Hobbies And Interests
Workhorse of the Waterways
Tugboats, tugs, or the ̶0;workhorse or the waterways̶1; as Marcie B. Bilinski of the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources describes them, are small boats of incredible strength. In earlier times, they were powered by steam engines, but they now use diesel engines similar to those found in trains. They are built to pull great weights, like barges, and have duplicates on board for every critical part. This ensures that the tug is constantly reliable. Their small size also makes them ideal for rivers, but their hull designs make them inappropriate for the open ocean as they would capsize easily in high swells.
Types of Tugs
Most tugs are a "standard" type which tow their payload using a fiber rope or heavy duty wire known as a ̶0;hawser.̶1; This payload could be another boat, a piece of debris or a river barge. Even oil rigs require tugs to move them. Another form of tugboat is the "integrated unit," which will lock on to other boats only if they have the right docking mechanism. The final type of tug is the ̶0;notch tug,̶1; which is specifically designed for river barges. These secure themselves to a notch at the stern of a barge to tow the barge.
Steering the Barge
A tug steers a river barge in much the same way that a road vehicle pulls a trailer. A towline is attached to the notch on the barge and the tug can then pull the barge wherever it needs to go. When the tug stops moving the barge will often continue forward, but is equipped with rubber bumpers to prevent damage when the barge collides with the tug. These bumpers also allow the tug to push the barge, simply by nudging it. In this way, a barge can be towed large distances along a river and then nudged neatly in to place by releasing the tow line and steering around the barge. On heavier loads, particularly large structures like oil rigs, two tugs may be used in tandem to pull the payload.
Innovations
A Dutch innovation to the standard ̶0;notch tug̶1; resulted in what is known as a ̶0;carousel tug.̶1; This design of tugboat is fitted with a ring that runs round the circumference of the tug, with the towline attached to this ring. Because the tow line is no longer attached to a fixed point on these tugs, the tug can move around its payload with ease and the risk of capsizing is reduced.