If you’re on the Hudson River this month, you might see a new vessel working to keep New York waterways clean.
Named after a former New York State Engineer, the Frederick Skene has set sail.
The Albany Field Office’s new Debris Collection Vessel will scan the waters from Lake Champlain down to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, cleaning up driftwood and other materials hazardous to boaters.
Calling Friday’s boat dedication a unique and rare occasion, Branch Chief Michael Wright says the vessels are built to last.
“It's going to be able to do its mission for decades,” Wright said. “Honestly, if you look up there on land, that's the vessel that this vessel is replacing. That one was put into service in 1963 and just went out of service about five years ago when the Coast Guard deemed it unsafe.”
Deemed unsafe because of the deterioration of the thickness of walls and steel. The office has been limited in its capabilities to clean up the waterway since the vessel was no longer shipshape.
Wright says they’ve been using a smaller watercraft or borrowing one from a field office in New Jersey.
Cleanup efforts run between May 1st and November 30th. Wright says the waterways will be safer with the new craft.
“For all navigational traffic, commercial and recreational traffic. It [debris] can do a lot of damage to props on larger vessels and complete damage to smaller vessels, especially after storms you’ll see a lot of debris,” Wright said. “You'll get full length trees, you'll get docks, you'll get ladders people have on shore, tires, garbage, you name it. It flows down the river.”
Speaking at the Troy Lock and Dam, New York District Army Corps Commander Col. Alexander Young says Skene was a strong advocate in the federal government’s construction of the dam that connects with the state’s canal system.
“Constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers and completed in 1915. Since then, it's been operated by the New York District and provides significant economic and recreational support to the region,” Young said. “As the eastern gateway to New York's extensive canal system, it's a key feature of 524 miles of waterways and 56 locks, ensuring safe navigation of billions of dollars in commerce each year. It allows for transport of construction equipment, very near and dear to us, bulk commodities and oversized loads, such as large turbines, generators and steel that cannot be transported by our highway systems.”
Eric Gundersen is the Master Towboat Operator. Gundersen is tasked with driving the vessel. The 45x15 foot vessel will push a floating plant. The floating plant carries a stabilized 40-ton crane that is responsible for grabbing and flighting debris. For smaller debris, a smaller craft out with the Skene is available.
“If there's shallow water, you take the little boat to go rig it, and then bring it over to the bigger boat, because sometimes we draft too much to get in real, real close,” Gundersen said.
Gundersen, who has been piloting boats for more than three decades, says it takes a lot of qualifications.
“If was just this boat by itself, you would only need a 50-ton,” Gundersen said. “With pushing the barge, you need a master of towing endorsement on that, which takes years, years to get.”
Crew on board includes a driving operator and boat operator. “Then there's a bunch of guys on deck.”
