Historic Vessel for Sale - Tug Touchstone

TOUCHSTONE (Thames Tug, 1962)
Location: Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent

www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2744/touchstone

History:

Touchstone is a tug of welded steel construction built by Cooks of Wivenhoe for the Cory Tank Lighterage  Co. in 1962-3.  Until the early 1980s she was mainly employed towing petrol lighters from Thames Haven to Aylesford on the River Medway.  When this trade was discontinued she was assigned to the River Thames household rubbish trade running between City of London wharves and Cory's disposal/landfill site on the Mucking Flats marshes.

By the early 1990s she had become a standby tug at Gravesend, and in 1999 was sold out of service to her present owners.  They have endeavoured to maintain her as a working preserved craft, and she regularly attends festivals in South east England and Europe.

Condition:

Fitted with a Lister Blackstone diesel engine, Touchstone is in good order.  She was surveyed one year ago with no defects.  The hull and deck are epoxy coated with excellent plate thickness.  Modern master cabin aft and a forward mess room with 3 berth accommodation, fridge, microwave and large galley.  The bridge is equipped with modern electronics radio, echo sounder, large screen AIS and second large screen general Seapro plotter.

Videos and photos of Touchstone can be found on the Tug Touchstone Technical Facebook page, or the previous Tug Touchstone Facebook page.  There are also numerous videos of Touchstone on Youtube.

Having owned Touchstone for 25 years, the owner is keen to find a suitable custodian who has the necessary skills and contacts to keep touring with the vessel.

Contact the owner: 

Further details by contacting the owner Rob Chandler by email at rob-chandler@hotmail.co.uk or by phone on 07940 295395.