“They get to show off their stuff,” that was the response NYC Harbor Committee Chairman, Captain Doswell, gave the New York Times in response to the question “Why the tug captains enjoy the race so much?” He followed the statement up with this statement: “Just as state fairs have tractor pulls, we have the bow-to-bow pushing challenge, 2 boats meet, and at a signal one tries to push the other”
We missed the event but do have some amazing pictures to show you. Many thanks to the NYC tugboat companies that participated.
The FDNY was on hand to kick off the event with an impressive water show, spraying their fire monitors into the East River.
Photo by snapshot/Terrie
Get your engines ready. The tugs line up at the starting line just South of the George Washington Bridge in preparation for their one mile sprint down the Hudson River.
Photos by ho_hokus
The riverboat leaders start to emerge as the boats make their way down the Hudson.
Photo by NJ Photographer
The race back up the Hudson River past the Manhattan Skyline. Tugboats from farthest to nearest: Nathan Stewart, Lucy Reinauer, Patapsco, Dorothy Elizabeth, and Fournier Girls. (Tugster)
Photo by Will Van Dorp of Tugster
The Finish Line.
Photo by ho_hokus
racing and then shoving matches, Lucy Reinauer (smoking) v. Inland Sea while Durham and the Empire State Building watch . . . . Tugster
Photo by Will Van Dorp of Tugster
Dorothy Elizabeth v. two Miller Launch tugs (Susan Miller and Catherine Miller) at once with Time-Warner towers and Hearst Tower in background… Tugster
Photo by Will Van Dorp of Tugster
The Interesting
© 2007, Peter Sealy – Colorful Tugboats
The Tugboat “Hackensack” showing off her colors.
© 2007, Peter Sealy – Small Tugboat
The small but mighty push boat “Urger” underway and patriotic.
Photos by Dirk Darkroom.
Merchant Marine Academy‘s vintage Tugboat “Growler” looking angered by the superior Domers across the river.
Photos by cicadajet
One day a year, the tugboat industry dresses up its hardworking vessels and parades them before judges, showing off fresh paint jobs, displaying horsepower in nose-to-nose pushing competitions and a one-mile sprint up the Hudson. Tug operators play rodeo cowboys, demonstrating their skill by roping a cleat from a moving vessel coming toward a dock.
And those are the earnest categories. Equally coveted are the trophies for best tugboat pet and best dressed crew, best crewmember tattoo (that can be legally displayed) and best mascot.
The event’s lightheartedness in no way means it is not taken seriously. Reinauer compares it to a tractor pull, and anyone who’s ever been through the middle of the country knows how the heartland loves its diesel. He wouldn’t be surprised if a crewmember had gotten a tattoo specifically for the competition. “I don’t know that for a fact, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Some of the tattoos are really ornate and pretty unique.” Keep Reading…
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR. SLIDESHOW NOT WORKING? TRY THIS
NYC Tugboat Races Part 1 (Tugster: a waterblog about New York harbor, the sixth borough)
NYC Tugboat Races Part 2 (Tugster: a waterblog about New York harbor, the sixth borough)
SHE THINKS MY TUGBOAT’S… (The Waterlog, New York Press)
© 2007, Peter Sealy – Hudson River Tugboats
Photo by Dirk Darkroom
Updated: February 5, 2026 (Originally published September 5, 2007)
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