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The Flags of the World website shows Gilchrist as a red flag with a white G.

Some of the more common or standard ship building scales are: 1/700; 1/350; 1/192 (1/16" = 1'); 1/96 (1/8" = 1'); and 1/72nd scale. There are some photoetched, cast resin, cast metal, and 3D printed fittings in those scales. There are a few builders that use HO (1/87th) scale for their bui...

During several trips in the 50s, I remember seeing a chart on the pilot house bulkhead with tug whistle signals. I don't remember the codes, but a few "titles", were back, ahead, strong. In the early days of bow thrusters, a common expression used in the pilot house to turn off the bow th...

Those are Command Excellence or Effectiveness Awards. Red E on the stack is for Engineering excellence. Red DC for Damage Control. Larger cutters with gun turrets may display a black E on the gun turret. Here's a link to the U.S. Navy ship awards (USCG is similar) https://www.navysite.de/what/bridge...

Repairs of the underwater portion of the hull have to be done in drydock. While they could crop out and replace hull plating underwater, they can't paint the repairs underwater.

KATMAI BAY is scheduled to start her Service Life Extension Program period in late May 2017. She is estimated to leave the CG Yard near Baltimore in late June 2018.

The U.S. Navy has been using low vis hull numbers on ships since the mid 1990's.

Jack's Marina occupies the site. The concrete walls are still there, with piers attached to them. http://marinas.com/view/marina/7536_Jacks_Marina_Inc._Port_Clinton_OH_United_States https://mooragemarket.com/moorage/8883/jacks_marine https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=41.889754970...

The site of the former Matton Shipyard isn't open to the public. It is visible from the road or the river. The property is fenced off, and several buildings are still there. The shipyard is part of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. http://www.eriecanalway.org/our-work/preserve-heritage/m...

Cafepress.com has some mostly generic Great Lakes shipping decals & bumper stickers. Some of the ones on their website are: CGC MACKINAW (WAGB 83); GLT Tug OHIO; and several freighters in the locks or under a bridge. Zazzle.com has several sticker as well. One has the caption "I brake for l...

It could also be the USCG STURGEON BAY. It is hard to tell since they edited out all of the USCG markings. From the angle, the commercial was shot from the SW end of Governors ISland, which used to be the USCG Base.

Approaching Cape Cod Canal from the south - the red buoys are on the eastern side of the channel. There are no buoys or lighted Nav Aids in the canal. Exiting into Cape Cod Bay, there are green buoys on the right side. Typically double ended ferry boats (Staten Island Ferry, et al) will have two set...

Red DC for Damage Control excellence
Red E for Engineering excellence
Blue E for Deck excellence
Green E for Operations
Black Circle E for Operational Readiness

The letters may have up to 3 hash marks under them, for subsequent excellence. Gold letter indicates 5th award in a row.

The POINT STEELE was stationed at Oswego, NY from 1969-1980; she would leave the lakes just before the Seaway closed. She spent most of 1969-73 escorting Communist Block freighters from Massena to the Welland Canal. Several of the RELIANCE class 210' Medium Endurance Cutters were built on the lakes....

I took a picture of the RANGER in 2011, and submitted it to https://gltugs.wordpress.com/ranger-ii/

The closest thing will be the Dumas City of Buffalo kit when it is released. The City of Buffalo operated on Chautauqua Lake in New York.

Since Morro Bay is the first going through the 140' SLEP, she will take a little longer. Other military programs similar to SLEP are the FRAM (Fleet Rehab And Modernization - USN Gearing Class DD's and USCG 378' WHEC) and MMA (Midlife Maintenance Activity - USCG 210' WMEC). Most of the old 180' Buoy...

The first Mackinaw was originally set to be named Manitowoc, but the Navy already had a frigate with that name, so the name of the new icebreaker was changed to Mackinaw. From April 1949 to December 1967, there was also a USCGC Mackinac (WHEC 373). Mackinac was a USN Casco 311' seaplane tender. The...

The bulls eye is a clear view screen, a rotating clear disk on the pilothouse window. As the disk spins, centrifugal force spins the rain, snow, etc, off the screen. The disk is often heated so it won't ice or freeze up. The motor is located on the inside of the pilot house.

Another tug event is the Tugboat Roundup in Waterford, NY in September. Waterford is north of Albany. The various tugs moor along the canal wall, and you can board some of them. We went a few years ago and enjoyed ourselves. http://www.tugboatroundup.com/ I lived in the Soo for 5 years and watched t...