Vinik with his mascot, Gotham. KEYPORT- In July 2004, Capt.Mike Vinik’s dream of turning his love for the water into a business came true with the toot of a tugboat’s horn – and Vinik Marine Inc. was born.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be around the water,” said Vinik, who quickly added that he has been sailing since the age of 7.
A lifelong resident of Keyport, the 28- year-old Vinik graduated from New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler andmajored in marine operations.
“I always dreamed of boats, towing, and the physics of how things are removed fromthe water. This would explainmy fascination with tugboats,” he joked.
Vinik owns two active tugboats that work New York Harbor – the Dorothy Elizabeth and the Charles Oxman – and both cut an attractive silhouette painted with the company’s signature red, white and blue decorative striping.
Vinik recently purchased two more tugs, which he is preparing for duty: the Mike Azzolino, named after his grandfather, and the Teri Lou, a sturdy 35-footer.
Vinik in the wheelhouse of a tug. He explained that his working boats are staffed by a crew of between two and six mates who have six-hour shifts, or “watches.” The business operates 24 hours per day and has grown to employ 16 people. Vinik Marine’s Web site is www.vinikmarine.com.
Vinik said he started with just himself and a deckhand and acknowledged that his crews are “wonderful.”
Describing the functionality of tugboats in general, Vinik said, “Tugboats are multipurpose boats, but most people have no idea what they do. They are fireboats and have tremendous fire pumps. They also rescue other boats, ships and barges.”
Vinik explained that large boats and barges cannot turn ormaneuver very well. “Tugboats assist them,” he added, “by pushing or pulling at the appropriate times and places. We can slow them down fromthe wind, push theminto the current, push them away from the current, or push them toward the docks.”
Vinik cited the example of barges carrying 3.2million gallons of fuel, oil or gasoline.
Four of Vinik Marine’s tugboats: the Dorothy Elizabeth, the Charles Oxman, the Teri Lou and the Venture. “They need to get where they are going and need help to safely navigate the harbor. We are the insurance,” he stated.
Some of Vinik Marine’s recent assignments included towing an oil tanker that ran aground in Far Rockaway, N.Y., assisting a Staten Island ferry, hauling industrial equipment for a construction project on the Whitestone Bridge, and breaking ice in the Hackensack River.
“With all the ice, barges could not get through.We just motored along and broke all of the ice. Tugboats are incredibly powerful and versatile,” Vinik said, “and you feel like a flea when you are on one.”
Vinik also recalled an incident involving the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, which was docked in NewYork at the time.
“It got stuck in the mud, and we were the ones who moved the mud,” he said proudly.
The company was also hired for a very lucrative job by Dow Chemical, which needed signage displayed on a barge that would be visible from the sixth floor of the United Nations. Vinik not only procured and repaired the barge but moved it into place on the East River. He then designed the frame for the sign and estimated a savings of $300,000 for Dow Chemical.
“The company that was going to build the frame wanted $250,000. I did it instead, and was also able to get the barge and patch it up. We were very successful,” Vinik said.
One of the best perks of being on a tugboat, Vinik said, is the breathtaking scenery along with the sights and sounds of the harbor.
“New employees just stare with their eyes and mouths wide open,” Vinik said, “and I never get tired of seeing their reactions.”
Vinik is always looking formore tugs to purchase, but he admits that putting them into service and keeping them there is an expensive endeavor.
“Nothing worked when I purchased the Dorothy Elizabeth: there was no heat, no water and the engine didn’t work. It took me 10 months to get it into service,” Vinik said.H
e was fortunate enough to secure business loans, and moved forward with the acquisition of his second boat – the Charles Oxman.
“I spent a fortune installing all the equipment and had to deal with 18-foot seas when piloting the boat from Tampa, Fla.,” Vinik said. “But I am still smiling,” he added with a laugh.
While Vinik acknowledges that working on tugboats is grueling, tiring and dangerous, he admits a fondness for the unique camaraderie on the water. “Everyone knows each other; it’s a small world in the marine trades,” he said.
And there are also opportunities for fun. Recently, his company participated in the 2007 New York Harbor 15th Annual Tugboat Challenge and won first place in the best tug mascot category. Vinik’s bull mastiff, Gotham, serves as the company’s mascot and often stays on the boat with Vinik. The main attraction at the event was the tugboat races, which featured dozens of tugs in various sizes going at fullthrottle speed. Several of the boats also engaged in playful tug-of-war games and hit against each other.
“Tugboating is certainly a contact sport,” Vinik joked.
Commenting on what the future might hold for a seaworthy and industrious captain, Vinik shared some good news regarding his recent acquisition of a fifth boat. The Venture is an excursion boat that Vinik hopes to dock inKeyport.His plan is to offer scenic lunch and dinner cruises with the goal of assisting the town in becoming a destination for tourism.
For the time being, Vinik is content to sail the high seas planted firmly in his wheelhouse.
“Every day is a different adventure,” he said, “and I amdoing what I love themost.”
He concluded by paraphrasing an old saying, to which he added something: “Nobody doesn’t love a lighthouse or caboose, but I could never understand why the people who created that saying didn’t include tugboats.”