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This is an archived news release. It may contain outdated contact names, telephone numbers, Web links, or other information. For up-to-date information visit GSA.gov pages by topic or contact a public affairs officer at 202-501-1231. For a list of public affairs officers by beat, visit the GSA Public Affairs page.

Perfect Storm' Vessel Nets $60,075 in GSA Auction

GSA #9809

April 3, 2001
Contact: Deborah K. Ruiz, (202) 501-1231 deborah.ruiz@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON, DC - The auction of a former U.S. Coast Guard cutter closed last week with a winning bid of more than $60,000 placed through GSA AuctionsTM, the U.S. General Services Administration's auction Web site, at http://www.gsaauctions.gov.

The Tamaroa made its debut on the GSA AuctionsTM Web site on Wednesday, March 14, amid much public interest. Bidding began immediately and eventually included as many as 12 interested parties. After more than two weeks, the auction closed at 10:26 p.m. CST on Thursday, March 29, with a high bid of $60,075 placed by GoForIt, the logon name for an Alabama-based company, Maritime Equipment & Sales, Inc. For more information about Maritime Equipment & Sales, Inc., please call (205) 633-4002.

GSA completed the sale of the Tamaroa on April 3, 2001.

Originally the USS Zuni, a naval salvage tug during World War II, the Tamaroa was later commissioned into the Coast Guard where she served for more than 50 years in search and rescue and law enforcement missions. The Tamaroa was in New York Harbor for much of that time, but was sent to New Hampshire in 1984. It was during her tenure there that the Tamaroa helped to rescue survivors of the so-called No-Name Storm of Halloween 1991 which later inspired the popular novel and film, "The Perfect Storm."

Reported to the U.S. General Services Administration as excess by the U.S. Coast Guard in January 1994, the decommissioned Tamaroa was initially housed at New York's Intrepid Sea Air Museum until 1997. It was later housed at the Hudson River Park Conservancy until 2000. Since that time, the Tamaroa has been unable to generate long-term interest from potential donees and GSA opted to auction the tug in a final effort to find a permanent home for the vessel.

The Tamaroa is currently located at New York City Harbor in New York.

The GSA AuctionsTM Web site has been developed to complete GSA's transformation to an all-electronic asset management system. The site offers completely Web-enabled auctions through which the general public may bid electronically on a wide array of federal assets. For details, please visit GSA's Web site, http://www.gsa.gov.

Last Reviewed 2010-04-30
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