More of a Good Thing


What becomes of a company that specializes in doing one thing
particularly well? It often develops a list of enthusiastic customers
who then demand additional products. A classic example of such a
success story is American Tug, built by
TOMCO Marine Group in LaConner Washington.

A trio of well-seasoned Pacific NW boat builders founded TOMCO in 2000.
Kurt Dilworth, Tom Nelson, and Mike Schoppert had worked at all levels
of the industry, including some of the loftiest management positions at
prestigious regional firms. For the first couple of years, TOMCO
produced only a single model- the American Tug 34. The 34-footers
debuted to an enthusiastic audience of boaters in the Pacific NW, and
were soon selling well throughout the country.

Dave Scott is on the board of TOMCO, and was the owner of the original
dealership for the vessel, American Tug Sales. Dave and his wife
Eddylee purchased a 34-foot American Tug, and Dave credits Eddylee with
suggesting dozens of little improvements and modifications that only an
actual owner would be likely to appreciate- and that have been
incorporated as standard items in subsequent boats. One of the
advantages of a relatively small company, such as American Tug, is a
high degree of flexibility and adaptability. Design modifications in
response to comments from owners, observations by production personnel,
or adaptations to new or changing accessory products in the marine
market can be made very quickly. There is no cumbersome series of
committees or corporate political pecking order to prevent
improvements.

Purchasers of the American Tug 34's were typically enthralled. If it
seemed as though the boat were designed and refined by people with a
personal commitment to the vessel, that was a well-founded assumption.
Some of the early American Tug 34 buyers began to lament that there
wasn't a larger American Tug to "trade-up to," and some potential
buyers were impressed with the fit and finish of the vessel but
expressed interest in a slightly larger boat. TOMCO responded by
introducing more of a good thing, this month's Sea Trial boat, the
American Tug 41. Among American Tug's trade-up customers were Dave
and Eddylee Scott, and Dave hosted several members of the boating press
aboard the Scott's personal 41-footer one morning in late May.

Dave Scott sold American Tug Sales to Marine Servicenter in September
of 2004.
Marine Servicenter has offices in Seattle and Anacortes, with a new
showroom ready to open at the former location of Gove's Cove on
Westlake Avenue. Dan Krier, Vice President of Yacht Sales for Marine
Servicenter, joined us for the cruise from LaConner.


General Overview

The American Tug 41 shares many of the hull characteristics of the very
successful 34-foot design. The 41 is a semi-displacement boat, with
hard chines, a deep keel, full skeg, and larger rudder. The stem is
just slightly raked, and a gracefully progressive sheer unites a high,
flared bow with a relatively blunt transom. It's a chop-busting
concept that works particularly well in the Pacific NW, and also
performed well when a fleet of 34-footers voyaged down the west coast
and up the east coast of the United States. The same hull could be
rigged for commercial fishing, and it would look perfectly natural in
such an application. The prominent trunk cabin, tall and reverse-raked
pilothouse, square but attractive aft cabin, and extended boat deck
suggest the American Tug 41 is destined for coastal cruising duties.
The false stack styling element turns this pilothouse trawler into a
"tug".

American Tugs appeal to seasoned and experienced boaters with an
appreciation for traditional standards as well as a desire to own a
boat that takes full advantage of the latest advances in technology.
American Tugs are all single engine designs, with a standard 8HP bow
thruster and optional stern thrusters to improve close-quarter
maneuverability. American Tugs still feature exquisitely crafted, hand
selected teak interiors but there isn't a square inch of high
maintenance exterior brightwork to be found. Decks are non-skid FRP,
deck and side rails are solidly affixed 316 stainless steel, and all
door and window frames are powder coated aluminum. A periodic washdown
and a minimum amount of waxing and polishing should keep an American
Tug in bristol condition. Boat shoppers hoping to spend more time
maintaining a boat than enjoying it will need to select something else.

American Tug offers both a West Coast and an East Coast version of the
41. The West Coast boat features an Espar diesel furnace and a propane
stove and oven, while the East Coast model incorporates four 44k BTU
reverse cycle heating and air conditioning units as well as an
all-electric galley.

The Pacific NW influence extends to the choice of ground tackle. A
Lofrans Tigres windlass hauls a 44-lb plow anchor and 275-feet of 5/16
high tensile chain rode.


Dimensions and Construction

Some builders get overly creative when choosing a nominal LOA. There
are cases where everything between the salt crystals on the face of the
pulpit roller and the first few bubbles aft of the swimstep are
apparently included to justify a measurement of 36'5", and the boat
is then marketed as the Brand X 38. Not so with the American Tug 41,
which measures an honest 41-feet on deck. Actual LOA is 45'6".

The American Tug 41 appears relatively beamy, and rightly so, carrying
a beam just two inches shy of 16-feet. Draft is 4'10", and "light
ship" displacement is listed at 29,000 pounds. Bridge clearance to
the standard steaming light is 16-feet.

TOMCO utilizes hand-laid, hand-rolled rove and resin laminate hulls.
The bottoms are solid FRP, with coring used above the waterline for
additional strength, insulation, and sound attenuation. The molded
frames and stringers are constructed as a single, unified matrix and
then glassed into the hull to ensure maximum strength, structural
integrity, and a perfect fit. Buyers can choose for a variety of
gelcoat colors at no additional charge, and every American Tug carries
a five-year hull warranty.

The standard engine on the American Tug 41 is the 480 HP Cummins, with
500HP Volvo and 540HP Cummins engine options. Prop shafts are 2 =BD"
stainless alloy, with dripless seals. West coast boats feature a 6kW
generator, while the all-electric east coast models are fit with an
8kW. Tankage is 640 gallons fuel, and 210 gallons potable water.


Interior Layout

American Tug chose to offer two very nice staterooms rather than
attempt to shoehorn three into the 41-foot model. The 41 will provide a
very comfortable environment for a cruising couple, and occasional
overnight guests or kids will feel pampered as well.
The guest stateroom is most forward, with a large double berth to port.
The 41 can be ordered with upper and lower single berths in the guest
stateroom for applications where guests are comfortable sharing the
same stateroom, but perhaps not the same bed. A large hanging locker
backs against the forward bulkhead. The ensuite head in the guest
stateroom doubles as the day head for the boat, with a VacuFlush marine
toilet, molded countertop and sink, and a large stall shower with seat.

The master stateroom is aft of the guest stateroom, located below the
pilothouse. A queen size island berth with innerspring mattress is
situated athwartship from the port gunwale.
Built in nightstands flank the master berth, and the hanging lockers
are cedar lined. The master head is thoughtfully appointed and
detailed.

Boaters drawn to the general concept of the American Tug 41 will
typically consider the pilothouse a very high priority, and they will
be pleased with the layout and execution of TOMCO's flagship
offering. The near 16-foot beam is used to clear advantage here,
creating room for everyone aboard to congregate in the pilothouse
without "crowding" the helm. Visibility from the centerline helm is
extremely good in all directions through about a 270-degree arc, but as
in most pilothouse designs visibility immediately aft is somewhat
obstructed. A large console will accommodate the owner's choice of
electronics. Reverse rake Diamond Sea Glaze pilothouse windows will
deflect glare, and intermittent wipers with a wash-down system will
clear away any salt spray. A teak desk occupies the aft starboard
quarter of the pilothouse on the Scotts' 41-footer, but other buyers
have chosen an optional hanging locker in the same space. The American
Tug 41 includes a fully adjustable Stidd (tm) helm seat and chart
stowage. A comfortable bench seat for three is in the aft port quarter.
(The teak desk can be fitted with a cushion and used as additional
pilothouse seating).

The galley and salon are situated in the aft cabin, with the galley in
the port forequarter.
A "Granacoat" molded countertop with integrated sink extends into
the salon to create a serving or dining bar. A "full size" Nova
Kool RFU 9000 AC/DC refrigerator freezer will cool 6.5 cubic feet of
perishables as well as maintain 2.6 cubic feet of frozen foods. A
microwave oven will prepare on the go "heat and eats", and the
propane cooktop and oven will allow a serious chef to strut his or her
stuff in the galley.

The pleasant salon includes an Ultraleather (tm) settee along the aft
bulkhead and starboard gunwale, as will as a solid teak table, an
icemaker, and a comprehensive video and stereo entertainment system.
Carpet is standard throughout the boat, (except for a teak and holly
veneer in the galley), but teak and holly soles are an available
option. The atmosphere aboard the American Tug 41 is classy enough for
formal entertaining, yet not so stuffy that it is difficult to relax
with a small group of friends or cuddle up with a "significant
other."

Underway

Our sea trial could have been considered a "United Nations" cruise,
with writers Kurt Hoehne and Mark Bunzel joining us to prepare articles
for several of our worthy competitors. With a Nor'westing
representative, Dave Scott, and Dan Krier aboard we had five in the
pilothouse for most of the morning, but there was never a sense of
crowding.

Dave and Eddylee Scott's boat, (hull #41-003) is equipped with a
540HP Cummins engine. (This optional engine may become standard in
2006). With a touch of the bow and stern thrusters we stepped sideways
from the float at Shelter Bay. As we motored down the Swinomish
Channel, through Hole in the Wall and out to Skagit Bay the 41 was
extremely quiet. Even though we were standing in a pilothouse with the
engine only a few feet away the noise level was no greater than if we
had been sitting on a fly bridge aboard many boats. (Tests have shown
that noise levels at engine speeds up to 1800 RPM are under 70db).

We learned something about American Tug on this leg of the run that
isn't specifically performance related but bears repeating. Dan Krier
and Dave Scott spoke about American Tug owners as if they constituted
portions of an extended family. They conversed confidently about which
customer had purchased specific hull numbers, knew how their customers
were using the boats, and what sort of boats the customers had owned
prior to purchasing an American Tug. While the basic specifications and
standards are fixed, most American Tug buyers work with Marine
Servicenter to have small, semi-custom modifications built into their
boats and often choose some individual accessories. Few manufacturers
have the luxury of being so closely involved with individual clients,
and such a personal interest is probably one of the reasons American
Tug owners are generally very pleased with their boats.

At speed, the American Tug 41 remains very "solid" feeling. A
characteristic we had previously noted on the 34's was the ability of
the boat to turn extremely sharply, even at higher speeds and despite
the pronounced keel. The 41 retains this ability, executing tight,
amazingly level turns at speeds all the way up to full throttle.

Getting a few marine writers together for a boat test can be an
exercise in Murhpy's law, in reverse. Anything that can go right,
weather wise, almost certainly will. Conditions will almost never be
any more benign than that calm, warm day in May we put the American 41
through its paces. Fortunately, we had another American tug on hand to
function as a chase boat, and we relied on the other vessel to generate
some wakes for test purposes. Try as we might, it seemed impossible to
develop a speed or an angle where the American Tug didn't step
adroitly through the waves and chop with a minimum of drama. It would
be difficult to claim we pressed the American Tug to its limits, but
easy to appreciate from our limited experience that those limits should
permit American Tug owners to negotiate some of the nastiest conditions
in the Pacific Northwest.

The 540Hp Cummins allows a wide variety of operating choices. When
loaded with fuel, water, and 2600 pounds of personal gear, Dave
Scott's boat (with a 32x28 prop) can "slow cruise" at 1600 RPM
and make just under 9 kts. Fuel consumption at that speed is a thrifty
7 gph. Raising the rpm to 2400 will allow the American 41 to cover long
distances fairly quickly, logging 13.6 kts, but fuel consumption more
than triples to 22.9 gph. At WOT, Dave's fully loaded American Tug 41
will turn almost 16kts, burning 27 gph.


Conclusions:


The American Tug 41 capitalizes on the firm's initial success with
the 34-footer, and can be said to be "more of a good thing."
Boaters interested in a seaworthy hull capable of a moderate turn of
speed with comfortable interior accommodations will be attracted to the
boat. Dave Scott knows of at least five American Tugs that will be
cruising north of the Queen Charlottes this summer, (three 34's and
two 41's), and that may well represent the highest percentage of any
manufacturer's product line in those waters at any one time.

The 34's have proven to be capable and popular cruisers. The
41-footers should be at least equally well received.

American Tugs are competitively priced. Hull # 41-012 is being offered
for delivery in April of 2006 for $535,000, FOB Anacortes. The 41
American Tug appears to be an extremely good value, as well as an
extremely good boat.