Where to find her:
She moves.  From July 1 to August 24, 2010 she is on Pier 11, Atlantic Basin, next to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and is the site of many programs.

After that, she, with PortSide office aboard, will return to the the Red Hook container port, south side of Pier 9B.  When she is on Pier 9B, you can see her from the IKEA ferry and Governor's Island or the foot of Degraw street when container stacks are not in the way.  Thank you American Stevedoring for the free berth, electricity, labor, and storage!

The long term Plan:
The Whalen is envisioned as part of PortSide's home base and as a physical attraction and event location.  PortSide uses the Mary A. Whalen several ways.

• as a stage for cultural activities
• as a historic ship where we give tours
• once cargo tanks are converted, exhibit, classroom and function space will be installed in 2,800sq ft of her cargo tanks

The tanker will be respectfully repurposed and enlivened by changing activities.  She will hold many of the activities researched in our business plan; however, not all of them fit aboard. We need space ashore to launch other programs, especially the Flotsam Project.

The vintage cabins, wheelhouse and galley will be restored.  We have secured most of the parts needed to repair her engine.

We have installed spudwells (huge steel sleeves through the hull) so we can use spuds (internal pilings).   Having spuds will enable The Whalen to visit communities that lack a pier or piers with tie-up infrastructure. Many new waterfront parks have no cleats or bollards on their piers, and many communities lack a formal waterfront park at all. Though she is quite long, The Whalen is shallow draft (8’ in the stern) and can therefore visit the many shallow areas of  New York's shoreline. All she has to do is drop spuds and lower a gangway.

The Whalen made history: 
All mariners in the USA today benefit from a legal case involving the the Mary A. Whalen.  More

Physical condition:
The Whalen is a handsome workboat in weary condition - volunteer and help us paint! - but she is in better shape than a lot of Red Hook real estate ashore.  She is adorned with lots of brass.  Though she is built of steel, she has a lot of wood trim and the lines of a wood boat, meaning she has sheer (or a concave longitudinal curve) to her decks, camber (a convex transverse curve) to her pilothouse, and she has "shape" or tumblehome to the sides of her house (as if the walls leaned inward).  She was built before Americans wasted so much electricity meaning she makes great use of natural light and ventilation. In comparison, many modern tugboats have cabins or galleys with no portholes at all; they depend on electric lights and air conditioning.

Mary Whalen history click

fact sheet

Guide to nautical nomenclature

Calling all former crew!
We want to tape record your memories and copy your photos.

And your advice can help us put The Whalen back together. Please get in touch!                                      

spudwell installation at GMD Shipyard