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DARLENE BISSO (1944)
Pictured as: the Catuan (Coastal Tug) Photo by: Unknown

Built in 1944, by Ira S. Bushey and Sons of Brooklyn, New York (hull #527) as the WYT 73 (Mohican) for the United States Coast Guard.

In 1986, the tug was decommissioned, and in 1987, the tug was acquired by Bisso Marine of New Orleans, Louisiana where she was renamed as the Darlene Bisso.

The entire hull of the vessel was gutted, and the house totally reconstructed from the main deckline. She was converted from single-screw to twin-screw with the installation of two Caterpillar D-398 diesel engines, with Twin Disc 540 reduction gears, at a ratio of with 6:1, for a rated 1,700 horsepower.

Her electrical service is provided by a switchboard with shipboard electrical power provided by two 75kW Kato generators driven by Detroit 6-71 engines.

She was also outfitted with an Almon A. Johnson 50,000 pound single drum, hydraulically driven towing winch.

In 2001, the tug was sold, where she was renamed as the Catuan.

In 2005, she foundered.


  • Vessel Name: DARLENE BISSO (1944)
  • USCG Doc. No.: 921836
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise, Unrestricted Registry
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 527
  • Ship Builder: IRA S. BUSHEY AND SONS
  • Year Built: 1944
  • Length: 110
  • Hailing Port: NEW ORLEANS, LA.
  • Hull Depth: 14.3
  • Hull Breadth: 26.5
  • Gross Tonnage: 193
  • Net Tonnage: 131
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    WYT 73 (Mohican), Darlene Bisso, Catuan
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    United States Coast Guard, Bisso Marine Company