Hello Lew

👍I think you should restore it as a tugboat again. The smuggler deserves it. Maybe also trim to old. I think when it's restored it will be a not-so-frequently-seen tug.

Hello Lew
I am not into tug boats (yet) but do like the lines of the model you have there. Other readers have given you some good ideas about possible builds. I cannot help you there, but good luck with it, and enjoy the build !😉

Another thought. Search the web for Ft Myers shrimp boat photos. Some of those hulls have a sheer line & bow rake similar to your “tug” though I haven’t seen any with a rounded stern. That would be a show stopper. Haven’t searched for shrimp boats in other locations, Louisiana for example, but I would think they are also square stern hulls given how they fish.
Oh well; maybe you could adopt some of the rig.

Like LewZ, I suggest a conversion to a fishing vessel. The MARY ANN in roycv’s blog is another possibility. Changing the profile of the bulwarks to that of a tug won’t work IMHO. A bulwark change would be so extensive that the freeboard forward would become a problem. Then there is the bow profile. Just not that of a tug. I think you could have a fine looking vessel if you pursue the fish boat approach.
I’ve also seen comments regarding leaks around the aft hatch.

Just my thoughts.

Hi Lew,

You have quite a project here! Many would agree that these Almost Ready to Run boats seem very toy-like and artificial.

That being said, the curved gunwales are an attractive feature which are often seem on foreign fishing or utility boats. Your boat definitely needs a wheelhouse and perhaps masts, navigation and other lights, a winch, radar scanner, registration numbers and a good paint job to set it off.

I would suggest some examination of books and\or websites to see if any particular design appeals to you.

If not, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a freelance design to move the boat well away from its toy roots.

If so, please bear in mind your chosen scale at all times, perhaps against the availability of figures. Here you are looking at 1\24 th (3 inch) or maybe 1\16th (4 inch) as the most likely scale. Obviously the wheelhouse windows, ladders, doors and deck fittings should all be scaled accordingly.

A simple sketch and full size cardboard templates are a good starting point.

In any case you have an interesting and challenging project - so much better than a prestine and new looking"toy".

Best wishes and good luck!

Dr John F Leeds and Bradford BBC. 😊😊🤞

Tugs had a large displacement to cope with the large engines they had. So a good displacement might translate to a fishing boat?
The plans for Billing Cux 87 can be seen on line.
Otherwise you might get away with the Vic Smeed design for a Customs Launch Guardsman.

Also it may convert into a sailing boat, perhaps a Bristol Channel Pilot cutter? They have long bowsprits.
If extended with a bowsprit the (Billing) Lilla Dan would work out, see my harbour, also plans on line.
Hope this may have helped.
Good luck with the project
Roy

Hi for your information Billing Cux 87 and Mary Ann are identical hulls. I have them both.
Roy

I think the hardest thing woul be to flatten the stern of the Atlantic to get the “cruiser stern” vs a rounded stern. I wanted to build one of these boats, and was about to sacrifice a Graupner Krabbe Ton when I found an old Graupner Elke…the Elke was originally a fishing boat, then a KFK, and after the war she was converted back. There were other boats used as KFKs, but from what I’ve researched the Elke style hull was the mos prominent. I enjoyed the build, ran her a few times then a buddy came over with an Italeri PT109 kit and caught me in a weak moment….
I’d go for it. You’ll have to do some fabrication, but it would be a fun build, and a unique project.
Here’s a pic of what used to be my boat.
Cash

'What would I do?'
GO FOR IT LEW👍 Hull looks a pretty good match to me.
Bear in mind that various fishing vessels were converted to harbour defence craft, and the armament and fittings varied considerably, depending on what was readily available.
I would also contact Ed (Figtree), or was it Cash?, he recently did a superb conversion of a Fish Cutter kit to a KFK.
Good luck🤞 and happy building whatever you decide to do with it.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hello Lew

I think you should restore it as a tugboat again. The smuggler deserves it. Maybe also trim to old. I think when it's restored it will be a not-so-frequently-seen tug.👍

Could go along the lines of "Proceed" here with the extremely weathered old tug loo. Failing that keep it sweet and simple as a newcomers "try sailing" boat. Kit her with a 280 brushed and standard 3 blade fine pitch prop (Radiolink) with a rubber bumper and ask bystanders if they'd like a shot. Has so much potential though. I love transforming unloved boats back to working vessels again

Scott