Last Remaining WWII-Era Boston Duck Boat Takes Its Final Tour
BOSTON (CBS) – She's been around for victory parades by the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins but it's time for Beantown Betty to call it a career as a Boston Duck Boat.
The last of the World War II-era amphibious vehicles in the Boston Duck Tour fleet, Beantown Betty Monday gave her last tour of the Hub's streets and the Charles River.
"The vehicles lasted a really long time considering they were built in the 1940s, went through a war and then drove around Boston for 20 years" said Boston Duck Tours CEO Cindy Brown.
The company has been upgrading its fleet over the past 10 years with new versions that hold more people and run on bio-diesel fuel.
The new duck boats have plenty of replacement parts that were difficult to find for the 1945 versions. Each of the new duck boats uses the names and colors of the original vehicles they replace.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
A new Beantown Betty joined her retiring twin for tours on her final day.
Two of the original Boston Duck Tour ConDUCKtors, Richard Clermont, a.k.a. Captain Courageous, and James Healy, a.k.a. Commander Swampscott, took the helm for Beantown Betty's final voyages.
The old Beantown Betty will be kept around for parades and other events but Monday was her last dip in the Charles.
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