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Grafton Boat Works, Grafton IL

Most recent update: October 3, 2010.


Grafton Boat Works was started in 1892 as the Rippley Hardware Company.  In World War I it produced more than a thousand lifeboats.  Some time in the 1920s, it was sold and the name was changed to the Mid West Boat Company, but this did not last long and it was sold again, becoming Grafton Boat Works.  Apart from building towboats and other vessels for the commercial market, this yard also produced, in the late 50s and early 60s, the SteelKing line of sturdy recreational boats, and in the late 60s and early 70s, almost 100 riverine-warfare craft for service in Vietnam.  If anyone can add to the table below, please e-mail me at timcolton@aol.com

Hull # Name   Owner Type  GT Built Disposition
  Papa Joe   Passenger 152 1929 Active
46 Alicia II   Recreational 35 1956 Active
110 Denny Angel MERS Inc Towboat  51 1960 Active
  Big Iron   Economy Boat Store Towboat    1960 Active
  Captain's Lady   Recreational 41 1962 Active
  Peoria    Corps of Engineers Towboat    1964 Active
333 Elemar South Coast Inc   13 1965 Active
348 Sealth Arrow Arrow Launch Service Passenger 29 1965 Active
  Kingsway   Fishing Vessel 81 1965 Active
360 Hard Hat Hard Hat LLC Towboat  28 1966 Active
  Reddy K Monongahela Power Towboat    1966 Now Denise L. G.
377 Intrepid Fuller Warren Charters Towboat 26 1967 Active
  Kimmswick    Corps of Engineers Towboat    1967 Active
400 John Alexa Joliet Harbor Tugs Towboat  143 1969 Now William C
  Piper Soule Construction Towboat    1969 Now Jillian Rae
  24UB 6801 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6802 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6803 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6804 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6805 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6806 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6807 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6808 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6809 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6810 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6811 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6812 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6813 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6814 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6815 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  24UB 6816 US Navy LSSC   1969  
  56CM 6801 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6802 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6803 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6804 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6805 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6806 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6807 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6808 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6809 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6810 US Navy LCM   1969 Now freighter Saltery Provider
  56CM 6811 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6812 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6813 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6814 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6815 US Navy LCM   1969 Now Beachcomber
  56CM 6816 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6817 US Navy LCM   1969 Now Parker I
  56CM 6818 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6819 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6820 US Navy LCM   1969 Now fishing vessel Drover
  56CM 6821 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6822 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6823 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6824 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6825 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6826 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6827 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6828 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6829 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6830 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6831 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6832 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6833 US Navy LCM   1969 Now freighter Island Supplier
  56CM 6834 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6835 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6836 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6837 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6838 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6839 US Navy LCM   1969 Now freighter Mudpuppy
  56CM 6840 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6841 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6842 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6843 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6844 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6845 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6846 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6847 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6848 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6849 US Navy LCM   1969 Now fishing vessel Rocky Neck II
  56CM 6850 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6851 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6852 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6853 US Navy LCM   1969  
  56CM 6854 US Navy LCM   1969 Now freighter Sunshine XII
  56CM 6855 US Navy LCM   1969 Now freighter Wadleigh Transport
397 Bryce M II K & G Crane & Marine Towboat  33 1969 Active
  Lady Potasa Dubuque Barge & Fleeting Towboat  24 1970 Active
  SWL 6906 West Delta Operating Offshore Supply 32 1968 Now Arkoma
  Person Corps of Engineers Towboat    1970 Now J. Gene Crump
  Prairie du Rocher  Corps of Engineers Towboat    1970 Sold 2005
  Rock Island   Corps of Engineers Towboat    1970 Active
  Grand Tower   Corps of Engineers Towboat    1970 Sold
  Beardstown    Corps of Engineers Towboat    1971 Active
  26UB 7001 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7002 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7003 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7004 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7005 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7006 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7007 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7008 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7009 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7010 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7011 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7012 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7013 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7014 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7015 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7016 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7017 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7018 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7019 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7020 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7021 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  26UB 7022 US Navy LSSC   1971  
  Lady Margaret   Research Vessel 23 1971 Active
536 Elvis H Mar Kel Marine Industries Towboat  20 1972 Active
538 Howard W. Fitzpatrick MassPort Fireboat  133 1971 Active
  Firefighter City of Boston Fireboat  125 1972 Active
548 Andrea M   Evansville Materials Towboat  24 1971 Active
  Sangamon    Corps of Engineers Towboat    1972 Active
  Three Aces     Towboat    1972 Active
  Arlene Illinois Barge Line Towboat  38 1972 Now Ugh The Tug
  Wm. L. Newman  Municipal Power & Light Towboat  21 1972 Active
568 H.C.S. Dixie    Henderson County Sand Towboat  33 1973 Active
  Stephenson    Corps of Engineers Towboat    1972 Active
573 Roberta J   Evansville Materials Towboat  32 1973 Active
  Sir William   Canton Marine Towing Towboat  42 1974 Active
  Lewis A. Enlow  A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1974 Active
586 Warren E Bourgeois A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1974 Active
  Kimberly Selvick Calumet River Fleeting Towboat  93 1975 Active
  Joey-Trish    Hennepin Towing Towboat  122 1975 Active
  Rusty Barrilleaux   A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1975 Active
  James E. Philpott  A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1975 Active
593 Bill Froreich A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1975 Now Zeland M. Deloach, Jr.
599 Iron Charger Ohio Barge Line Towboat  245 1976 Now Tiny Sanderson
600 Ray Gee Ingram Barge Towboat  245 1977 Active
601 Iron Traveler Ohio Barge Line Towboat  245 1977 Now Capt. O. A. Franks
  D. O. Donham  A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1976 Active
  Lenward Stephens   A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1976 Active
  Iron Pacer Ohio Barge Line Towboat  245 1977 Now Ray Gee
609 Chris-K    Kelly's Harbor Service Towboat  43 1977 Active
  Delmar Jaeger   A.C.B.L. Towboat  214 1977 Active
614 RWFF 1 Teppco Marine Services Tank Barge 565 1978 Active