History

This is a work are for the LNVT Coffee Table Book

Born in the adversity of the Energy Crisis. The US was coming out of

Loren Hart cites the success of the Nordic Tug 26', which premiered at the 1980 Seattle International Boat Show, as being influential in his decision to design and build a tug himself. He believed there was a good market for a larger tug and decided on a 37'.

William Garden, Bob Perry, and Jim Backus, in that order, were approached by Loren Hart to design the 37 LNVT. After rejecting the designs of Garden and Perry, Bob Perry recommended that Loren talk with Jim Backus. The rest, as they say, is history.

James Backus, naval architect, credits Loren Hart with the original concept for the Victory Tug.3 Jim's inspiration for the yacht's dramatic sheer lines came from New York City's Moran Tugs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. He specifically incorporated the superstructure and raised bow which give the appearance of a working tugboat. Below the waterline, the full-displacement hull has elements of a Maine lobster boat shape with a full-length ballasted keel extending under a single propeller. Jim's design conforms to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and American Boat Yacht Council (ABYC) 1985 standards for vessels up to 200 feet in length. A working mast and boom enables a steadying sail and provides a lifting capacity for hoisting a dinghy and other gear onto the upper or 'boat' deck. The design allows for the engine and fuel tanks to be removed without cutting holes in the boat. The interior design is that of a luxury yacht with features such as teak and holly sole and varnished cabinetry made from solid woods with detailed joinery.

A total of 76 tugs were built. Construction of hulls numbered 1-18 was at the Hai O Yachts Corporation yard in Taiwan. Work began on the first 37' in 1982. The hull was laid in May of 1983 and delivered to the first owner, Dr. Fletcher, later that year. Hulls from this yard show "HAO" within the hull number. Starting with hull #19, Victory Tugs were built by Ocean Eagle Yacht Building Corp., Pali Hsiang, Taiwan. Hulls from this yard show "OEY" within the hull number. The last 37' Victory Tug hull, #76, was laid in March 1989 and delivered later that year. Construction at both yards was managed by Tommy Chen. This very informative LNVT Sales Process spreadsheet shows when each tug was ordered, when it was built, when it was shipped, when it arrived in the U.S., who the first owner was, how much the tug sold for, and the cost of the equipment options.

Research

http://lnvt.wikidot.com/jimbackusHistory of Lord Nelson Victory Tugs
By Tom Blackwood, 2007

Three decades ago Loren Hart started building 35 and 41 foot sailboats in Taiwan called Lord Nelsons. Business and sales were going well when he presented to his builder, Tommie Chen, and Naval Architect, Jim Backus, the concept of designing a pleasure tug. Tommie said he could do it and Jim went to work putting pen to paper lofting what would soon become the Lord Nelson Victory Tug. The hull of this 37 foot tug was based on that of a New England lobster boat of the same size. The net result was an efficient displacement hull capable of providing excellent fuel economy. With a fine entry forward and flat run aft, the tug provides for efficient running with minimal wake.

Construction began in 1982 and the first of the tugs came off the ways of Ocean Eagle Yacht Building Corp of Pa-Li, Taipei, Taiwan in 1983. At the zenith of construction the 37s were being completed at a rate of one per week. The Lord Nelson series, both sail and tug, were popular vessels and the yard had a two-year backlog. The first tugs produced were 37 feet in length and sold in the U.S. for $87,000-$90,000. It didn’t take long before they were selling for $110,000. Over twenty-plus years the resale values of the Lord Nelson Victory Tugs have approximately doubled.

Loren would spend six or seven weeks in the U.S. and then return to Taiwan for one or two. Maintaining that schedule, Loren and Tommie worked together for twelve years and Loren thus saw just about every boat in its construction.

For more of this article and an earlier one, see the Winter 2007 and Spring 2007 issues of www.classicyachtmag.com.

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The Lord Nelson Victory Tug

By Tom Blackwood

For Classic Yacht – online magazine

One of the easiest classic profiles to recognize on the waterfront is that of the hard working tugboat. Whether one is a child or a seasoned sailor, we know these tugs and have always had an attraction to them. These mighty vessels of strength go, without flare or fanfare, about their daily work, humbly tending to a myriad of tasks upon which the life of the harbor fully depends. They push, they pull, they tow, they shift and when it comes time for them to join the harbor symphony they have voices of deep strong horns as well as the high pitched trills of whistles. If one is lucky enough to be alongside an older master tug, one will thrill to the jingle of bells from the pilot house to the engineer and maybe even hear the crescendo of a steam whistle. More than any other vessel in the harbor, tugs have character and everybody loves them.
So it is with the Lord Nelson Victory Tugs. Every owner out there will tell you how these tugs, built solely for pleasure, turn heads on the dock, gets thumbs up from the commercial fishing fleet and often a friendly toot of the horn from the big working tugs with a knowing wave from the wheel house. When passing passenger vessels or cruise boats a toot and a wave is always returned by a field of waving hands and the flash of cameras. Everyone likes a tugboat.
Naval architect Jim Backus must have known inside how important that single element of design, the tug profile, would be for the success of his first solo production boat. He considered it paramount to maintain that characteristic both in terms of the hull and above decks. By combining the attributes of several major commercial tugboat designs he developed a sheer that provided a show of strength, a statement of seaworthiness and a safety factor forward using high bulwarks. Others in the pleasure tug market have tried, but none have achieved the same level of success of producing the classic lined look a like tug.
So how did this all get started? Three decades ago Loren Hart started building 35 and 41 foot sailboats called Lord Nelsons. Business and sales were going well when he presented to his builder, Tommie Chen and Naval Architect, Jim Backus the concept of designing a pleasure tug. Tommie said he could do it and Jim went to work putting pen to paper lofting what would soon take on the title of being a Lord Nelson Victory Tug. The hull of this 37 foot tug would be based on that of a New England lobster boat of the same size. The net result was an efficient displacement hull capable of providing excellent fuel economy. With a fine entry forward and flat run aft, the tug provides for efficient running with little or no wake.
Construction began and the first of the tugs came off the ways of Ocean Eagle Yacht Building Corp of Pa-Li, Taipei, Taiwan in 1983. At the zenith of construction four boats a month were being built. The Lord Nelson series, both sail and tug, were popular vessels and the yard had a 2 year backlog. The first tugs produced were 37 feet in length and sold in the U.S. for $87,000 - $90,000. It didn’t take long before they were selling for $105 to $106 to $110,000. At that same time, Grand Banks, having been around longer, was thought to be a better boat. It didn’t take long for those who became familiar with these little tugs to experience first hand the depth of quality and soundness of construction that went into their boats. The proof has unfolded and over time, while the price of the Grand Banks have not raised, the Lord Nelson Victory Tugs have doubled in price and still increasing for what are now 20+ year old boats. Boats of this quality are just not being made any more.
Loran Hart’s intention was to build the best boat, not a boat whose construction was primarily price based. That quality remains evident today to all who step on board. Loren owned the molds and put the money into the production. One day, thinking about owning one of these tugs for him, Loran went to Tommie and said he wanted to make a special boat that would be his. This request was met with a very long Chinese silence at the end of which Tommie tilted his head and replied “Mr. Hart, all boats should be special”. He was right and Loren felt a bit chagrinned at his request. And so they continued; making each boat special. This designer-builder relationship was a good one. In recalling those days, Loren commented there were times when he just wanted things his way. A time or two he got mad and yelled, in the American way, thinking volume and high pressure tactics would make it so. That seemed to end when one time, the ever patient Tommie, after a long pause replied in a calm and very serious tone “Mr. Hart, you must settle down. You are very important to our boat business and can not get a heart attack. We can’t afford to lose you.” Loren knew he lost face that day and while relaying this story to an audience with Tommie present, he wrapped his arm around Tommie and admitted how he felt so small afterwards. That about did it for the furious style of approach. Lessons were learned about Chinese business dealings. Sometimes at the negotiation table they will say nothing, very hard. A pregnant silence. If you lose your temper, Loren explains, you lose face and the Chinese will think “poor fellow”. Loren would spend six or seven weeks in the U.S. and then return to Taiwan for one or two. Maintaining that schedule Loren and Tommie worked together for 12 years and Loren thus saw just about every boat in its construction.
These power boats were really built for sailboat owners and incorporated many features familiar to them. A sailor coming on board or making the transition from sail to power immediately feels at home. An example is properly placed grab rails strong enough you can do chin ups on them. As production continued the boats evolved and every installation was considered fixable. An example of such is the engine as well as the fuel tanks could be removed without cutting any holes in the boat. For that reason, the aft entry to the salon is fitted with double doors. The tolerances may be tight, but it is doable and it is part of the builders pride to state so and to demonstrate to those who may be in disbelief.
Wanting these tugs to withstand the possibility of being pooped to the sheer by an offshore sea condition, Jim had the forward surfaces beefed up to 1 ½ the normal thickness of other exposed fiberglass surfaces. The result was they were able to meet the requirements of the American Bureau of Shipping and the American Boat Yacht Council Standards for vessels up to 200 feet in length. Safety is built into every aspect of these tugs and was a number one design criterion.

Another primary desire was to make these boats owner friendly. The interiors are lavishly appointed with solid teak, no veneer at all. The reason being is that these boats are made to last. Tommie states 50 – 100 years from now these boats will still be here and in demand and the owners will be redoing the finishes. Veneer will not last that long and replacement would be the only choice. Another subtle aspect known throughout the over 200 Lord Nelson sailboats and tugboats built is that the teak is taken from a single log for each vessel. By so doing, all the teak within matches for grain and color. That is an over the top feature of quality and required an on site sawyer to cut the large curve sections.
Brass accents throughout the interior, complementing the teak, promote an elegant atmosphere of yesteryear making each of these classic head turning tugs a beauty through and through. They are yachts that will long be with us maintaining that classic profile on the waterfront.

Though originally designed in the Seattle Westlake office as a Northwest boat, the popularity of these tugs really took off at the Miami Boat Show. In time that popularity came back home to the Northwest and in 3-4 years a similar pleasure tug, the Sundowner, was out of business. Customer satisfaction was part of the deal. Each delivery was made by a crew that went to the various receiving locations and cleaned the tugs up and outfitted them before turning them over to the owner.

As one owner says, “You don’t buy a tug; a tug buys you.”

About the 37’ Lord Nelson Victory Tug

(By Tom Blackwood and compilation of various writers)

Step back in time to the gracious era of luxurious yachts, when craftsmanship and dedication to quality was of greater importance than the quantity produced. The constant feature in these tugs is the extensive solid teak with excellent joinery throughout. Complimenting this is the accent brought by the many brass fixtures. Accommodations sleep 2 owners in 1 forward stateroom, plus 2 guests in the salon and 1 in a pilothouse berth, for a total of 5 berths.

The wheelhouse is where the helm station, electronics installation areas, chart table, breaker panels and convertible navigator’s berth are located. Located on the port and starboard side are a pair of husky Dutch doors which allow entry into the raised pilothouse, where a total of nine windows are found, six of which open, providing excellent 360 degree visibility for the helmsman in all directions. Further light and ventilation is provided with 24” x 26” Bomar opening hatches in the forward stateroom and wheelhouse. Salon and galley areas are equipped with seven opening windows. Double doors and sliding hatch allow access to the cabin from the fantail. Aft, two dogging deck hatches allow access to lazarette.

Standard features of the forward stateroom include a large V-berth, a curved settee, with large hanging storage lockers. Teak access doors enter the forepeak chain locker. A feeling of spaciousness, usually associated with vessels of much larger dimensions, is evident. Stepping aft, through a hand-crafted teak privacy door, is the shower and head area. One of the most positive features of these tugs is that the private head and enclosed shower are in separate compartments, each equipped with opening bronze port lights, Italian marble vanities with hot and cold pressure water supplies and stainless steel sinks. Ample storage is located in each compartment. A large bulkhead mirror complements the area.

A chef’s delight, the spacious galley is arranged in a convenient u-shape filling the forward end of the cabin. A bar counter, which runs out to the attractive brass pillar, houses the large heavily insulated top and/or front loading refrigerator/freezer with holding plates. A three burner stove and oven is located at the base of the U providing excellent viewing outside while cooking. There is a large double stainless steel sink, overhead solid teak cabinets with louvered doors and a glass storage rack. A large pantry cupboard located adjacent to the bridge companionway also cleverly serves as the engine room access door. Abundant storage areas are located throughout the galley and the entire salon. A spirits locker is located between the convertible settee/double berth combo. A unique folding table of classic design is located between the settee and the starboard side. Two moveable teak chairs complete the seating for four. The luxurious yacht like interior is finished in solid teak paneling and features 6’3” headroom with light ash overhead. The sole is beautiful inlayed solid teak and holly. The large windows give excellent ventilation and a feeling of openness and spaciousness.

High bulwarks and wide side weather decks encompass the entire vessel, offering safety and dry operation. Three large freeing ports on each side are cut through the bulwarks at just the right area, allowing rapid clearing of deck water. After the hull to deck joint bolting is completed the bulwarks are filled solid with foam which ensures water tight integrity and adds further to their strength. The hull is one piece, hand laminated fiberglass layup, exceeding the highest Lloyd’s and ABS standards. Foam insulation is installed from waterline to sheer for moisture and temperature control. Extra laminates are applied to all stress areas, which gives peace of mind to her captain. The molded rub rail that encompasses the entire vessel is fully faired to a beautiful teak finish. It is capped with teak and bronze, resulting in great hull strength and protection. The cabin and deck are one piece hand laminated with solid fiberglass stiffener sections strategically placed to give added strength and tradition that only teak can offer. Cabin top is surrounded by stanchions and lifelines, the cabin top is an excellent sitting area and many have one or two teak boxes for storage. The decorative stack houses a propane tank. Coast Guard regulation lights are mounted to comply with international requirements. The aft deck is fitted wit a stainless steel towing post and a nearby hot and cold shower.

The earlier tugs were fitted with a 135 horsepower BMW Marine Products D-150 engine and for the later boats the American made 150 horsepower Cummins 4BT3.9 turbo charged marine diesel was selected. With a 225 gallon fuel tank and a fuel burn rate as low as 2 gals/hour, these tugs are perfect for the captain planning extended duration cruising. The conveniently located engine compartment allows near standing room comfort in all areas. Heavy duty laminated engine stringers are fitted with steel section to allow bolting of engine mounts. Engine and generator access is easy with the swing out pantry door allowing walk in passage along the starboard side of the engine. Further access to the port side is attained through the wheelhouse sole plate. Stainless steel steps which lead own into the engine room are removable and fit into brackets on the exterior hull for a swim ladder for easy boarding in and out of the water.

Other features of these sea-going legend tugs include a 3 bladed 24” prop and a balanced stainless steel rudder. The full length ballasted keel is molded iron in shape of the keel, encapsulated in resin/mat/roving laminates. The hull design was based on the traditional New England workboat. Plumb bow and rounded transom provide a sea-kindly, stable and economical long range cruising yacht. The decks are teak and non-skid teak inserts are molded into cabin top work areas. Bronze mooring hawse pipes with cleats is an appreciated feature.

These yachts with their classic tugboat profile have more than doubled in value and continue to go up each year. They are quite the head turner and are often being photographed for their uniqueness and character. As a witness to their desirability, after over 20 years, many are still owned and operated by their original owner and all are in immaculate condition!

The Victory Tug—A sailor's power boat

As a young man Loren had, as they say,'good prospects'. He'd worked his way up from high school teacher to a college instructor (political science). A clear career path in academia lay before him as he contemplated getting his Ph.D. However, after a two year sabatical, during which he cruised his Cheoy Lee Offshore 36' from Florida to Seattle via the Panama Canal, he changed tacks deciding boats would be his new career. Ditching the security offered by academia he began selling Hans Christian sail boats. He lived aboard his Cheoy Lee in Long Beach, CA. What followed was a crash course in the boat business.

Selling Hans Christians he decided would be much more fun. He did well and began marketing Hans Christians too. Then he was helping with strategic planning. next step was strategic planning . At first he Wasn't involved in the building process

At Hans Christian Loren learned what it took to make a great sailboat, and to make it cost effectively. He met and befriended marine architects like Bill Perry, William Garden, and Jim Backus. As his repsponsibilities increased so did his travels to Taiwan. This rounded out his education by exposing him to the manufacturing side.

From Wikipedia

Name Dates Duration (months) Time since previous recession (months) Peak unemploy­ment GDP decline (peak to trough) Characteristics
1973–75 recession Nov 1973 – Mar 1975 16 36 9.0% −3.2% A quadrupling of oil prices by OPEC coupled with high government spending because of the Vietnam War led to stagflation in the United States.[38] The period was also marked by the 1973 oil crisis and the 1973–1974 stock market crash. The period is remarkable for rising unemployment coinciding with rising inflation.
1980 recession Jan–July 1980 6 58 7.8% −2.2% The NBER considers a short recession to have occurred in 1980, followed by a short period of growth and then a deep recession. Unemployment remained relatively elevated in between recessions. The recession began as the Federal Reserve, under Paul Volcker, raised interest rates dramatically to fight the inflation of the 1970s. The early '80s are sometimes referred to as a "double-dip" or "W-shaped" recession.
Early 1980s recession July 1981 – Nov 1982 16 12 10.8% −2.7% The Iranian Revolution sharply increased the price of oil around the world in 1979, causing the 1979 energy crisis. This was caused by the new regime in power in Iran, which exported oil at inconsistent intervals and at a lower volume, forcing prices up. Tight monetary policy in the United States to control inflation led to another recession. The changes were made largely because of inflation carried over from the previous decade because of the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis.
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