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Workboats - Ain't All The Same! I simply can't stress this - Enough! .... Because the average person seems to think, everything in workboats is always called some sort of TUG! ..... And They Ain't!!! But all to often, you will hear someone refer to most any type of workboat - in that manner. It doesn't matter which kind of boat - it really Is? That's why you've ( I'm sure ), heard towboats, called Push - Tugs ..... Or Push - Boats ..... Or even = River Tugs. The problem with those terms, is there is - No Such Kind of Boat! And there is really only two types of vessels in = Workboat Class. And all vessels in this class, fall under one or the other hull type classification, which sets them completely = Apart. So Remember - Both are totally different from the other, in hull designs and/or usage in towing or work duties, so remember this, because Its Most Important! And to work boater or crewman, its an insult to use such terms as I've just mentioned ... Almost like calling a Battleship - A Submarine! .... "Cause Somethun Just Ain't - Right About It!" _________________________________________________________________________
The 2 - Types Of Boats = In Workboat Class
Look at the above drawings, and ask yourself - This One Question ...... "Mark Twain - once said, the Steamboat was a Remarkable Thing ..... "Capable of Running on as little water, as a "HEAVY DEW!" ... "Now Which Vessel, Or Design .... Matches Closest To What - He Meant?" Now your beginning to understand what I'm talking about and it might interest you - to know, that back when steamboats were still new. `They were designed to run and work, "In as little, as 18 inches of water!"..... "Now that isn't much water - IS IT ..... Pretty close to being what Mark Twain - Said Huh ....... OK! - Now Try That you understand towboats a little better, try doin that with a TUGBOAT!" Blue Water - Workboats Tap To Enlarge Photos
Are vessels designed expressly with "DEEP-V Hulls" and carry very deep waterline drafts - more then 12 feet deths of draft are common to Tugs or Tugboats, designed expressly for use on Blue Waters = Oceans & Lakes. These vessels are used around Harbors & Sea Ports, or to push & nudge - Barges or ships - for example. Types of tugs consist of the following, but are not limited to; Pilot Boats ... Crew Boats ... Fast Ferry - Boats ... Fast - Delivery & Oil Supply Boats ... Dive Boats ... Safety & Navigational or Inspection Boats ... Including Self- Propelled - Cranes, Derrick Boats or Heavy Lift & Salvage Vessels ... Dry-docks - Or Dry-dock Ships ... Coastal - Tugs ... Harbor - Tugs ... Docking & Berthing - Tugs ... Deep Sea-Going - Tugs. And also - AT/B's = Articulated Tugs & Barge Combinations ... IT/B's = Integrated Tugs & Barges ... Anchor Handling - Tugs ... Ice Breaking - Tugs & Fire Boats, for examples. Tugboat - General Duties = Used as assistance boats, in helping to maneuver larger - Ocean Going - Ships. "Or to assist a vessel to Enter or Exit" coastal sea ports, or help them into or Out Of, Docks or Berths. Secondary Duties = Handling Barges ( Only In Small Numbers = 1 - 2 ), because of their limited steering & maneuvering abilities. NOTE - Tugs are the most widely recognized - World Wide in Popularity. Something which often over-shadows - other vessels also in Workboat Class and this confuses some people as to Which Is Which. Being - why people often refer to other workboats, as some sort of = TUG, in an unfair attempt to compare them, that isn't proper! _________________________________________________________________________
Brown Water - Workboats Tap To Enlarge Photos
These are vessels designed to operate on shallow waters, meaning inland rivers. As vessels go, their designs are to do what is impossible in normally designed vessels. Meaning to operate in damned little - Water, and Survive such conditions while shove'n tremendous amounts of tonnage - pushed ahead of them. Designed with a SHALLOW - Flat Bottom Hull, such vessels are classed as Brown Water - Work Boats. The following vessels are listed as brown waster workboats, but these are not limited to the following, which is just a small list for such boats: Towboats ( includes = All Types & Sizes ), Tenders ... Trip - Boats ... Utility - Boats ... Line Boats ... Long - Haul Boats ... And Pool - Boats. Other types of vessels in this class, include = Dredges or Dredge - Boats ... Bow- Boats ( Either "Remotely Controlled - Or Pilot Operated" versions ) used to assist larger Tows ... Helper Boats ... Repair & Supply Boats for inland - Oil Rigs, or River Construction, as well as River Work Platform Boats ... Including Bridge or Lock - Tenders ... Fleet - Boats ... as well as Grocery Store - Boats ... Snag - Boats & Fleet Inspection - Boats and Others. Towboat - General Duties = specifically designed to push or sometimes pull - Barges, on Inland Rivers. Not well suited for "Deep Waters", easily swamped in high waves. But when faced with "Dammed Little Water" or places where Maneuvering is almost impossible in narrow twisting channels = A vessel that's right at home - Doin The Impossible and can be modified to improve their ability to work in such areas. Hulls on towboats,are far heavier ( in strength ), than normal hull designs, in order to withstand extreme abuse, like being run aground and constantly under stress when pushing. Think of a Tank - with Push Knee's capable of steering in any direction with multiple rudder steering. Something which is not ordinarily needed by other boats, being the key factor in the towboats very unique designs, its technology and important usage The towboat hull, has to constantly expect rubbing or bumping the bottom, or going aground - at any time. A daily occurrence for these inland boats, but highly abnormal for others, making these vessels - even more unique. Ask anyone working on rivers and they'll tell you - "A Towboat Survives, because its designed to Churn - Mud & Chew - STUMPS!" ........ And Tugs can't do that - Period!!!! _________________________________________________________________________
Last Updated On 01/31/08
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