John Reeve, 29, works as a tugboat captain on the Andrew McAllister, a tug owned by McAllister Towing. McAllister has a fleet of more than 75 tugboats, crew boats and barges in 17 ports from Portland to San Juan, Puerto Rico; the Maine branch of the company is called Portland Tugboat. Reeves, a Maine Maritime Academy grad, became a captain two months ago, and he’s “thrilled to be promoted and have my first boat.”
He says multitasking is the hardest part of the job.
“I have to work the pedal (for the winch), the drives, the paddles, the radio and the peep whistle,” he said. Plus, “you’re in charge of everybody’s safety and the operation of the boat. It’s a little bit of pressure.”
But for Reeves, a Trenton native, there’s a lot to like about the job. “I’ve always liked being on the water,” he said. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve been able to tug.”
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