Tugboats: The Hardest Working Work Boat There Is

Small work boats can usually be seen in the many harbors of the world, docking and undocking ships. These are more commonly known as tugboats and their job basically goes like this: The boat's captain moves the vessel alongside a ship, and then the tugboat's crew sends a large line to the ship, which is fastened onto the ship by its crew. Once all the lines are securely attached and everything is set, a docking pilot will direct instructions over the radio to the tug captain who will then maneuver the ship into or out of her berth.

The equipment one can find on a tugboat usually consists of the following: a stout line of about four inches in diameter, a small messenger line to haul the heavy line onto the ship's deck, and an even smaller heaving line to get the messenger line on board the ship. Once the stout line is up and both ends are fastened, the crews of both ships stand back while the captain and the docking pilot do their job.

The work of a tugboat remains the same wherever it may be. It gets to the job, puts up a line, and moves around until the larger boat is in the desired position. Once that's done, the tugboat crew brings the lines in, straightens them up, and prepares for the next vessel that needs maneuvering assistance.

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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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The Amazing World of Hardworking Tugboats

If you're in the library, you don't judge a book by its cover. The same thing is true when you're in a shipyard or in the sea, you don't judge a ship by its size; especially not when you're looking at a tugboat. From films to literature, tugboats have become iconic vessels because of their versatility and distinct design. They don't just sail with the wind and go with the waves. Tugboats play an important role in the marine industry.

Tugboats primarily perform three critical tasks: “tug assists”, towing, and transporting. A tugboat does a tug assist when it helps a larger ship with limited side to side mobility to maneuver and dock in the harbor. Oftentimes, when the force of a single tugboat isn't enough, a second tugboat can be brought in to assist the first. Powerful tugboats can also efficiently tow and transfer “dead ships” or barges to another location. In construction projects, tugboats move barges carrying materials and equipment, and give construction workers a ride from port to port.

Other than their practical uses, tugboats could likewise be used for recreation. There are yearly tugboat races such as the ones held on Elliot Bay in Seattle and even tugboat ballets during festivals where these boats execute choreographed movements with waltz and dance music accompaniment. Indeed, there are more to tugboats than meets the eye.

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