Jack Gaston: 20 years with Maritime Journal

It has been a period of immense technological change for the industry, as tug design and development has diversified to meet demand for a wider range of more versatile and powerful vessels.

Jack’s interest in tugs began in the early 1960s. He had just finished an apprenticeship in heavy plant engineering and, always a keen model maker, saw a plan for a tug in The Model Engineer magazine. He had never seen a tug but contacted the owners of the tug ‘Moorcock’, berthed at Gravesend near his home in Kent UK. A tour of the ship with the tug’s chief engineer and Jack was hooked. “I was so fascinated by the direct reversing Polar engine, I have never been away since.”

Jack later became involved with J P Knight Ltd, which ran a fleet of tanker handling tugs on the River Medway. Company MD, Anthony Knight was most encouraging and so began a long and enduring relationship with that company.

Jack also started photographing tugs and his first article, a photo feature for Ships Illustrated, was published in 1965. “I was intrigued by the technology. What interested me most was that a tug is all engine and technology. No passengers, no cargo – that suited me just fine.”

A first article for ‘Sea Breezes’ magazine in 1969 led to a regular column about the British industry which ran for 30 years. By 1990 he was contributing to Lloyds List and took over writing the publication’s Towage & Salvage and Tug Design & Construction Special Reports.

In 1994 Jack contacted Maritime Journal and told founding editor Peter Moth, “In every tug I go on, there is a coffee stained copy of Maritime Journal. I reckon if you had news on tugs in there it would improve the magazine.” From the March 1994 issue Jack’s monthly Tugs & Towage became a regular featureof MJ.

Jack has also written four books; ‘Tugs & Towing’, ‘Tugs Today’, and two versions of ‘The Tug Book’, which are widely recognised as the industry standard works of reference. In 2006 he was unanimously selected by the British Tugowners Association as the first ever recipient of the British Towing Industry Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the British towage industry.

Jack intends to reduce his monthly contribution to Maritime Journal from the July issue. The regular ‘Tugs & Towing’ column will be taken over by fellow tug enthusiast Peter Barker but Jack will continue to contribute feature articles on new technology.

“I have arrived at a point in my life where there are other things I want to do, he says. “But Tugs & Towing has been and will remain an all consuming interest. I will always be grateful for the support I have received from my many friends and associates in the industry.”