Fish Tugs of the Greatest Lake

CLIFFORD J.

CLIFFORD J. 236718 Illinois' last remaining fish tug, built by Burger Boat Co. in 1937 for Charles Meyer, Harbor Beach, MI and christened the MEYER BROS. The 50 ft. x 14 ft. all steel vessel was initially equipped with a 100-120 Kahlenberg oil engine.

During WW II the boat was taken over by the U.S. Government and converted for use as a fireboat at Detroit. Returned to the owners, it was eventually sold to Everett LaFond, Two Rivers, in 1949, and re-named SENATOR. In 1955 LaFond sold to Harold Sellman, Manistique, who re-named her SELLMAN BROS.

In 1974 the boat was sold to Arthur B. Atkinson, Waukegan, who re-named the boat, CLIFFORD J.,removed the Kahlenberg, and installed a used D-13000 Caterpillar. Atkinson later repowered the CLIFFORD J. with a turbocharged 400 hp. Allis-Chalmers diesel. A large bow fuel tank was welded and installed forward of the lifter table to increase capacity and to help trim the tug when fish and nets were aft, now that the heavy Cat was gone. The hull was given a second plating of steel, new fuel tanks installed, the pilothouse raised, and a new custom four-blade stainless steel wheel was installed. A modern hydraulic system serves the lifter. The tug also has an auxiliary electrical generator, and a suite of the best modern communications, sat-navigation, and fish-finder displays.

Photos: CLIFFORD J. at her home port of Waukegan, Illinois, 2008. All photos courtesy Steve Ceskowski, who commented, " I made hundreds of lifts on this fine tug through the years."