Re: tugs for lakers

From: Mike
Location: Duluth
Email:
Remote Name: 131.212.34.76
Date: 07/31/04
Time: 01:46:16 PM

Comments

The use of Tugs for docking has been greatly reduced since the installation of bow thrusters on many lakers. I believe all the American flagged lakers and self unloaders have thrusters installed. As the next posting mentions, the Provider is the only Upper Lakes Shipping Co. (Canadian Flagged) vessel without a thruster or variable pitch prop( which is another invention to aid vessels). Tugs are still widely used in rivers and for aiding vessels in larger ports that see much more traffic or that see many foreign vessels. Smaller ports usually do not have a tug fleet due to the amount of traffic. There just would not be enough business for the companies to survive. I was not uncommon around the turn of the century to find one tug company or more in nearly every harbor. Tugboat companies would even go as far as "keeping watch" for inbound vessels before radio and radar were around. Once they spotted a schooner approaching, or another vessel in need of a tug, they would literally race out to the ship since business was usually "first come, first serve". The first tug to reach the ship got the towing job. Other companies would do the same so seeing a tug race was quite common. I am afraid those days are long gone as well as many of the tugs. A few of the elder tugs still dot the landscape here and there.