Able One

[Chadburn]

This vessel looks like a former American Army Tug of which a few were berthed at Hythe, however she is a new build by Parkol of Whitby for a Client and served as a filling in job when things were quiet at the Yard. The Yard is now very busy and she has been moved to Hartlepool Marina, not sure if she is finished or what her role is as she was at one time down as a Private Yacht but now 'sports' a Water Cannon on the Wheelhouse painted Red. Sorry about picture quality.

[Bob Smith]

Not a new build but Ex: US Army tug FORT MOULTRIE (ST2115). I saw her at Hartlepool back in 2005

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/...php?lid=326987

Regards

Bob

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

Not a new build but Ex: US Army tug FORT MOULTRIE (ST2115). I saw her at Hartlepool back in 2005

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/...php?lid=326987

Regards

Bob

Sorry Bob you have the wrong vessel, the vessel you are referring to was indeed at Hartlepool and had been stripped out for a conversion to a live aboard, then moved to Whitby where she still is I believe, the vessel I have featured is indeed a new build by Parkol Marine I assure you. This is the vessel you mean just next to the sheds as seen here.

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

Sorry Bob you have the wrong vessel, the vessel you are referring to was indeed at Hartlepool and had been stripped out for a conversion to a live aboard, then moved to Whitby where she still is I believe, the vessel I have featured is indeed a new build by Parkol Marine I assure you. This is the vessel you mean just next to the sheds as seen here.

Further to my above see attached.

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

Further to my above see attached.

And further to above here she is being built at Parkol Marine, certainly a strange build for a Private Yacht especially as it now sports a Water Cannon.

[cueball44]

Able One. Hartlepool.

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by cueball44

Able One. Hartlepool.

Saves me going back to get a better picture Cueball, as you can see it is down as Pleasure Craft, you can also see in the picture just in front of the Funnel the Red Water Cannon, I wonder if it is just for show or is it for real.
The Cannon does have pipe work running to it which cannot be seen in the photograph.

[erimus]

Obviously a Peter Stephenson purchase for Graythorpe??

geoff

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by erimus

Obviously a Peter Stephenson purchase for Graythorpe??

geoff

It would seem so Geoff and that was my guess too, however his name does not appear anywhere to make a direct link to the vessel----------------at this moment.
Is it a Private Yacht or a Working Vessel.
Perhaps it is down to Tax reasons?

[Bob Smith]

Thanks Chadburn, I stand corrected. I'll have to look out for her next time I'm up that way.

Regards

Bob

[cueball44]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

Saves me going back to get a better picture Cueball, as you can see it is down as Pleasure Craft, you can also see in the picture just in front of the Funnel the Red Water Cannon, I wonder if it is just for show or is it for real.
The Cannon does have pipe work running to it which cannot be seen in the photograph.

You can see the pipe work in this image.

[Chadburn]

Good Photograph Cueball, it is certainly a bit odd in regards to the vessels purpose or is it dual purpose?

[cueball44]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

Good Photograph Cueball, it is certainly a bit odd in regards to the vessels purpose or is it dual purpose?

Don't know. But surely the vessel was not built to be a pleasure craft. It looks good anyway, and will come in handy if needed.

[erimus]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

It would seem so Geoff and that was my guess too, however his name does not appear anywhere to make a direct link to the vessel----------------at this moment.
Is it a Private Yacht or a Working Vessel.
Perhaps it is down to Tax reasons?

Doesn't ABLE ring the big bell as that is his company?

Perhaps his big 'baby' at moment is his Able Humber Park.....this is taken from their website

ABLE Logistics Park (ALP)

Located on Able Humber Port, a 497.5 hectare (1,229.5 acre) development to provide 1,700,000m² of warehousing, external storage and transport depots to allow port centric logistics operations at one of the UK’s busiest port complexes. Tenants of ALP will benefit from close proximity to 1,389m of deep-water quays.

Our own strategic direction is a direct result of our major client’s own shifts in strategy and objectives. Due to a solid, well-resourced operating base continued investment has been seen at a number of sites across the ABLE Group even through the economic downturn.

This on-going investment strategy has enabled the facilities to continue to develop and service our traditional markets as well as prepare for emerging business sectors like Offshore Wind.

geoff

[cueball44]

Another image of the vessel.

[erimus]

Agree,a strange mixture...

Geoff

[cueball44]

It says she has a 'Yacht Engine'. What's the difference between that and an engine for a Tug of that size ?

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by cueball44

It says she has a 'Yacht Engine'. What's the difference between that and an engine for a Tug of that size ?

I have been around Motor Yachts since my Father bought his first in 1946 and it is not a term that I have heard before certainly on a vessel of this size as you say, the only thing that springs to mind is that the vessel has an unmanned Main Engine/Engineroom (UMS) like a conventional Motor Yacht or it could be that the vessel is not capable of Towing despite its looks.
I see you are a Kingston Man, have you ever come across a Motor Yacht called 'John Vincent' which was moored in your local Marina many years ago? She is of interest to me.
The chap who owns the Company that has Hartlepool Marina in its Portfolio is very much a Motor Yacht man, he keeps his rather large luxury Yacht at Majorca, very smart it is too, never seen it at Hartlepool

Geoff it all points to Peter Stephenson and he may be the end user, it is not the first time I have come across a new build being built via an Agent.
John Bloom (Rolls Washing Machines) had his luxury ( at that time) Motor Yacht 'AD 1520' built by a friend of mine via an Agent.
Mind you Bloom had been declared Bankrupt.

[cueball44]

Originally Posted by Chadburn

I have been around Motor Yachts since my Father bought his first in 1946 and it is not a term that I have heard before certainly on a vessel of this size as you say, the only thing that springs to mind is that the vessel has an unmanned Main Engine/Engineroom (UMS) like a conventional Motor Yacht or it could be that the vessel is not capable of Towing despite its looks.
I see you are a Kingston Man, have you ever come across a Motor Yacht called 'John Vincent' which was moored in your local Marina many years ago? She is of interest to me.
The chap who owns the Company that has Hartlepool Marina in its Portfolio is very much a Motor Yacht man, he keeps his rather large luxury Yacht at Majorca, very smart it is too, never seen it at Hartlepool

Geoff it all points to Peter Stephenson and he may be the end user, it is not the first time I have come across a new build being built via an Agent.
John Bloom (Rolls Washing Machines) had his luxury ( at that time) Motor Yacht 'AD 1520' built by a friend of mine via an Agent.
Mind you Bloom had been declared Bankrupt.

I can't recall seeing the motor yacht 'John Vincent' in the HULL Marina. I have searched but can find no image of the vessel.

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by cueball44

I can't recall seeing the motor yacht 'John Vincent' in the HULL Marina. I have searched but can find no image of the vessel.

The ' John Vincent' under an earlier name belonged to my Uncle, she was an ex R.N. Steam Pinnace pre WW 2 which Uncle carried out a lot of work on alongside our boat on the Wet Slips in the late 1940/ early 1950 period, in Summer we would Convoy to Scarborough for the school holidays.
The last time I saw her was in late 1950 and when I saw her many, many years later in Hull Marina she had not been changed at all, Dark Blue Hull, Varnished Topside, her Owner at that time used to own 'Pembroke Puffin'.
The years seem to pass so quickly it could be at least 15 years ago when I saw her.

[erimus]

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...hips/232006498

Present owner Mr Andrew Whalley of Whitby Yachts LLP

Type. Pleasure vessel...

geoff

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by erimus

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...hips/232006498

Present owner Mr Andrew Whalley of Whitby Yachts LLP

Type. Pleasure vessel...

geoff

I wonder why he did not find a mooring at Whitby?

[erimus]

Maybe a charter?...It is modelled on a former US Tug apparently....

[Chadburn]

Originally Posted by erimus

Maybe a charter?...It is modelled on a former US Tug apparently....

Certainly is, there has been for sometime Yacht Owners who prefer the more rugged built vessels usually converted Tugs or Offshore Vessels with an accommodation module on the Aft Deck, all come under the title of 'Expedition Yachts'.
A number of Tugs in the style of 'Able One' became available when the U.S. Army cancelled a modification programme at their Hythe facility and indeed one of these vessels arrived at Hartlepool as Bob indicated, she had no Prop or Tailshaft and her Stern Tube was blanked off, not sure how much she was stripped out down below.
There was speculation then in regards to the owner and Stephenson was mentioned, I was a regular visitor to the Marina helping a friend get his vessel ready for sailing to the South of France, in all the times I was there nobody seemed to be aboard the former American Tug.
She then turned up at Whitby at the Parkol facility for fitting out and it would appear that 'Able One' is a copy? of this Tug.
Why build a copy when there were original American Tugs available with history and hardly any use as they were held in Reserve with occasional rotation in the American pre positioned Stores Fleet.
As far as I am aware the original American Tug is still at Whitby alongside Parkol.

[erimus]

She is a copy of Able Three.

Geoff