Big Mac

STAR TUGS #2

HARBOUR TUG

VOICED BY SEAN BARRAT

THE CHARACTER

Big Mac is one of Captain Star's Harbour Tugs, and also one of the strongest in the fleet. While he may appear blunt and gruff in his mannerism, he has a heart of gold and uses his strength to help others in need. He is also the most level-headed and experienced with up river manoeuvres and practices.

It's because of his river-wise knowledge that Captain Star put him in charge of moving logs from up river to the sawmills further downstream and was quick to pass on his experience about logs to Sunshine and Ten Cents, knowing full the dangers and damage could do when mishandled. He also, along with O.J, thought fast and acted bravely when the Star Tugs banded together to save Grampus from being blown up by the Navy.

Perhaps the most prominently of all his advantages as a tug, Captain Star makes great use of Big Mac's strength where, alongside Warrior, he had helped to gain important contracts that included heavy handling of stone, steel and docking liners. Big Mac and Warrior, having similar strength often work together on these big contracts, with Big Mac's wisdom pairing nicely with Warrior's Enthusiasm.

A good example is when the Star Tugs competed for the Steel Contact against the Z-Stacks, Big Mac told Warrior to stick to their course when Zebedee and Zak decided to take a short cut through the canal - for he knew on that day, during the high tide, the Z-Stacks' tall cargo would not be able to get under the many bridges.

Big Mac, for an experienced and large tug also has a tendency to be slightly superstitious, which was highlighted one particular winter where, having heard old sea stories from Scuttlebutt Pete the Dredger all day whilst working with him, he was the first to come across what he thought was the Ghost Fleet as they sailed through the fog in Bigg City Port.

The other Tugs laughed at him for being so spooked and thought he was being ridiculous for believing Scuttlebutt's stories, but later found that there was some credence to what he was saying when they saw them for themselves...

Big Mac isn't one to be played the fool, but there have been occasions when he had been caught unawares, usually down to his good nature towards other Tugs.

When a big liner arrived earlier than planned, and Hercules was unavailable, it left Big Mac the strongest Star Tug left to lead the docking procedure. Zip and Zug were ordered by Zorran to put him out of action and - perhaps because he didn't see the switchers much of a threat - Big Mac accepted their "kind offer" to help finish his work…right to the point when Zip and Zug pushed him into a mud bank.

If you get on Big Mac's good side, you know you have a friend for life, although Big Mac isn't afraid to state his mind about others who leave an offhand effect on him, like when Top Hat starts grumbling over the pettiest of things!

Big Mac is especially dubious with Billy Shoepack and his dynamite, such as the time when Big Mac had been forced to allow Shoepack to free Sunshine from the log jam, despite knowing of the catastrophic after effects the dynamite's explosion would create no matter what Billy's success rate has been.

Big Mac is the "Big Brother" of the fleet, and an invaluable member of the Star Tugs!

THE MODEL

Of all the models in our collection, Big Mac is unfortunatly the one in the worst condition. Before we aquired him he was in pieces. He was re-assembled by the Tugs' previous owner but remains with a deck that isn't entirely attached to the hull and with cracks in the superstructure on one side.

The above photo does certainly show his "good side", and if there was ever a repair/restoration project, Big Mac would be first in the queue.

Like many of the Tugs, we only have 1 Facial expression for Big Mac, but fortunatly, we made a friend in the chap who owns the rest of them, and Big Mac is often displayed with his other faces, as the owner quite often brings them along to kindly display them as they should be displayed.

Big Mac shares a hull design with Zorran, Zak, Zebedee, Warrior & Top Hat.