Why You Shouldn't Tug A Tug

✩ABOUT THIS VIDEO✩
In this video, we investigate girting (UK) / girding (US). This is the process where a tug is capsized when its tow exerts a force on the tug and shifts the towline abeam.

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All content on this channel is provided for entertainment purposes only. Although every effort has been made to ensure the content is accurate and up to date, it remains the responsibility of the viewer to determine its accuracy and validity. The content should never be used to substitute professional advice or education.

[ohhi]

It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to automate the quick-release system to trigger in critical situations.

[bfandhighlights]

I used to work on a cargo barge on the inside passage and thought we were pretty big until one day when we came around a corner and I was looking up at the bow of the Haida Warrior. That tug made us look like a row boat. Her sister ship is the Haida Chief.

[ShadowKick]

I feel working on a tugboat might be more dangerous than it seems at first glance. Capsizing, lines snapping, bad weather...

[phasm]

That Voith drive is interesting... it's like they took the helicopter swash plate concept and applied it to aquatic propulsion.

[troyrussell]

I am a Tug Engineer in Australia, and I have often thought about this issue but struggled to get straight answers. This video is amazing and explains it perfectly. Thank you.

[theultimatereductionist]

Russell Crowe made a tug boat named "Tugger" attempt to kill itself by singing one of his songs to it.

[JamesRedekop]

The release button problem reminds me of something that happened to my partner. She had a data center fire -- power shorted out through a data line and caused a modem to explode and catch fire. Just inside the machine room door, there's a Big Red Switch that cuts all power to the entire room, for just such an emergency. She ran into the room, saw the fire, and hit the Big Red Switch.

Unfortunately, the contractors who'd built the room never actually hooked the Big Red Switch up to anything, absolutely nothing happened. She had to spend the next 15 minutes in a smoke-filled room shutting down all the server racks one by one.

[RealBelisariusCawl]

1:29 That is the coolest thruster design I’ve ever seen and it’s so simple. I love it and I wonder how nobody ever thought of it before. Absolute genius.

[Glen-uyjt]

I was a tugboat captain, 1850 hp twin screw designed for ocean towing in the Pacific. It was of utmost importance to check the hydraulic brake release to break free from the tow. Of course you throw out some towline and then you reset the brake and recover towing control. The hydraulic release is located at all steering stations. I always had a seaman stand by the manual release, with a vhf radio, as well. Most shi- handling tugs have a different setup but a quick release is mandatory. I have had the main deck watertight doors in the water several times as the barge got out of control, mostly in shallow waterways such as rivers with strong currents and limited maneuvering room. Things happen quickly when the current is strong. When both bridles are on the winch drum, ejecting the towline can be fatal as one bridle goes out quickly under tension while the other side creates large loops that can catch anything on deck including the working crew. If the bridle breaks at least you do not capsize but try controlling a barge, in a river, on a short line from one corner. Not a comfortable place to be. When you first become captain you have some breath taking experiences.

[edgar]

Fun Fact: On old conventional harbor tugs, I know of, the length of Gog-line was adjusted by a seperate winch. Therefore at slow speeds the tug could use its full turning ability, while at moderate speed the Gog line could be tightened which made it possible to be towed behind the ship safely. Conventional tugs otherwise really dont like to be towed astern, as mentioned in the video.

[jacktribble]

I think that "Plan ahead" part should be the takeaway for those who care but don't want to make a hobby of it.

[diegovd]

The quality of the content and the animations of this channel never cease to amaze me. Thank you so much!

[kr]

On my home river, the River Clyde, there's been several tugs lost when towing after capsizing. The primary reason for the loss of the vessels was that they weren't watertight at the point of capsize. Crews were lost because they didn't follow the rules. A very interesting explanation of the forces at work.

[ChrisNahrgang]

If there's anything I've learned from watching your videos, it's that the marine industry employs a lot of physics every day to run safety and efficiently. I assume most captains, for example, don't need to know all the explicit physics like you show in these videos, but the fact that they do clearly have a general understanding of it, and shipbuilders clearly need to have a pretty in-depth understanding of the forces at play, is something I had never really though of before. I used to think "make boat a boat shape and slap engine in to make boat go".

[frederickjeremy]

I work on a towboat and can confirm nothing good happens when a boat is held pinned or drug sideways through water or in current. Generally if you find yourself there alot of stuff has gone wrong and closed sealed water tight doors are about all that is going to save you, and it is still going to be a wild ride.

[bc-guy]

I'm a landlubber who always learns a lot from your episodes - thanks.
Sounds like ALL tugs should be mandated to have a Quick Release system and a 'Standard' is required for documentation and signage.

[shaunolinger]

I learned this the hard way even with an RC model tug... I tow myself in a 17-foot kayak (total weight 300lbs) with my 3½ft, 30-pound model tug. I learned right quick to position my tow bollard well back on the aft deck after very nearly sinking my $1500 model. Now I can get well into indirect towing, but if it gets away from me, all I have to do is let off the throttles and it will come back up and flop alongside.

[lifevest]

Additionally. They make semi-truck pulling contests, tractor pulling contests, why do we not have tugboat pulling contests? Get 3-4 tugs who have to race pulling heavy barges across a 2 mile stretch of water!

[murraystewartj]

Concise and clear explanation - well done. Years ago I had the chance to tour the Master, the last steam tug in BC which was preserved as a working museum vessel and did a stop over in my city. The look around the engine riim was fascinating in particular. Whether harbour tugs or long distance tow boats these workhorses have always interested me.

[huh]

As someone who works on a tug, correction at 2:23

Almost all tugs have what are called “backing rudders” these are, albeit smaller, rudders that sit in front of the wheels (not propellers, those are for planes and tiny personal crafts) and provide steering when backing up. Most people use both the backing and steering rudders to use one engine in forward and reverse to turn on a dime or provide extra force to turn something being towed.