Ship Details

Chieftain III

Vessel image

Photo Credit: Loch McJannett

 
 
Registry #1 320258 (Canada) Registry #2 Registry #3
IMO# MMSI# VRN#
 
Name 1 1963 Chieftain III Name 6
Name 2 Name 7
Name 3 Name 8
Name 4 Name 9
Name 5 Name 10
 
Year Built 1963 Place Vancouver Area BC Country Canada
 
Designer William G. Reid Measurement (imp) 54.2' x 20.2' x 8.3'
Builder Benson Brothers Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. Measurement (metric) 16.61m x 6.16m x 2.53m
Hull Steel Displacement
Gross Tonnage 65.47 Type 1 Tug
Registered Tonnage 44.52 Type 2
Engine 600bhp engine (1963) Engine Manufacture Stork-Werkspoor AG
Repower Repowered with a 610bhp diesel engine (2004c) Propulsion Screw
Rebuilds Call Sign
Pendant  # Masters
 
Owner(s)
In 1963-1973 she was owned by McDougall Towing Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1974-1978 she was owned by Chieftain Towing Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1979-1986 she was owned by Pacific Towing Services Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1987-1991 she was owned by Island Merchant Marine Ltd., Nanaimo BC Canada. In 1992 she was owned by Mercury Launch & Tug Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1993-1999 she was owned by Qualicum Towing (1989) Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 2000-2022 she was owned by Pacific Cachalot Ltd., Campbell River BC Canada. In 2023-2024 she was owned by Thunder Bay Tugs Ltd., Powell River BC Canada.
 
Fate Afloat in 2024 Date 0000-00-00
 
Named Features
Significance of Name
 
Anecdotes
In February 1975 a gale caught the tug Chietain III and her loaded barge in Malaspina Strait BC enroute from Squamish for the MacMillan-Bloedel pulp mill at Powell River. The barge was carrying 250 tons of liquid caustic soda in below deck tanks and four railway cars of chlorine. The barge capsized at the north end of Texada Island. The submarine Pisces enabled a subsequent salvage operation attempt but the rail cars are still on the bottom with their cargo. John Dolmage (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 27/11/2019) stated "This vessel looked a lot better back when this vessel had all teak doors and lots of brass hardware. It was a bit of a pain to keep up but this vesselsure looked beautiful. Ron Wilson’s pride for sure. The Dauntless II was her sister and built by Lance Higgs but Lance didn’t like brass so the Dauntless was always a bit bland alongside the Chieftain. Both had 600hp Stork medium speed (600 rpm) engines with Bravo transmissions. Very comfortable to live on and good pullers for the power. The Dauntless is laying derelict in Port Alberni, this vessel had been rebuilt by McKenzie Barge and had a 398 Cat & 540 Twin Disc gear and fixed nozzle installed. Chieftain III is owned by Pacific Cachalot and has a (I think) 1000hp Mitsubishi with a fixed nozzle. Chieftain III was also built with a heavier bottom (3/4”) than the Dauntless. We polished the brass inside one day and outside the next. The boats were always kept spotless - Ronnie would let you have it too if they weren’t as he was almost always at the boat when you came in or left." John Dolmage of Tidemark Marine Services Ltd. (Email to Nauticapedia 16/04/2020) stated "When this vessel was towing the Hooker chemical barge, the barge had caustic soda in internal tanks and (I think) 5 rail cars on deck loaded with chlorine. It was flat calm and somewhere between Welcome Pass and Cape Cockburn the barge rolled over loosing the rail cars. It didn’t loose any caustic. The rail cars were never found because of the deep silt and great number of iron nodules which lay on the bottom in Malispina Strait."
 
References
Canada List of Shipping; H. W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest 1966 to 1976 (Ed. Gordon Newell) 1977;
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