[QUOTE=“acesouthcoast;122725”]
Couldn’t agree more. Theirs alot more skill involved in everyones job On a wireboat when compared to an ATB. The Joan Moran is a Heidi class boat built by McDermott. Moran has 5-6 of these and they’re big beautiful conventional wire boats. They ride great, have plenty of horse power and huge rudders.[/QUOTE]
Well said. I worked on the Dolphin for Penn a couple of years back. I believe that also was a McDermott hull. Penn pinned it and ruined a great riding boat. I think it was an old anchor handler GOM boat back in the 80’s. My captain said it best…“with an ATB, you don’t have to think…no weather really involved anymore…it’s like driving a truck”. That’s cool…but, I prefer the wire. You are forced to work more with nature on the wire vs an atb. Oh well, it was cool, while it lasted. The old school tug captains from single crew/ wire boat days are retiring in the next 10 years or so…at least in the NE. This will make for a less skilled and less experienced group of boat handlers…me included.