Tough Tuggers: The Various Uses of Tugboats

Tugboats are those small boats helping larger crafts dock in harbors. Their diesel-powered machines are very robust, and can push or tug tons of weight without even a hint of mechanical stress. However, there's more to this unassuming but powerful vehicle than just acting as a valet for docking.

Due to their incredible engine power, tugboats are the perfect craft for salvaging or recovering disabled ships. Such force is also useful for firefighting applications, hence, there are tugboats fitted with deluge guns designed to put out the flames while the craft pushes away other boats to safety. Some have even used tugboats as icebreakers that can pave the way through ice-covered waters for other boats.

With so many applications possible for tugboats, it's nice to hear that they are used for recreational purposes as well. Tugboat racing is quite popular in America, and without a load, the vessels are rather quick to push or pull. Their ability to move in any direction also inspired a peculiar tugboat “ballet” in Hamburg, which features the crafts doing various synchronized maneuvers to music. Whatever they may be used for, people just love and respect their tugboats, which are far more than just for parking other water vessels.

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Huge Vessels Need Work Boats

You can find many kinds of ships sailing in different types of water basins; oceans, for example, have cruise ships, cargo vessels, and war ships. In lakes and rivers, or waters near the shores, you can find smaller boats for leisure and sports. This includes yachts, canoes, and jet boats.

Huge vessels that take on the vast seas usually have huge purposes. Cruise ships, for instance, are for passengers, while cargo vessels are for transporting various commercial products for trade. War ships, on the other hand, are built for the naval forces of different countries. No matter how these boats serve the purpose for which they were built, however, the downside is that they are not always free to move in any type of water basin.

When passing through canals or docking at piers, for example, these vessels need the guidance of smaller work boats known as tugboats. Work boats are small but powerful vessels that assist bigger ships in waterways that the latter may not be able to steer through. Without them, huge vessels may not be able to maneuver safely and this can cause damage to the ship or other properties. With work boats to tug or pull these bigger vessels, they can maneuver better in smaller areas and resume sailing in safety.

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Things You Need to Do to Start a Tugboat Business

Tugboats are highly valued in the shipping and port industry as among their many functions is to assist larger ships and help them navigate their way in and out of harbors and ports. They also haul vessels that have lost power in the middle of the sea. Lastly, tugboats also play a role in construction work on or nearby a body of water by maneuvering vessels that carry construction materials.

Critical as they are to the shipping and port industry, the demand for tugboats is ever-growing. Entrepreneurs who are looking into business opportunities can consider starting a tugboat business . The first thing he must do is check for reputable boat builders and do a thorough research on those companies. He should also find out if they can customize a tugboat according to the business' specific needs.

As with any business, checking out the competition is an important step, too, but one must do this with caution. Otherwise, he may be branded as someone who is unscrupulously fishing for trade secrets from competitors. Of course, one can't have sufficient information about the business by merely searching for it online. He must also get in touch with other tugboat owners (those who are outside of his area, of course, so he won't be competing with them) and ask them what their experience is like running a tugboat business; doing so will give him a clear idea of what to expect.

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The Different Kinds of Tugboats

Tugboats are very important in maritime functions. For one, they are used to maneuver much larger ships through narrow waterways or through crowded harbor docks. They also power barges along with and against river currents. Moreover, they are essential in maritime rescue and salvage operations, and are also used to transport combustible and highly flammable materials.

There are several types of tugboats. Seagoing tugs, for instance, are some of the most powerful vessels out in the ocean. They have the power to navigate through open seas and oceans while hauling supplies to remote regions, or to tow ocean liners and other large ships that may be unable to move between ports on their own.

Harbor tugs are the most common tugboats out there. They are used to tow big ships along the harbor and navigate them safely into docks or harbor anchorages. They are, in essence, providing an additional engine to the ship they are towing and are often equipped with cushioning materials, particularly along the bow, to allow them to safely pull right against other vessels.

River towboats push barges in river systems and are constructed to get through narrow river passages and move up or down river currents. Commercial assistance towboats, on the other hand, are the equivalent of tow trucks for cars. They are used to tow smaller crafts that may be having some mechanical problems or are out of fuel. Meanwhile, specialized tugs are those designed for specific jobs such as escorting oil tankers and firefighting. 

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