# Red Stack "Sea Duke"



## JimmyJackEarl (9 mo ago)

I was at the Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale last weekend and picked up a painting called "Sea Duke" by Richard T. Booker. I'm not really part of the nautical community but I alway love watching the tugs working ships on the Oakland Estuary from the Alameda side. Amazing to watch them turn around a container ship and send it on its way. Anyway, started googling and trying to learn something about this painting and found this forum with mentions of Red Stack and all of the different tugs. Thought you all might enjoy a look at this painting of the Sea Duke at work.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Nice piece.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

The ship in the painting with 'Sea Duke; appears to be the Cable Layer 'Long Lines'.
Stephen


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

It is definitely Long Lines. Spent many happy days/weeks/months on her. My favourite cable ship. Built like a tank. Was sad to see her go.


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## bobha (May 24, 2016)

Stephen, I agree with your call as to the name of the ship but how on earth did you pick it?

Bob


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

LOL!!!! The lower part of the superstructure jogged my memory. Very distinctive. I knew a friend who was 3rd Mate in LONG LINES many years ago, Ben Lyons. Now Captain Ben Lyons. About 5 years ago was temporary Master in the Liberty Ship JOHN W.BROWN on a special voyage from Baltimore to New York and back. He told me that he would give me a position of Quartermaster for the voyage. I told him I would rather go as oiler!


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

I knew Ben Lyons on the cable ships and John W Brown. I spent most of my Radio Holland career working on all of the ships. Long Lines, Charlie Brown, Global Link, Global Sentinel and GlobAl Mariner. Once the Tyco ships came out work dropped off in favour of a local Baltimore company. Travel from Norfolk got expensive. I have many friends from the company and fond memories. It is funny to see who the juniors were in the late 80s now Masters and Chiefs. One of the Tyco ships had brothers who were Master and Chief at the same time. I called her the Global Tyranski. The Global ships were a lot of work and I had them from new when they came out of FELS Singapore. Did lots of guarantee work and upgrades, plus the usual repairs. I really enjoyed working with the office staff and crews. It was a standing joke I had my own cabin on each of them. Long Lines was my favourite followed by Charlie Brown. She would have made a lovely yacht. Happy days


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## bobha (May 24, 2016)

Stephen J. Card said:


> LOL!!!! The lower part of the superstructure jogged my memory. Very distinctive. I knew a friend who was 3rd Mate in LONG LINES many years ago, Ben Lyons. Now Captain Ben Lyons. About 5 years ago was temporary Master in the Liberty Ship JOHN W.BROWN on a special voyage from Baltimore to New York and back. He told me that he would give me a position of Quartermaster for the voyage. I told him I would rather go as oiler!


Obviously your artist's eye for detail.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Artist? Nothing to do with it. As a cadet I learned to paint. A Mate I learned to look at the details that might need painting!


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## Hpilot95 (Apr 17, 2016)

Looks like the "Sea Duke" is an old single screw tug; made fast on the starboard bow looking aft with three lines.
Judging by the wheel wash she is carrying a little right wheel and pushing the vessel astern. I've used this method
on many occasions sailing vessels out of narrow slips.
Harry


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## MMYuen (Apr 3, 2011)

JimmyJackEarl said:


> I was at the Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale last weekend and picked up a painting called "Sea Duke" by Richard T. Booker. I'm not really part of the nautical community but I alway love watching the tugs working ships on the Oakland Estuary from the Alameda side. Amazing to watch them turn around a container ship and send it on its way. Anyway, started googling and trying to learn something about this painting and found this forum with mentions of Red Stack and all of the different tugs. Thought you all might enjoy a look at this painting of the Sea Duke at work.
> View attachment 691143
> bacon


Yes...the Long Lines. I was 3/O on the Tyco Dependable which was double banked alongside the Long Lines back in 2003. Gear and equipment was being off loaded in preparation for towage to the scrapyard. Very sad to watch. The C/O gave me the never used taff rail log from the Long Lines. Ben is an old shipmate of mine. We sailed together on the passenger vessels SS Independence and the MS Patriot. Later met again on the MV National Geographic Explorer in S. Africa after completing the Antarctic season on the day I signed off as C/O and he signed on as Captain. That was back in 2013. We are still in touch and I shall forward this to him.


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## Wallace Slough (Mar 21, 2009)

Sea Duke and her sisters (Sea Queen, Sea Scout, Sea Rover) were built to an internal Crowley design in the early 1950's. They were 97 feet long and originally powered by a surplus LST engine of 900 HP. We called them "Funny Boats" as they had a terrible air steering system. The steering system was eventually modified wherein the steering wheel was removed and a toggle switch was utilized to steer the boat which was a great improvement. The Sea Duke was later modified with a "hot rod" job done on the main engine which increased her horsepower up to about 1600HP as I recall. It was recognized this would eventually destroy the reduction gear but they got a few years before that occurred. At that time she was repowered with a 2150 HP EMD engine which produced a very capable tug. The boat was later sold to Brusco and the name was changed to Robert Brusco and stationed at the Port of Sacramento. I believe the boat is retired as she can't meet California air quality requirements. I ran the tug in all of her configurations over the years and docked many ships with her as a pilot.


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## JimmyJackEarl (9 mo ago)

Hey Guys - nice to see all of the responses to this post. Not only did I learn that the other vessel is the Long Lines I really have got a nice taste of sea lore looking at these posts and others on this website. A real gift to have a look into your experiences. I am going to print out the replies to this thread and keep them in an envelope attached to this piece. I have no intention of selling it but I know at some point it will continue its journey without me and your words and pictures will travel with it.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

With a bit of luck we will get a full crew list of the LONG LINES and even copy of the lunch what the skipper of Sea King had that day!!!  

Stephen


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