Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (June 2006)

35 37

Local Son

Roehrig Maritime is based in Oyster

Bay, on Long Island, quite a few miles from the Kill Van Kull where the fleet ties-up. The building it occupies looks like any modern office building, with no indication of the specialties within. You'd expect offices with flowers and piped-in music and receptionists with a smile -- but walk into the Roehrig suite and you're dead-center in a bustling tugboat compa- ny. The comptroller's on the phone at receptionist's desk. The corporate counsel,

Capt. Stash Pelkowski, Esq. is the first door on the right. Head of engineering

Ron Boyajian has the office ahead to the left. The next contains busy dispatchers, with Jack Kase the head of operations, and gents known to the industry as Al and

Jim manning the phones. That's who you'll find on a typical day. And at the corner, the gent whose initials are on the stacks.

Chris Roehrig grew up in those parts, before the Jakobson shipyard turned into a park. The local creeks come up frequently in the discussion of his early days, along with a ride in a sailboat with his father, and his first tug sighting. From that moment onward, he says, he knew. He says he was eight at the time.

Steering a desk must have seemed a remote prospect in those days. Capt.

Roehrig started decking on Hempstead harbor at age fourteen, and seizing oppor- tunities to learn more. "There was a lot of activity out here back then," he says, and he knew the creeks. Big advantages…except for a little bartending and bodyguard work at the time of the strike, tugs have always been where he worked.

From Barker Towing, he went to

Thomas Towing, and Moran. "I was steer- ing for Red Star just short of my 23rd birthday," he says. He was getting around, getting known. The strike was still smol- dering when he bought the Tilly. "We served a niche market," he tells us, "doing anything. We towed everything from garbage to mud to sand scows to stone scows -- if it floated in New York we've moved it once. " 36 • MarineNews • June 2006

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. 469 NW Bowdoin Place z Seattle, WA 98107 z Phone: 206-545-8485

Fax: 206-545-3504 z [email protected] z www.kvichak.com

Homeland Security Catamarans or monohulls z Most models on GSA

Full range of options z Outside designs welcome 28’ - 65’ in length z Aluminum construction

Designer: Jensen Maritime

Fast. Reliable. Safe. Patrol and fire fighting vessels to serve your city, state and port needs. • Eliminates the need for Mirror

Surface Grinding • Reduces Chock installation time by more than 50% • Close tolerance EXACT FIT • Proven Track Record of over 20 years on US Navy

LCAC, MHC-51 Mine Hunter and other Naval

Shipping www.dynamold.com • Fax 817-877-5203

Contact Michael Peck at 817-335-0862 or email at [email protected]

Moldable Epoxy

Chocking Material

For Engine and

Component Installation

From Freezer To

Finish In Minutes

Available in two-part system or pre-catalyzed frozen sheets or cut shapes

Circle 246 on Reader Service Card

Circle 242 on Reader Service CardCircle 224 on Reader Service Card

Circle 236 on Reader Service Card

Anabelle V. Roehrig

Heidi E. Roehrig

With her solution to eye-height built-in, the 3,000 hp Heidi E. Roehrig began life as the Texa- co Avjet, one of the last built in the yard that made Oyster Bay famous. (Photo: Don Sutherland)

Roehrig's first 6,000 hp tug with new upper house, Anabelle V. Roehrig, backs out of the notch of Penn No.121 after a delivery in the anchorage. (Photo: Don Sutherland)

JUNE MN2006 5(33-40).qxd 6/2/2006 11:01 AM Page 36