Bill,
I just read your book, "Gentlemen of the Harbor", and I would like to place the following endorsement.
You have outdone yourself in researching and putting together this wonderful piece of our American History that is so often overlooked. The book is a very easy read, and for "knuckle-draggers" like myself, the pictures do a great job of bringing out the stories. Your book truly provides an insight of the hard job these men/women had to endure, and they did it with pride and enthusiasm day in and day out, regardless of weather or at times, personal safety. It just makes me appreciate our little tugs that much more. We may not be pushing heavy barges or moving larger ships to and from the dock (although we have been asked to tow a stranded boater on occasion), but our boats were designed to emulate those working vessels and that's what makes people stop what they're doing and "stare" as we pass by--wishing they had a tug of their own.
😀 Now, thanks to your book, I'll be able to better explain the tug's role and their importance.
I recommend this book to everyone who owns a Ranger Tug (East Coast, West Coast, and anywhere in-between or elsewhere) and challenge everyone to keep a copy on board. Then, on occasion, challenge each other to see if there is a copy on board. If no copy of the book is on board, the person being challenged owes the challenger an adult beverage. If the challenged person does have a copy on board, then the challenger owes the beverage of an adult nature. Of course the challenger must also have a copy on board to start the challenge. The key here is not to be caught without the book.
Additionally, we will be "supporting one of our own", which can be seen on the website’s “About the Author” with Bill sitting in his R-25, Just Limin’.
http://www.gentlemenoftheharbor.com
Thanks again Bill and Nancy, for putting together this illustrated, fact-filled book.
