[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;178040]It’s like saying “offshore”, it means a very specific segment of the industry. For me, brown water is push boats and some other Inland only operations whole blue water is ocean going ships. ATBs are ATBs and wire boats are either wire boats or offshore (or ocean) towing vessels.[/QUOTE]
What’s a “push boat” and how is that different from a “wire boat”? Tugs on the river both push and pull barges with wire, so this terminology confuses me.
Not much river towing “on the wire”.
Basically:
Push boat: The tow boat is made up tight to “the tow” and arranged to push it. http://www.canalbarge.com has some photos of push boats
Wire boat: The tug uses a tow winch equipped with a long tow wire (up to 2500 ft) to pull “the tow”. The tug is not made up tight or against the tow when underway, except when maneuvering alongside / off the pier. Lots of comments about difficulties of doing this in high winds. Lots of seamanship involved.
http://www.foss.com/services/regional-towing/ This photo actually shows both a wire boat pulling on a short wire, and a push boat made up to the aft barge, pushing. Typically, I believe a “wire boat” refers to one engaged in coastwise or offshore ocean towing, not harbor or escort tugs.
A variant of a wire boat may be the “anchor handler”, since many of these are equipped for ocean towing as well. Anchor handling. Oh yeah. Remember the old Jackson Marine and those N. Sea boats. THAT was fun. http://tugboatinformation.com/company.cfm?id=102
Hope this helps.
Good reference material can be seen in US Navy Towing Manual, Noble Denton Ocean Towing and IMO Guides. Just google 'em. All free. Easy reading.
[QUOTE=MariaW;178183]What’s a “push boat” and how is that different from a “wire boat”? Tugs on the river both push and pull barges with wire, so this terminology confuses me.[/QUOTE]
A push boat is designed to push and effectively cannot tow astern.
I disagree. Every Bouchard tug (except the 3 huge ones), every Genesis tug, almost every vane bros tug, many Mcallister and Moran boats, pretty much any conventional tug with a towing machine can push and tow equally well. I’m thinking there are a few hundred at least. Yes some have shit rudder power and don’t handle a barge as well as others but they’re still capable.
A push boat is designed for inland waters typically with a rectangular hull and push-knees and has limited if any capability to tow astern.
[QUOTE=z-drive;178201]I disagree. Every Bouchard tug (except the 3 huge ones), every Genesis tug, almost every vane bros tug, many Mcallister and Moran boats, pretty much any conventional tug with a towing machine can push and tow equally well. I’m thinking there are a few hundred at least. Yes some have shit rudder power and don’t handle a barge as well as others but they’re still capable.
A push boat is designed for inland waters typically with a rectangular hull and push-knees and has limited if any capability to tow astern.[/QUOTE]
You’re right. I forgot about the east coast tugs that do both.
Back when I originally posted the intent was to see about the transition from near coastal to deepwater sailing. So the from ATB/tug barge to ships making international voyages. I should have been more clear.
I did it, but had the advantage of a 3rd mates license before going brown water. Did inland stuff for 25 years as 1600 Capt. Now sailing as a 3rd mate to get the tonnage to upgrade to 2nd mate. 25 years counts as 180 days. 
My daughter has a 1600 mate’s license, and had to sign on as an AB to get the tonnage time to get her 3rd’s. The only place that would consider either of us was MSC. She’s having a blast over seas now, and I’m on a ship close to home, for now.
So plan on a downgrade in position, but possibly an increase in pay. We’re both making more now than before. And me without the headaches of command.