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Theodore Too:

11/02/2005

Murphy seeks help to float Theodore bid By Chris Lamble - The Daily News Theodore Too's big red cap is already out for donations before a deal is finalized that would see the lifesize TV replica ferrying tourist around the Big Harbour. Local businessman Peter Murphy, who has until the end of May to buy Theodore, is looking for local companies to sponsor the tugboat. " As you can appreciate, it's a very big purchase, " Murphy said. He hopes to use the boat to take people on hour-long harbour tours. But the boat needs " an extensive amount of work " to bring it up to Transport Canada specifications for carrying passengers, Murphy said. " If we don't do this, there's a very good chance that she's going to Boston or another port outside of the region, " he said. " So we're asking, basically, to get some corporate help." Besides buying books of 50 tickets for $1,000, Murphy said six companies can also sign-on as " pioneer sponsors. " For an undisclosed fee, they'll get a brass plaque on Theodore and the tug's services for corporate and charity functions. All the assets of Theodore Tugboat creator Cochran Communications Inc. and its subsidiaries went up for sale after the companies went into receivership last April, owing more than $10 million. Senholt Environment Services of Saint John, N.B., originally made the highest bid to buy the tug last fall. But after a full marine survey, Senholt decided it would cost too much to refit the tug to carry passengers. Murphy - who's also hoping to take the tug on tours of the Eastern Seaboard - won't say how much he's paying for Theodore, other than it's less than the $800,000 Senholt offered. He took the controls yesterday as the tug steamed from the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron to Cable Wharf in front of Murphy's on the Water. On the way, Theodore met the first cruise ship to visit the port this year, the Norwegian Sea. " The eyes were moving, the horn was going, people were laughing and waving on the deck, " he said," It was great. "

Capt Bob |12:13 EST |Comments (0)

 

 

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