From river to harbor to ocean, tugboats are among the most ubiquitous
but underappreciated craft afloat. Whether maneuvering ships out from
between tight harbor finger piers, pushing rafts of forty barges up the
Mississippi, towing enormous oil rigs, or just delivering huge piles of
gravel to a river port near you, tugs exude a sense of genial strength
guided by the wise experience of their crews. We can admire the
precision of their coordination, the determination in their movements,
the glow of signal lights at night, silently communicating their
condition and intentions to vessels nearby. It is nearly impossible not
to be intrigued and impressed by the way tugs work.
In Tugboats Illustrated, Paul Farrell traces the evolution, design,
and role of tugboats, ranging from the first steam-powered tug to
today's hyper-specialized offshore workboats. Through extensive
photographs, dynamic drawings, and enlightening diagrams, he explores
the development of these hard-working boats, always shaped by the
demands of their waterborne environment, by an ever-present element of
danger, and by advancements in technology. Whether making impossible
turns in small spaces, crashing through huge swells, pushing or pulling
or prodding or coaxing or escorting, we come to understand not only what
tugs do, but how physics and engineering allow them to do it.
From the deck layout of a nineteenth-century sidewheel tug to the
mechanics of barge towing--whether by humans, mules, steam or diesel
engines--to the advantages of various types and configurations of
propulsion systems, to the operation of an oil rig anchor-handling
tug/supply vessel, Tugboats Illustrated is a comprehensive tribute to
these beloved workhorses of the sea and their intrepid crews.
