RUBY ANN 249029 Built by Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Drydock Co. in 1945. Barbeau Bros., Fayette, MI owned the all-steel vessel, equipped with a GM 6-71 diesel, until it was sold to a succession of owners, which included, Richard McNab, Muskegon, MI. Hallard Grover, Montaque, MI. James Frostman, Bayfield, WI. 1972-1997. In 1997 the boat was sold to James Kenwabikise, Charlevoix, MI. Frostman re-powered with a 220 hp. Cummins diesel in 1975 and that engine is still in the boat. VIEW PICTURE

RUTH Built at Bayfield by Evan Christensen, in 1938, for Henry Johnson, Jr. The 40 ft. vessel was equipped with a Buick car motor until the early 1940s, when a 115 hp. Chrysler Crown marine gas engine was installed. In 1956 the boat was completely rebuilt from mid-ship and aft. The fantail stern was changed to a square fantail, and the pilothouse was moved to the stern. Johnson later sold the boat to Martin Peterson, who used it to fish chubs, then eventually sold it to Wilfred Peterson, who sold it in turn to his son Duane for $2,500 in 1982.

Duane Peterson renamed the boat TYLER ANDREW in honor of his grandson who passed away as an infant. He recalls the boat as heavy, due to the sheathing, and consequently underpowered: "A thick fog would slow her down." Still later, Alan Newago & Son Fishery bought her and completed the ironing off of the hull, and built a steel house along the lines of the wood house, and added sliding steel gangways. In 1998 Ed Erickson bought her, and changed the name back to RUTH.

The boat is now on display at the Bayfield Maritime Museum. VIEW PICTURE

RUTH A 36 ft. gas boat owned by Frank Emmes, Brussels, WI in 1929.

RUTH Owned by Circle Fish Co., Erie, PA in 1949, a 75 ft. diesel powered fishing vessel.

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