I started this build over at Modeltugforum but it may be of interest to some of you here also.
NZ is a small country and we dont have the variety of tugs that some of your countries do. No navigable rivers so no tow-boats or barges, no ice so no icebreakers, only one gas field so no X bows or AHTS, no logging tugs, no salvage tugs, no SDMs, no ATBs mostly just harbour tugs, big and small.
I usually try to find an interesting and unique local New Zealand tug to build but none of my models are truly unique someone else has built one too. This subject certainly is unique in NZ but it also may not be a one off it has been featured in one of the European model forums (either Polish or Czech I think) so a model may already exist.
Its the Tumeke the only pusher tug in the country and its quite unique in NZ. I have built a pusher tug before the 132ft Christian Reinauer ATB from NYC but the Tumeke is very different. For a kick-off, its tiny, only 9m long (27ft). Thats smaller than a small truck. It could fit on the New York ATB as deck cargo.
And its not pretty some might even say ugly. Let's just say that it certainly is challenged in the looks department.
It was built in 1995 by Northeastern for Benson Brothers (to a Chris Benson design) and is now based out of the major port of Tauranga. It spends most of its time pushing a harbour works barge and dredge around the small provincial ports on the Coromandel Peninsular, making and repairing marinas.
Tumeke means startled and Im sure you would be, in a high sea. It doesnt look as if it would be very stable without a barge attached.
It has a double chine steel hull, 400HP Caterpillar engine with a kort nozzle, a bollard pull of 4.5t, and a maximum speed of 7knots. All very modest specs.
A few years ago the wheelhouse was extended at the rear but Ill be making it as it was originally built with the smaller wheelhouse. The railings have also been altered in the last few years but Ill stick with the original design for them. As usual, not too much reference to go on, but it should be enough to work with and I can draw up some basic hull lines and profiles. The owners are happy for me to get on board and take a few photos so I might plan a weekend in Tauranga when the Tumeke is next back at base.
In the meantime I can start on the hull. As usual itll be 1/50 display only.