Hand-built in Clinton, CT
Meet AWOOGA.
Small hull, enormous voice.
A 14′3″ mini tugboat built plank by plank over three years: from marine plywood and epoxy to a cartoon-eyed character with an air horn that does not match her size. Welcome aboard.
Her first day on the water
AWOOGA in motion
Three years in the garage led to one held breath at the boat ramp. Here’s launch day in three acts: from splashdown to a proper wake. Tap any clip to play.
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Act I
⚓ Splashdown
Splashdown
Off the trailer and into the water, the very first time AWOOGA floats.
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Act II
⚓ Push-off
Push-off
The first push from the dock, AWOOGA floating on her own power.
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Act III
⚓ Making wake
Making wake
Out in the harbor under her own steam, throwing a proper tugboat wake.
Launch day · April 27, 2025
Live from Clinton Harbor
Is AWOOGA going out?
Best chance of going out today
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This week’s peak
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Clinton is the shallow-water launch. A morning high tide matters here; warm, dry weekend weather and light wind decide the rest.
Reading the harbor…
Checking the tide & sky…
One moment while we pull live tide predictions and weather for Clinton Harbor.
The week ahead ·
Upcoming high tides
Best Clinton Harbor windows
The next three morning highs with the day’s weather and going-out odds folded in.
A best guess from live NOAA tide predictions and Open-Meteo weather at Clinton Harbor, CT. AWOOGA (and her captain) always have the final say.
Baldwin is the moving-water launch. The best window is 30–60 minutes before slack; warm, dry weekend weather and light wind decide the rest.
≈ Live current speeds are momentarily unavailable — slack times and speeds below are estimated from the tide turns at the bridge.
Reading the river…
Finding the next slack…
Pulling live NOAA current predictions for the Connecticut River mouth.
Today at the ramp · …
The week ahead ·
Water conditions · next 12 hours
Height = speed · above the line is flood, below is ebb · brass bands mark the launch windows
Want to catch AWOOGA in the wild? 🚤
No promises — she's got a mind of her own and a captain to match — but if you're hoping to spot the little tug slip out, mosey down to the ramp around these times and look casual:
A live read from NOAA current predictions at the Connecticut River mouth and Open-Meteo wind for the Baldwin Bridge ramp in Old Saybrook, CT. The tide tables get you close; the captain makes the call.
Receipts, plural
AWOOGA by the numbers
Three years of sawdust, one very loud boat, tallied up.
Years in the build
Garage to boat ramp
Photos logged
Every win and do-over
Length overall
Tiny tug, big presence
Tohatsu outboard
A relaxed ~5 mph cruise
Times in print
WoodenBoat & Small Boats
Enormous voice
Wildly out of scale
Want the line-item version? Every receipt is charted on the Cost page.
See where the money went →Pop quiz at the dock
How well do you know AWOOGA?
Seven questions, and this time there are wrong answers. Everything you need is somewhere on this site. No peeking (okay, a little peeking).
Plug into the tug
The Tug-o-Sphere
A whole tugboat universe nobody asked for and everybody needs: beam aboard from dry land, soak in the briny ambiance, and emerge a slightly saltier person. Citizenship is free; leaving is the hard part.
TugFlix
Prestige tugboat television. It is not exactly award-bait, but every episode stars a 14-foot boat with the personality of a much larger boat, and the popcorn is free.
Message in a Bottle
Cast a note into the digital sea. AWOOGA fishes it out whenever she next surfaces: no postage required, only a faint smell of seaweed and mild barnacles.
Ask TugPT
The Awooga AI will answer anything. It is an artificial intelligence that thinks exclusively in tugboat. Wisdom not guaranteed; air horns extremely likely.
Earn Awoo-Gold
The realm’s finest fake currency, minted for the noble act of simply hanging around. Redeem it for genuine swag, bragging rights, and the warm glow of nautical wealth.
Chart your course
Where would you like to go?
Everything aboard AWOOGA, all in one place. First time? Start Here → for a short, guided route.
The main event
The Build
Three years of construction: the full timeline and a live photo portfolio, with every win and do-over left in.
Start exploring →Boat Anatomy
Tap AWOOGA part by part: the air horn, the eyes, the cabin, the motor.
Take the tour →About AWOOGA
The story, the inspiration, and how a tiny boat got such a big name.
Read the story →The Lineage
The TooT TooT bloodline: the little tug that started it all.
Trace the family tree →Sign the Hull
Leave your mark
Tug School
Everything about tugboats
Say It With Flags
Hoist a message in signal flags
Events
Where to see AWOOGA
Photo Albums
Flip through her shelf
Trips
Replay her voyages
Interact
Say hello & play along
Cost
Every receipt, charted
Estimator
Price your own build
Build Your Own
The honest how-to guide
AWOOGA-Wear
Shirts & gear
The Fleet
Sister tugs & their builders
How’d it get that name?
A 14-foot boat with an air horn voice
Picture a giant “BWAAAAA” erupting from a hull barely taller than you. That’s the whole name, explained. And like any proper boat, she speaks in blasts. Go on: sound her real horn signals.
👈 Tap to hear her