How Bryan Hughes prepares for ‘Haul to the Brawl’

CHARLESTON, W.V. (WOWK) – Stormtracker 13 Meteorologist Bryan Hughes is setting a course for a trip on the river, but this is not for fishing.

Bryan will be taking the Katie H. Sternwheel Boat from Charleston all the way up to Pittsburgh for the second “Haul to the Brawl.” The trip to Pittsburgh will take about two weeks, then it will take a couple more weeks for Bryan to make the return trip home.

As the Backyard Brawl between WVU and Pitt was in Morgantown and not Pittsburgh in 2023, Bryan took the Katie H. on a month-long “ Katie Cruise ” last year instead.

Viewers can track his progress by tuning into 13 News This Morning and 13 News at Noon each weekday to watch Bryan give live forecasts from his boat. That’s right! You’ll still be able to see Bryan on your screen during his trip!

You can also track his progress on our website under “ Haul to the Brawl .”

Bryan says that the planning process for a trip like this takes about a year because of how much goes into a trip this extravagant. He says there are moving parts that take a lot of time to fully put together, like whether or not others will be joining in, planning accommodations for pets – specifically his first mate and pup Bosun, – and routine maintenance on the sternwheel boat before he takes off on the journey.

This year, the Katie H. received a new paint job, but she’s been on the water for years and is no stranger to Pittsburgh.

“This used to be a work boat. It used to be a tow boat. It was called a single screw because it had a prop on the back of it – was 120 feet long. And then, they cut the back of it off and changed it into a sternwheel boat,” says Bryan.

The boat got its name from a former owner’s mother. Bryan will set off down the Kanawha River toward the Ohio River around 5 a.m. Thursday before heading up the Ohio River to Pittsburgh. He plans to return to Charleston on Sept. 23.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.