Story
This tug was built in 1907 by Mayhew, N.J. in Vancouver, BC.
Historical Notes
On August 11, 1925 the tug Hustler was towing two barges (one on either side) when the Japanese freighter Kaikiyu Maru collided with the barge sinking the Hustler. The freighter hit the barge amidships so violently that tug owners, Horatio and James Robert Hodder were injured. The tug sank. The freighter was arrested but made a run for the sea, ignoring government and court officials demanding that this vesselheave to. On June 16, 1938 this tug, while under command of Captain W.G. McKay, was travelling upstream in the Fraser River towing two empty scows. A half mile east of the Fraser Avenue bridge the fishboat An collided with one of the scows. The An had been drifting downriver with a gillnet set. The tug took evasive and warning measures but the bow of the fishboat hit and sank almost immediately. A police investigation concluded that Alfred Nelson, on seeing the tug, went into the cabin to start the engine.
He was drowned in the incident. The Hustler was later salvaged. At the end of her life this vessel was reported to have been beached and broken up in 1951.
Owners & Masters
In 1907-1910 she was owned by Napoleon J. Mayhew, Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1910-1911 she was owned by Robie L. Reid, Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1911-1914. she was owned by Joseph J. Hodder, Vancouver BC Canada. (On June 16, 1914 Joseph J. Hodder died.) In 1914-1930 she was owned by Horatio Hodder, Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1930-1933 she was owned by White Rock Tug Co. Ltd., White Rock BC Canada.
In 1933 she was owned by Gulf of Georgia Towing Co. Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1933 she was owned by James Silken Jr. and Stirling C. Aitken, both of Point Grey BC Canada.
In 1933 she was owned by James & Stirling Aitken, Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1937 she was owned by Aitken Tug & Barge, Vancouver BC Canada.
In 1939-1949 she was owned by Monarch Towing & Trading Co. Ltd., New Westminster BC Canada.
In 1949-1950 she was owned by Westminster Charterers Ltd., New Westminster BC Canada.
In 1950-1951 she was owned by Donald V. Greenwood, North Vancouver BC Canada.
Masters
Captain Horatio Hodder (1925); Captain W.G. McKay (1938);
Repower
Repowered with a 75hp Wolverine gas engine (1919); Repowered with a 80hp Union Gas Engine Co. gas engine; Repowered in 1930 with a 170bhp diesel engine by Washington Iron Works, Seattle WA.
References
- Canada List of Shipping
- www.hoddertug.com ↗
- heritage.canadiana.ca ↗
- Vancouver Sun (Vancouver BC) Thursday June 16, 1938 page 2
- Times Colonist (Victoria BC) Wednesday August 12, 1925 page 8
- recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca ↗ (website viewed 08/09/2025)
- recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca ↗ (website viewed 08/09/2025)
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