Inside and out tour of the Heritage Marine Tug Nels J! May 02, 2021

In order to get to the tug, you have to go to Two Harbors MN, pass the CN security gate, park a bit away from the dock, walk under the dock to the vessel. Out of our view they were loading the Presque Isle while were were on the tug. Security would not allow me to drift over and take a shot.
As usual, Mike Ojard gives us the complete tour of his vessel, explaining just about everything you can wonder about the vessel. Amazing how clean they keep these vessels in the engine room and such!
Up and down, inside and out, we investigate just about all the nooks and crannies of this boat!
I hope you enjoy!
A little info on the Nels J:
NELS J.
Built in 1952, by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California (hull #LT 2078) as the LT-2078 for the United States Army.
In 1964, the tug was transferred to the United States Navy. Where she was designated as the YTM-748 (Yuma). And was allocated to the 12th Naval District at San Francisco, California.
In 1980, the tug was returned to the United States Army. Where she was redesignated as the LT-2078.
In 1980, she was acquired by Hvide Marine Incorporated of Tampa, Florida. Where the tug was renamed as the Delaware.
In 1989, the tug was rebuilt, and reconfigured. with the addition of a retractable Aquamaster z-drive unit on the bow. That is powered by a single, GM 12v92ta diesel engine. And, the tug was renamed as the Mobile Point.
In 1995, she was acquired by the Sanders Towboat Company of San Francisco, California. Where the tug was renamed as the Delaware.
In 2008, the tug was acquired SeaBulk Towing Services Incorporated of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Where she was renamed as the Mobile Point.
In 2009, she was acquired by True North Marine Incorporated of Pass Christian, Mississippi. Where the tug was renamed as the Lesli M.
In 2012, the tug was acquired by Captain Arthur Fournier of the Fournier Towing and Ship Service of Belfast, Maine. Where she was renamed as the Taurus.
In 2017, she was acquired by Heritage Marine Incorporated of Knife River, Minnesota. Where the tug was renamed as the Nels J.
Powered by a single, EMD 20-645 turbo diesel engine. With a single, Falk reduction gear, at ratio of 4.5:1. Turning a single, 11(in) diameter, 132(in) by 78(in) five bladed, fixed pitch, stainless steel propeller. With a retractable, Aquamaster z-drive unit on the bow. Powered by a single, GM 12v92ta diesel engine. For a rated 4,400 horsepower.
Her electrical service is provided by two, 65kW generator sets. Driven by two, GM 4-71 diesel engines. The tug's capacities are 60,000 gallons of fuel, 1,200 gallons of lube oil, 4,000 gallons of ballast, and 3,000 gallons of potable water.
The towing gear consists of a double, hydraulic, winch and capstan, mounted on her stern.
(NavSource Online, Captain Ron Greger, Samuel C. Moore, Captain Patrick Fournier, Issac Pennock)

[@USAMontanan]

Such a good looking boat! That captain runs a tight ship and I appreciate that! Thanks for letting us aboard captain!

[@PaulScinocca]

He really does! Great guy as well.

[@williamgarden3209]

Appreciated the tour and a big thank you to Captain Mike.

[@PaulScinocca]

I'll pass it along to Mike!

[@nishantchander]

I can watch these videos all day long. Thank you very much Paul for the upload.

[@PaulScinocca]

You are very welcome!

[@centexan]

Interesting to see. Totally built for work, with little comfort. Obviously it would be unusual for them to be onboard overnight. Thanks!

[@alpharomeo15]

AGAIN... Another awesome informative educational tour... of the hardest working boats on the water! 👏🏽👍🏼☺️

[@PaulScinocca]

Glad you like them!

[@m3nathan]

Thanks very much for the tour, and thank you for the paused look at the Kahlenberg whistle

[@PaulScinocca]

You bet!

[@joannsuggs1636]

That is just so cool, Paul!! Thank you so much for videos like this. Now, I can ALMOST say I've been on a tug. I love watching the tugs at work. They're such powerful little things!!

[@PaulScinocca]

You are very welcome

[@spiercephotography]

This is so cool, thank you to both you and Captain Mike for the tour. Really appreciate it!

[@PaulScinocca]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nightengale7163]

Amazing your of the Nels J! What an immaculate ol' tug! Super updated wheelhouse .... well accommodated galley. 🍳🥘 Wish I was onboard! ⚓🙂

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks so much!

[@donaldswider3858]

Great tour ......be nice to spend a day on the water with those guy's

[@PaulScinocca]

You got that right! Ben on a couple of work runs with them, extremely professional.

[@daviddunn5264]

Wow that was awesome, unbelievable how clean a workhorse can be if cared for. Stem to stern and everything in-between ... much appreciated

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks!

[@1Long2Short]

Nice looking tug! She only needs a mini donut machine like the other Nels J has.

[@PaulScinocca]

Lol 😂

[@briteidea08]

Those tugs use to have diesel fueled stoves. Think they had fairbanks morse engines also. Which were interesting to operate from what I have heard.

[@mopacrailfan]

LUV seeing those EMD's... Very informative to SEE them used in the Marine Industry as well as Locomotives! 👏🏽👍🏼☺️ Keep'em Coming and Hope to meet you when I come up there in September! 👏🏽👍🏼☺️

[@PaulScinocca]

Glad you like them! I hope our paths cross as well. i'm easy to find...just wait for a ship to move 😁

[@NorthRunner64]

Thanks Paul, great tour.

[@PaulScinocca]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@markmark2080]

I enjoyed this very complete tour of this tug, in reading her history I can't help wondering if I saw her when we called at Alameda in late '65 when I was on my first Navy cruise. Following the video on Google Earth as I always do, I didn't see her until you were in the pilot house and I realized your location by what I saw from the windows and in checking Google Earth again, there she was. I lived a short time in nearby Superior back in '48, about 4 years before this old girl was born in San Diego where I spent most of my first year in the Navy, '65/'66. Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it.

[@PaulScinocca]

Than you Mark. Good detective work, using all the info to pinpoint her !

[@southernpacific4319]

Great tour...thanks for sharing!

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks for watching!

[@macdawg6403]

Great Vid !

[@PaulScinocca]

Thank you !

[@kennethscofield4565]

Loved the tour, the only thing more interesting than an old tugboat captain is his boat !!

[@PaulScinocca]

Indeed !

[@markmark2080]

The picture on the "wall" in bow thruster space shows her at her pier at the Southwest end of the Oakland Bay Bridge. In your "specs" you have "For a rated 4,400 horsepower"... In the video the main engine is 4000 hp and the bow thruster is 800 hp, which by the way, was cool to see the way it was set up. Thanks again for the excellent video tour.

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks Mark

[@Wilhelm-Von-Hohenzollern]

Hey Paul, this is Hayden Trumphour,(Hayden The Boat Boy) I just thought it would be cool to be the Kaiser. I may stay this way or change it, please understand, sorry for being confusing.

[@PaulScinocca]

Roger that.

[@Wilhelm-Von-Hohenzollern]

@@PaulScinocca thanks

[@jw4620]

Absolutely amazing!

[@3RTracing]

I wish the prime movers would be started in most all of these videos.

[@MrGoosePit]

I love these tours. Thanks so much!

[@PaulScinocca]

Glad you like them!

[@potatolew4495]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing.

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks for watching!

[@rbrpulling]

Thank you, for sharing.

[@PaulScinocca]

My pleasure!

[@CaptainJazz262]

This was so cool! Can you explain any further how The Who thruster system works on this tug? Is it one azipod from the main and then bow and stern thrusters all controlled by a computer?

[@dennisfariello4852]

Interesting how a YTM (Medium Yard Tug) has more than double the horsepower of a YTB (Large Harbor Tug).

[@chuckg6039]

Another great video Paul. Really enjoy when you seek out the behind the scenes workings of the ports. I'm curious just how much use this tug gets?? What would be some specific examples of how/when it was used? I watch a ton of Two Harbors videos, and have never seen it actually working. Just curious.

[@PaulScinocca]

She was used this season for the Gott docking this April, it does not get a lot of action up in Two Harbors.

[@chuckg6039]

@@PaulScinocca Thanks Paul for the update. Up until your video, I thought it was a tour boat open to the public.

[@sjoeld57]

That's not the nickel tour!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@PaulScinocca]

Thanks !

[@richardhill4684]

She a Beauti thanks

[@PaulScinocca]

Indeed she is ! Thank you