Didn’t you see that one guy with spears coming out of his head…he must be a warrior!
Argueing or defending this show is like winning the specia olympics, even if you win, your still riding home on the short bus.
Too many “Super Captain and Super Mates”, appearantly no one is really in control(seems like its a free for all, all the time), too much redneck towing going on(towing off the quaterbitts).
I hope they dont get anyone killed before this thing runs its course.
As for the short bus, sign me up. Towing off the quarter bits is a little known and VERY effective way to control a barge in tight quarters. Have you ever heard of gatelining? It’s similar. Don’t knock it 'till you’ve tried it!
But the particular methods of towing are just generic. It is this callous attitude and cowboy mentality that is going to get these guys killed. If this is the way it ‘is’ in the GL, I can see how/why it is ‘considered’ a dangerous body of water. One wonders what else is being ignored up there?
Gate lines? Did someone say gate lines? Where? What? Two light ones out of East Chester… How? Gate lines!!!
What’s the deal with gate lines? As a west coast tug guy we use bridals hooked to our winch most times. Arn’t Gate lines are basically the same thing but on a H-Bitt since there seems to be a shortage of tow winches on some of the smaller tugs over there?
[QUOTE=rshrew;77044]What’s the deal with gate lines? As a west coast tug guy we use bridals hooked to our winch most times. Arn’t Gate lines are basically the same thing but on a H-Bitt since there seems to be a shortage of tow winches on some of the smaller tugs over there?[/QUOTE]
It’s not the Tow winch (or lack therof) that makes you need to use Gatelines. It’s the location and tightness of the corners you have to tow a barge around, through and under that makes Gatelines work so well.
A crappy diagram of the difference between 1.hawser, 2.gateline and 3.quarter bitt towing.
[ATTACH]2150[/ATTACH]
For the proof of this, next time you are towing up short observe the bridle legs when you do a hard turn. the outboard bridle does all the work and the inboard bridle goes slack. And there is a delay from when you turn the rudder to when the barge responds. Now go the other way. How long until the barge responds? you have to get back in front of it, and get the other bridle leg pulling to make it come the other way. Gatelines/Quarterlines eliminate the slack leg. Both are tight to make infinite changes quickly. Note this is not done at sea or when speed is needed. This is a close quarter, maneuvering method of barge handling.
Some places are really close quarters when moving barges in/out. I think most petroleum is not done this way anymore, since dents and dings must be reported. But gravel and deck cargo is routinely still done this way.
When towing in an area that is just the barge width plus a little bit it is almost impossible to push out the barge and make the corners. The Gateline concept makes the tow behave like a semi trailer. Whatever the tug does the barge does instantaneously. Although the barge does a little ‘waddle’ first. You can use this waddle to quickly check the bow of the barge around an obstacle as needed, or just let it come around and get the stern swinging. Think of it this way. As the tug swings to the port the stern actually is moving to the right for a little bit. This checks the barge to starboard for just a couple feet, until the tug is actually moving to port. Amazingly versatile!
Sounds like cappy has done some creek work.
[ATTACH]2151[/ATTACH]Now for some moves you WON’T find in Bradys’:
This was taught to me by an old school towboater named Francis. RIP.
When making up to an unmanned barge it is difficult to do alone. You have to wake up the off watch guy to hop over to catch lines. Since we ALL like our sleep, this was figured out as a way to let him sleep, and he could still make his overtime, since if you moved the barge you MUST have gotten him up!
1.NY Hookup (NO IT DOESN’T INVOLVE HOOKERS!)When done correctly you don’t even need a stern line ( but you better be paying attention! and plan ahead for stopping) By varying the angle of pinch you can even make turns (in this case) to port with no stern line.
And paying homage to some of the finest ‘old style’ towboaters I regularly see plying NY harbor: I call this the Brown move. #2. Pushing a scow, crane or hopper barge around NY harbor, with NO push gear. Sure the boats have it, but they are so freaking good they just use a headline!
Yes Chief, the only one of those holes I have not had the pleasure of filling was Port Chester. From New haven to Da Bronx R. Flushing, West, East Chester, Port Washington, Glenwood, Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Inwood, Motts Basin, amd some I have forgotten! Bleech.
Dontcha just love it when a Bluesuit comes on and asks for your completed TOAR to find out if you actually KNOW how to run this piece of steel!? I keep looking for ‘Gatelines’ on a Toar checkoff. And I keep looking for English Kills on there too.
Your NY make up looks like What I call a scow make up. And the Brown move. I never had the balls to do it but worked with Harry Reamer and he was notorious for doing it. The deckhands loved it. And of course Jim Brown can be seen doing that move daily up and down the kills.
[QUOTE=tugboatchief;77087]Your NY make up looks like What I call a scow make up. And the Brown move. I never had the balls to do it but worked with Harry Reamer and he was notorious for doing it. The deckhands loved it. And of course Jim Brown can be seen doing that move daily up and down the kills.[/QUOTE]
Harry? You mean ‘old number 6’? Ask him about how many teeth he can get with his iron slice!!! ha ha. Good story.
Very upsetting show! My nieces and nephews were so excited to see the “tugboat show”. They are young kids who are fascinated by tugs. After family saw the show, they thought it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to watch it. Too much swearing and smoking! I guess they’ll have to stick to “Theodore Tugboat” until an actual “REALITY” show comes out about tugs.
Yeah it’s been a few years since I talked with Harry. He did say he was retiring and taking up golf full time. Him and tiger.
[QUOTE=troy;75952]I’ve never towed in the Great Lakes so tell me if I’m out of line. It seems like they are proud of the amount of marine incidents they have been in or associated with… If such extreme weather conditions exist why don’t they take more precautions in securing barges, adding surge gear, not sailing into unfavorable conditions, needlessly putting your men at risk, etc.? Those days of being a ‘cowboy’ should be over as those incidents are the reason I have to go to required safety classes on my time off instead of spending it with my family. This show is retarded and I guess the only true reality show anymore is Cops.[/QUOTE]
Never cowboyed in my life!!! I’ve probably seen more incidents in my life because I sail over 250 days a year on non live on tugs, no other watches just me. You ever see surge gear break? Ive seen the lake eat em as fast as you can put new ones out, I’ve seen her beach empty barges and stack them ontop of of each other. It sounds like you work in a different world than me, come down to chicago lets see how you can handle a single lunger, dont even have capstains or machines to get off tow on my boat. Better yet lets go do some ship tows, love em…my aholes puckerd the entire time. Seriously spend a week with me we’ll probably move somewhere between 60-100 barges, sorry it couldn’t be more but I mainly work the lake now, and not one will be damaged, we probaly wouldnt even rub paint off. But please dont assume I live to cowboy it up, couldn’t be farther from the truth I hate when they turn to fast and make the boat lean. In all honesty I dont really consider myself a sailor I’m just a guy who likes to move barges, I’d rather be at home Fing my wife then at work Fing the dog with one barge for a month at a time.
[QUOTE=cappy208;77081][ATTACH]2151[/ATTACH]Now for some moves you WON’T find in Bradys’:
This was taught to me by an old school towboater named Francis. RIP.
When making up to an unmanned barge it is difficult to do alone. You have to wake up the off watch guy to hop over to catch lines. Since we ALL like our sleep, this was figured out as a way to let him sleep, and he could still make his overtime, since if you moved the barge you MUST have gotten him up!
1.NY Hookup (NO IT DOESN’T INVOLVE HOOKERS!)When done correctly you don’t even need a stern line ( but you better be paying attention! and plan ahead for stopping) By varying the angle of pinch you can even make turns (in this case) to port with no stern line.
And paying homage to some of the finest ‘old style’ towboaters I regularly see plying NY harbor: I call this the Brown move. #2. Pushing a scow, crane or hopper barge around NY harbor, with NO push gear. Sure the boats have it, but they are so freaking good they just use a headline!
Yes Chief, the only one of those holes I have not had the pleasure of filling was Port Chester. From New haven to Da Bronx R. Flushing, West, East Chester, Port Washington, Glenwood, Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Inwood, Motts Basin, amd some I have forgotten! Bleech.
Dontcha just love it when a Bluesuit comes on and asks for your completed TOAR to find out if you actually KNOW how to run this piece of steel!? I keep looking for ‘Gatelines’ on a Toar checkoff. And I keep looking for English Kills on there too.[/QUOTE]
Work a head line everyday and never with a stern line unless were New yorking two to get off the tow.
[QUOTE=towbotr72;77123]Very upsetting show! My nieces and nephews were so excited to see the “tugboat show”. They are young kids who are fascinated by tugs. After family saw the show, they thought it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to watch it. Too much swearing and smoking! I guess they’ll have to stick to “Theodore Tugboat” until an actual “REALITY” show comes out about tugs.[/QUOTE]
Love Theordore the tugboat, used to get up at 6 on sunday just to watch it…for realilty try Worlds Dumbest on Tru TV…kids would love it!
Maybe the last 4 episodes will be on Tru TV!
[QUOTE=cappy208;77081][ATTACH]2151[/ATTACH]Now for some moves you WON’T find in Bradys’:
This was taught to me by an old school towboater named Francis. RIP.
When making up to an unmanned barge it is difficult to do alone. You have to wake up the off watch guy to hop over to catch lines. Since we ALL like our sleep, this was figured out as a way to let him sleep, and he could still make his overtime, since if you moved the barge you MUST have gotten him up!
1.NY Hookup (NO IT DOESN’T INVOLVE HOOKERS!)When done correctly you don’t even need a stern line ( but you better be paying attention! and plan ahead for stopping) By varying the angle of pinch you can even make turns (in this case) to port with no stern line.[/QUOTE].
Just in case you didnt know if you use your throttle correctly, you can pull the barge off the dock get it heading down river, or up, back on her like mad and flop that sucker all the way around to the other side, then make your 90 degree turn into a slip…at this point you better start listening to me! Because the dock probably dont have any rub rail left and probably several notches to catch on…I’ll keep you from approaching to steep (a little backing or a little tap here and there) and get you right in spot I AM YOUR BRAKE!!! Dont stop me short and dont over shoot me!!! Just make sure you get me within 20 feet!!! You only get 2 F’ups a day before salutes and toothless smiles start flying.
[QUOTE=cappy208;77081]And paying homage to some of the finest ‘old style’ towboaters I regularly see plying NY harbor: I call this the Brown move. #2. Pushing a scow, crane or hopper barge around NY harbor, with NO push gear. Sure the boats have it, but they are so freaking good they just use a headline!
Yes Chief, the only one of those holes I have not had the pleasure of filling was Port Chester. From New haven to Da Bronx R. Flushing, West, East Chester, Port Washington, Glenwood, Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Inwood, Motts Basin, amd some I have forgotten! Bleech.
Dontcha just love it when a Bluesuit comes on and asks for your completed TOAR to find out if you actually KNOW how to run this piece of steel!? I keep looking for ‘Gatelines’ on a Toar checkoff. And I keep looking for English Kills on there too.[/QUOTE]
Love doing this!!! Can you do it in slip thats 105 feet wide that already has 70 feet of barge tied in it…then get it in a 201 foot hole??? Takes some headline moveing and some spring line grabbing and maybe some other stuff but
dont worry I could train ya to do it, if you do come to Chicago please asked to be trained by me, the tubapotamus, I’ll give you 2 freebies, the Nemisis gives you none!!!
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The point being made was that these types of moves are NOT what are being shown on the series. It is a bunch of unpolished seat of the pants hail Mary shit. This crap is one thing. The stuff on the show is a black eye on our industry. Who ever is the technical ‘expert’ for the show needs to find another hobby.
[QUOTE=tugboatchief;77023]Gate lines? Did someone say gate lines? Where? What? Two light ones out of East Chester… How? Gate lines!!![/QUOTE]
Or English Kills…
Or Flushing Creek…Fresh Kills a few times too.
[QUOTE=cappy208;77081][ATTACH]2151[/ATTACH]
And paying homage to some of the finest ‘old style’ towboaters I regularly see plying NY harbor: I call this the Brown move. #2. Pushing a scow, crane or hopper barge around NY harbor, with NO push gear. Sure the boats have it, but they are so freaking good they just use a headline!
[/QUOTE]
I watch with pleasure as I see this in my travels around the harbor. They are some fine boathandlers.
Nowadays, I don’t get into those real tight places like Fresk Kills above the 440 bridge or up English Kills or Flushing Creek. Nor do I tow or shift LASH scows or coal boxes around but I am sure glad I got to do it and learn some serious single screw boathandling skills which I firmly believe, makes me a better boat/ship handler today.