The new tug, Ranger, sailed from New Orleans recently, bound for Lake Erie via the East Coast and St. Lawrence Seaway. On stream behind the tug was a jack-up rig, the first towing assignment for the tug after its delivery by the builder Equitable Equipment Company, Inc., New Orleans. Owner of the Ranger is Temple Towing Company, a subsidiary of Zapata Off-Shore Company, Houston. After its maiden voyage, the Ranger entered regular towing service between Florida and various Gulf of Mexico ports.
The Ranger is an Equity standard 95-foot tug. Built for delivery from stock, the new tug was delivered to Temple Towing within 11 days after order, an end result of Equitable Equipment Company's program of building vessels for delivery from stock.
The tug was designed and built to American Bureau of Shipping class Maltese Cross A1 Towing Service. It is powered by two Caterpillar D-398 Series B diesel engines that develop a continuous duty rating each of 850 hp at 1,225 rpm. The vessel is fitted with twin rudders of streamlined section with lower stocks of extra heavy pipe, and pintles of ABS certified steel with bronze sleeves and set in Goodrich Cutless rubber bearings. Caterpillar 3192 reverse-reduction gears have a 5.31:1 ratio.
Propulsion controls are Westinghouse Air Brake pneumatic, located at two stations in the pilothouse, one port and one starboard, and at an after station.
Auxiliary equipment aboard the Ranger includes two 40-kw Caterpillar D-320T diesel generator sets, two air compressors driven by 5-hp motors with manual and automatic control, two ABS certified air receivers, transfer pumps, bilge, ballast, fire and general service pumps, and a potable water pressure set.
Quarters for eight men are provided, arranged in three staterooms. The Ranger is centrally air conditioned for year-round comfort.
Deck equipment includes a Smatco towing winch powered with a General Motors 6V71 diesel engine equipped with an Allison torque converter which affords a line pull of 100,000 pounds at 20 fpm, 150,000 pounds at stall, 11,000 pounds at 105 fpm. Line speed light is 115 fpm.