Jerry Husted is considered the originator of the cruising tugboat genre. The founder of Nordic Tugs, Husted has died at the age of 96.
During the energy crisis of the 1970s, “Husted concluded that powerboaters needed a vessel that wouldn’t cost a fortune to buy and operate,” the company said in a statement. He built a 26-foot boat with a traditional workboat profile and introduced it as the Nordic Tug at the 1980 Seattle Boat Show. Powered by a 3-cylinder, 36-hp Volvo diesel, the boat had a range of 600 miles at 6.5 knots. The price was $29,900.
By the end of the 10-day show, Husted had sold 33 boats; by the end of the month following the event, he had orders for a total of 54 even though the price had increased to $39,900 after the show.
Nordic Tugs has since built more than 900 boats from 26 to 54 feet. Husted remained with the company until three days before his 80th birthday, in 2012. Known as a hands-on executive, he sea-trialed all but a handful of Nordic Tug models, but his final test drive might have been the most memorable: a driving rain, stiff winds and bitter-cold temperatures.
“My God, the wind blew so hard,” Husted said. “I was so glad to get off that boat and get dry and be warm again. What a day.”
