Ken Boothe Sr. – Clyde S. VanEnkevort
2011-Present
Articulated Tugboat, Hydraconn Coupler; Paired with Barge Erie Trader
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 2011
Builder: Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair LLC, Erie, PA
Hull #108
Registry: 1232691
IMO #9618484
Laid Down: 2010
Launch Date: December 22, 2010
Commissioned: May 5, 2012
Paired Barges:
- Erie Trader [2012-Present]
Construction
The Ken Boothe Sr. was constructed as an articulated tugboat for Seajon LLC, a partnership between SEACOR Marine Holdings and Donjon Marine. The tug was to be operated and managed by American Steamship Company under a 5-Year charter agreement. She was equipped with a Hydraconn Articulated Tug/Barge connection system, which was pioneered by her second owners. She was paired with the barge Lakes Contender upon completion, still sailing together today.
The Ken Boothe Sr. was the second of two similar tugs to be constructed, the second vessel being the Joyce L. VanEnkevort of 1998.
General Stats
Length Overall [Combined Tug & Barge]: 840′
Length Overall [Tug]: 135’04”
Breadth: 50′
Depth: 26′
Vessel Type: Articulated Tugboat
Propellers: 2 Controllable Pitch Propellers
Rudders: 1
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: CAT-MaK, Kien, Germany
Engine Model: 8M32C
Number of Engines: 2
Rated HP: 10,876 BHP
History
Lineage
Ken Boothe Sr. – 2011-2017
Owner: Seajon LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL [Partnership between SEACOR Holdings and Donjon Marine]
Operator: American Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY [Under 5-Year Lease]
Flag: United States
Home Port: Erie, PA
Clyde S. VanEnkevort – 2017-Present
Owner: VanEnkevort Tug & Barge, Escanaba, MI
Operator: VanEnkevort Tug & Barge
Flag: United States
Home Port: Escanaba, MI
Her Story
The Ken Boothe Sr. was constructed in 2011 as an articulated tugboat for Seajon LLC, a partnership between SEACOR Marine Holdings and Donjon Marine. The barge was to be operated and managed by American Steamship Company under a 5-Year charter agreement. The tugboat was launched on December 22, 2010, being completed in 2011. She was paired with the articulated barge Lakes Contender, being connected by a Hydraconn Articulated Tug/Barge connection system, which was pioneered by her second owners. The tug/barge pair Ken Boothe Sr. / Lakes Contender entered service on May 5, 2012, sailing out of Erie to load.
The pair were painted in American Steamship colors prior to the 2013 season, to reflect their operators.
The charter agreement with American Steamship Company expired before the 2017 season began, and the pair were purchased by VanEnkevort Tug & Barge of Escanaba, Michigan. The tug was renamed Clyde S. VanEnkevort and the barge Erie Trader. They entered service as usual at the beginning of the 2017 season, with their new names applied to their hulls.
The Clyde S. VanEnkevort / Erie Trader continue to be an active member of VanEnkevort’s quickly growing tug/barge fleet, hauling ore, coal, and stone to ports across the Great Lakes.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on June 11, 2020
Gallery
Sources
“Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair Float Tugboat in Presque Isle Bay”. Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair. 28 December 2010. Accessed 11 June 2020. http://www.donjonshipbuilding.com/docs/Donjon_tugrefloat.pdf
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 6.17.
Pennock, Isaac. “Clyde S. VanEnkevort”. Great Lakes Tugs & Workboats. N.d. Accessed 11 June 2020. https://gltugs.wordpress.com/clyde-s-vanenkevort/
LeLievre, Roger. “Clyde S. VanEnkevort”. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online. N.d. Accessed 11 June 2020. http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/ClydeSVanEnkevort.htm
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