. >> that was the year his great grandfather james mcalister started mcalister towing helping big shipsavigate to shore. do you think it is business sense or pure luck it's been in the family that long? >> there are several things that have to happen. one, you can't make too much money. if you make too much money, everybody wants to sell it and get rich. if you don't make enough money, they leave. >> you might say he's found a sweet spot for the company. somewhere between too much success on the one hand and too much stress on the other. >> the most efficient boat in the world that alines like a yacht. >> james mcalister started the company in new york's south seaport as a loan immigrant with a single cargo boat or lighter he launched a business big enough to support himself and three brothers. >> here we have mcalister towing. >> by the turn of the century, the next generation expanded the business beyond cargo to passenger ships, tugboats and towing. as the new york port expanded. the family diversified into new areas with different branches going into different maritime businesses. a

mcalister's family name had dotted the new york harbor since 1864. >> before that, you have to be lucky. >> that was the year his great grandfather, james mcallisterhelped business along the shore. >> has it been pure luck it has been in the family that long? >> there are several things that have to happen. one, you cannot make too much money. if you make too much money, everybody wants to sell it and get rich. if you don't make enough, they leave. >> you may say he found a sweet spot for the company. too much success onç the one hd and too much stress on the other. >> the most efficient boat in the world and the lines are like a knot. >> james mcallister started it with a single cargo boat. he launched a transport business to help himself and three brothers. >> we have the mcallister towing. >> the next generation expanded it behind cargo to passenger ships and tugboats and towing. as the new york port expanded, the family diversified with different businesses all with the mcallister name. >> when my great grandfather died, he left one of these boats to one of his brothers. my grandfather, who was his son and four boys, they got this. the steam