Historic Steam Tug Forceful docked at BSE Maritime Solutions

by Jeni Bone on 19 Apr 2011 They don't make them like they used to . . . the historic 86 year old steam tug 'Forceful' docked last week on the 2500 tonne slipway at BSE Maritime Solutions in Brisbane for hull inspection survey work and reapplication of a protective antifouling system.

Built in Glasgow and first launched in 1925, the Forceful has served a long and distinguished career, and was eventually retired from service in 1970.

In 1971 she was handed over to the Queensland Maritime Museum Association, where she continues to be maintained by the dedicated members of the Association as a floating exhibit at her wharf.

ST Forceful is now back at the Qld Maritime Museum, having survived the Brisbane floods and most of her career in Brisbane, including a stint with the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War.

Denis Maher, Business Development Manager at BSE, said the grand old vessel had plenty of work on her while she was docked at BSE Maritime, including ultrasound hull thickness testing, checking cathotic protection system was operating properly.

'She's looking good and hopefully, will see a century out - which is amazing for a rivetted hull vessel. She's back on display at the Museum, attended by an army of volunteers. The public is able to go onboard and experience the sights and sounds of a working vessel. There's the bosun's locker, keys that weigh a couple of kilos and lots of preserved history onboard. Forceful is a step back in time.'

ST Forceful:
• Launched:
20 November 1925.
• Tonnage:
288 gross tons
• Length:
121 ft (36.88 m)
• Beam:
27.1 ft (8.26 m)
• Draught:
13.4 ft (4.08 m)
• Speed:
13 knots
• Machinery:
1 triple expansion steam engine with 3 cylinders and 2 single ended boilers each with 2 furnaces producing an indicated 1050 HP. Working pressure - 175 psi (1205.75 Kpa)
• Bunker Capacities:
103 tons of coal and 78 tons of water.
• Coal Consumption:
Approximately 10 tons per day

More at http://www.bse.net.au/