ST Alwyn Vintcent coal fired steam pilot tug

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The venerable Steam Tug Alwyn Vintcent has been saved for Heritage !

Until recently, the Alwyn Vintcent belonged to an Australian businessman, but she has been bought by the Villiersdorp Branch of the West Cape Tractor & Engine club. Their plan is to transport her by road to a dry-land resting place in Villiersdorp, very much in the public view. Initial plans are to dismantle the superstructure and remove the boiler. If this can be done and the load is less than 4.5 meters high, then it should clear the telephone and electricity lines.

Two firms are to be involved in the project:

ALE of Firgrove www.ale-heavylift.com who has the trailer and prime mover, and

MME (Machine Moving and Engineering) www.mme.co.za whose Johannes Uys is a member of our club, who do the lifting.
The task at the beginning of 2011 is to dismantle with care the internal and external pipework, wiring and controls, along the proposed cut line. This is hard work, requiring careful marking and reference to the original drawings which we very luckily have.

So far, we have had the Cormorants removed by SANCCOB, we have washed the Alwyn Vintcent and covered her with shade netting, which so far seems to be discouraging the cormorants from coming back to nest. The Management of the V&A Waterfront are being extremely helpful.
The move by road is scheduled for later in 2011. The route will have to be via Hermon, Wolseley and Rawsonville on account of sharp turns on other approach roads.

The Alwyn Vintcent will initially stand in the yard of Dennis Viljoen Engineering in Villiersdorp while the reassembly and restoration takes place, after which a decision will be made where she will stand.
The plan is to bring her back to steaming condition on dry land. At this stage, the costs involved in restoring her back to seaworthiness are prohibitive, but nothing will be done to the vessel which would prevent that from happening in the future. The planned unveiling is August 2013, at which stage our Club will be 21 years old.

Please open our News page for the latest updates.

Alwyn Vintcent Out of the Water!

We were warned that our Steam Tug would be taken out of the water just before the Synchrolift was closed down for annual maintenance at the end of the first week in May. In the end, we were the second-last vessel to be taken out and we were informed that the operation would take place the following day, on the evening of the 3rd.

Port Captain Steven Bentley has been working hard on our behalf and has already persuaded the firm Atlatech to scrape and pressure wash the hull of our vessel. But he didn’t stop there! What about painting once the barnacles and other sea growth had been removed?

Before long we were contacted by Clint Courie of International Paints Akzo Nobel, with an offer to see what he could do. We were stunned to hear within days, that his firm was prepared to give us paint, not only for the hull, but for the entire vessel!

Paint and Painting Sponsors

Traditional Boat Association

On Wednesday 23^rd May 2012, representatives from the steam tug; Alwyn Vintcent were asked by Colin Davids to attend a meeting at Royal Cape Yacht Club, where the Traditional Boat Association were winding down their business and closing down.

The Move

Photos By Trevor Wilkins

On the Trailer Ready to Go!

Message from Steven Bentley

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

It was a sad morning at the V&A Waterfront as we watched the old steam tug Alwyn Vintcent depart by road, knowing that she would never taste seawater again! But as the gloomy skies hung over us, and the last checks were done on the road trailer, it was opportune to pop a bottle of champagne and toast the old tug, as we hand her over to start a new life in Villiersdorp.

I was joined by Etienne Gouws from the TNPA Drydocks as we stood at the bow of the tug and gave her a quick bubble spray before departure.

Having worked with so many wonderful volunteers and contractors that have donated freely towards this project, I just want to say a heartfelt Thank You for all your efforts in getting this far in saving the old steam tug from the scrap yard.

I followed the road convoy as far as Milnerton, and then had to let her go !!

Thank You one and all, and here’s to another success story at the V&A Waterfront, and Transnet National Ports Authority at Cape Town.

Best Wishes

Steven Bentley

Waterfront Harbour Master

Message from Iziko Museums of Cape Town

Dear Steven

Thank you for caring for our maritime heritage. I know you would do anything to assist in this field if you had the financial resources – you have a true ‘sea-heart’.

And thank you of course to the Villiersdorp farming community for taking the Alwyn Vintcent.

Kind regards

Lalou

Lalou Meltzer
Director: Social History Collections
Iziko Museums of Cape Town