International Tugboat Race 1997

During June 1997, I had the opportunity to go down to the Detroit River and watch the International Tugboat Race. Quite a sight to see these workboats charging up the river, pushing their displacement hulls well beyond hull speed. Huge wakes; smaller boats surfing alongside of the bigger ones. I've heard of at least one tug dropping her tow for the few minutes of the race and proceeding with her "real" work immmediately after.

The wakes make this race hard to watch from a boat on the river, but there are good places to watch from either the Detroit, Mich. USA, or the Windsor, ONT, CAN side of the river. This is an annual event.

1997 Results (by classes):

• Under 200 HP

  1. Bermco (42'; built 1914)
  2. Isabella (41'; built 1914)
  
  

• 201-400 HP

  1. Julie Anne (34'; built 1937)
  2. Joseph M. Hogan (40'; built 1958)
  
  

• 401-750 HP

  1. Vida C (49'; built 1943)
  2. (no vessel)
  
  

• 751-1300 HP

  1. Manasha (no data)
  2. Stormont (74'; built 1953)
  
  

• 1301 HP and Up

  1. Patricia Hoey (89'; built 1949)
  2. Shannon (101'; built 1943)
  
  

• First Across Finish Line

  1. Patricia Hoey (89'; built 1949)
  
  

Please let me know of any spelling errors in the names of the boats, or of any other errors of fact. (I took the results from some quickly written notes.)