This tug was built 85 years ago, and needed a total rebuild.
The Viking King – a classic converted wooden tug, and a local connection, as she was built in Lund in 1921, by Thulin Brothers as the Niluht, eventually passing into the ownership of Viking Tug Boats. Now owned by Harken Towing, she was given a total rebuild by Commodore’s Boats of Richmond, BC.
Here is a video from 1996 featuring the Viking King on the Pitt River, BC.
Length: 18.75m Breadth: 5m Draft: 2.5m Power: 440 BHP Year Built: 1921
It was reframed, an entire new top, including:
New deck beams
New Deck
New Guards
New Bulkwards
New Bow Stem
New Stern
New gumwood ice sheathing
8″ stern slanted forward with more pronounced shear.
Wheel house jacked back into place and steel reinforced to hold it.
3/4 of the boat was replanked
I started work for Viking Tugboat Company long ago and my first job was day man/deck hand on the Viking King at 15 years old, working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and 2 weeks on with a few days off after each trip. We sailed from Vancouver Harbour to Raza Island in Desolation Sound, where we picked-up full boom loads of logs to tow to Howe Sound. My bunk was right above the engine room and over screaming Jimmys – two 220 hp GM Diesels with 671 Blowers that ran loud most of the time. Deaf you ask? Yes, it started there. No ear protection in those days of course.
They paid me $100 a month including my room and board. I worked my summers through middle school and high school and had to “cut the mustard” or be fired. Stan Larson and Johnny Ryall were owners and Art Good was a Captain with Jimmy McGillivray as Mate. Ed Lumly was also a Captain as was Ginger Stone. We also carried an Engineer and a cook deck-hand who did all the cooking. They were all good guys except for miserable Capt. Herbie Wight, who was hard to get along with. I learned a lot from them all.
At 16 years old I was promoted to Mate on the Viking Scout by Capt. Ginger Stone and stood watch alone from midnight to 6 am and noon until 6 pm. My pay increased by $100 a month each summer until I got to day for day when I earned 2 days pay for every day I worked or day for day as they called it. I also worked on the Viking Queen, Viking Star, Viking Prince and Viking Monarch.
In 1965 I worked my passage to Cardiff Wales via the Panama Canal, from Vancouver, on a 16,000 Ton freighter “Lindos” and travelled around the UK and Western Europe for 6 months, as a young man adventuring in Western Europe.
It all started, working on the old Viking King, as a deck-hand in 1960 and I’m happy to know the King is still around BC as a beautiful conversion/restoration and owned by Harken Towing . I’d love to see her again and I’m now retired on the the sunset side of Bowen Island overlooking Collingwood Channel. I happily watch the towboats, log & chip barges and flat booms pass day and night. I have seen the Viking King in Snug Cove and I’d love to see the King again and show her to my family.
Robbie
I found a wooden life boat with “Viking King” on it in the Fraser River. under the port mann bridge. Has a lot of grass growing out of it. Just wonder if it’s from this boat?
Any pics?
What an outstanding vessel you should be very proud of her .. Regards W. Ian Blaney coastal1178@gmail.com …..
As a small child my father owned the viking queen
Viking prince
I would love the opportunity to stand on the deck of the “king “