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CURLY B.
Pictured as: the Specialist (New York Marine Towing) Photo by: Birk Thomas

Built in 1956, by the Parker Brothers and Company Incorporated of Houston, Texas (hull #22) as the Waverly for the Sioux City and New Orleans Barge Lines of New Orleans, Louisiana.

In 1971, the tug was acquired by the Great Lakes Towing Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Where she retained her name.

In 1974, she was acquired by the Sioux City and New Orleans Barge Lines of New Orleans, Louisiana. Where she was renamed as the Brother Collins.

In 1977, the tug was acquired by the the Selvick Marine Company of Chicago, Illinois. Where the tug was renamed as the Curly B.

In 1992, the tug was acquired by the Kindra Lake Towing Company of Chicago, Illinois. Where the tug retained her name.

In 1994, she was acquired by Lake Michigan Contractors of Chicago, Illinois. Where the tug retained her name.

In 2006, the tug was acquired by and individual by the name of Oris R. Ritter of Mobile, Alabama. Where the tug was renamed as The Chief.

In 2007, she was acquired by New York Marine Towing Incorporated of Montauk, New York. Where the tug was renamed as the Specialist II.

In 2010, New York Marine Towing Incorporated renamed the tug as the Specialist.

In 2016, the tug sunk in a collision at the Tappan Zee Bridge in the Hudson River. The tug was raised, and scrapped.

Originally powered by two, Cleveland Diesel 6-278 diesel engines. The tug was repowered in 1981, with two, twelve cylinder, Cummins diesel engines. In 2010, the vessel's reduction gears where rebuilt. She was a twin screw tug, rated at 1,800 horsepower. After her reduction gears where rebuilt, she was rated at 2,400 horsepower.
(Daryl Powell, Dan Owen)


  • Vessel Name: CURLY B.
  • USCG Doc. No.: 2714180
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 22
  • Ship Builder: PARKER BROTHERS & CO INC
  • Year Built: 1956
  • Length: 84
  • Hull Depth: 9.2
  • Hull Breadth: 26
  • Gross Tonnage: 131
  • Net Tonnage: 41
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    Waverly, Brother Collins, CURLY B.,THE CHIEF, Specialist II
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Sioux City and New Orleans Barge Lines, Great Lakes Towing Co., Sioux City New Orleans Barge Line, Selvick Marine Towing Corp., Kindra Lake Towing , LAKE MICHIGAN CONTRACTORS INC, Oris R. Ritter, SPECIALIST LLC