William C Daldy
Encyclopedia
The William C Daldy is a historic steam engine
tugboat
operating on the Waitemata Harbour
, in Auckland
, New Zealand
. Named after William Crush Daldy
, an Auckland politician, she was built in 1935 and is still kept up as an active vessel by an enthusiast preservation society which charters her out for functions and cruises.
in Renfrew
, Scotland
for the Auckland Harbour Board. She has a bollard pull
of about 17 tons, and is fired by two coal-burning boilers, making her one of the strongest such tugs still afloat today.
One of her finest moments was in 1958, when she preserved one of the pre-assembled main sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge
(then just being constructed over the Waitemata Harbour) from being damaged or lost in a major storm. Strong winds had come up as a construction barge was floating the 1,200 ton structure section into place, and manoeuvring boats were unable to keep it under control. The William C Daldy took up station and kept up the pull for over 36 uninterrupted hours before the wind subsided, burning 40 tons of coal.
In 1977, the vessel was to be scrapped, but was instead leased in 1978 (and in 1989 purchased for $1) by an enthusiast society which has since kept her in working trim and hires her out for functions and charter cruises. The vessel is currently (2008) normally docked at the Devonport Wharf
(Victoria Wharf), though she has had a number of berths around the harbour over time.
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
operating on the Waitemata Harbour
Waitemata Harbour
The quite famous Waitemata Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. For this reason it is often referred to as Auckland Harbour, despite the fact that it is only one of two harbours surrounding the city, and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Waitemata forms the north...
, in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Named after William Crush Daldy
William Daldy
William Crush Daldy was a 19th century captain and New Zealand politician.-Biography:Daldy was born in 1816 in Rainham, Essex, England. He started going to sea at an early age on ships belonging to his father Samuel Rootsey Daldy...
, an Auckland politician, she was built in 1935 and is still kept up as an active vessel by an enthusiast preservation society which charters her out for functions and cruises.
History
The tug was built in 1935 by Lobnitz & CompanyLobnitz
Lobnitz Marine Holdings is a Scottish shipbuilding company located at Renfrew on the River Clyde, west of the Renfrew Ferry crossing and east of the confluence with the River Cart...
in Renfrew
Renfrew
-Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for the Auckland Harbour Board. She has a bollard pull
Bollard pull
Bollard pull is a value that allows the comparison of the pulling force of watercraft, particularly tugboats. A mooring bollard may be used as a point of attachment for measuring the force, or pull of the craft.-Background:...
of about 17 tons, and is fired by two coal-burning boilers, making her one of the strongest such tugs still afloat today.
One of her finest moments was in 1958, when she preserved one of the pre-assembled main sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge
Auckland Harbour Bridge
The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Northcote in North Shore City, New Zealand. The bridge is part of State Highway 1 and the Auckland Northern Motorway...
(then just being constructed over the Waitemata Harbour) from being damaged or lost in a major storm. Strong winds had come up as a construction barge was floating the 1,200 ton structure section into place, and manoeuvring boats were unable to keep it under control. The William C Daldy took up station and kept up the pull for over 36 uninterrupted hours before the wind subsided, burning 40 tons of coal.
In 1977, the vessel was to be scrapped, but was instead leased in 1978 (and in 1989 purchased for $1) by an enthusiast society which has since kept her in working trim and hires her out for functions and charter cruises. The vessel is currently (2008) normally docked at the Devonport Wharf
Devonport, New Zealand
Devonport is a harbourside suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located on the North Shore, at the southern end of a peninsula that runs southeast from near Lake Pupuke in Takapuna, forming the northern side of the Waitemata Harbour...
(Victoria Wharf), though she has had a number of berths around the harbour over time.
External links
- The Tug William C Daldy Society Inc (official website)