why do people like tug boats ?

[peabody]

Im fascinated by them. If only i had the courage to try to build one! !
But lets get a skiff built first ....like to get my feet wet before i try anything else.
Wondering?
A old john deere two cylinder tractor motor work for a boat? Any one ever heard of that?
Got a crazy ideal of strip planking the hull.
Ive got a old jd tractor. And a union pacific diesel train horn.....
Reason enough to build a tug?
Ha......dreaming again.
Peabody

[peabody]

I liked toms blog and his tug.

[wizbang 13]

Hey Mon! You have duplicated a thread!!

[Ian McColgin]

There are two somewhat contradictory directions you can go here:

An actual little hard-working push/pull boat, like the yawl boats used in the Maine schooner fleet; or

A "folly", something that evokes "tugboat" but is also a practical boat in its own right for the intended use of puttering about.

A real working boat puts a lot of displacement into the power plant and a nice big slow turning screw. This uses up valuable space for pleasure use and is a huge waste of fuel if what you want is a pleasure boat that feels tuggy. This is why if you look at the hulls and power plants of yawl boats and pleasure or folly "tugs" of similar above water size (LOA and B) what you see is double or more displacement in the working boat. The design brief for a folly is an efficient at low speed fat but in total light displacement hull. Way different from the deep underwater form of a working boat.

[Mrleft8]

Same reason people like Basset hounds, Pelicans, turtles....

[David G]

Because tugs are cute, fun, and practical.

Here's one designed & built by my friend Dick Mitsch:

[Canoeyawl]

It goes back to whether or not your mother read bedtime stories to you...

[goodbasil]

I like 'em for the same reason I like bulldogs.
They look determined, absolute, independant and tough.

[gstanfield]

Because tugs are cool and it let's even big boys pretend...

Here's one I painted on my son's wall in his bedroom followed by a pic of his bed




And yes, I read Tom's blog and even have two copies of his grand daughter Abbey's book

http://tomstug.blogspot.com/

[BrianM]

It's the proportions. Humans instinctively are attracted to objects, animals, cars, etc that resemble the proportions of a human baby. Short, fat and cute.

Works every time.

[James McMullen]

How about a genuine working tug that tows around a barge with your house and accommodations on it?

[peabody]

It goes back to whether or not your mother read bedtime stories to you...

WHAT! !!!! HAHAHAHA! !!! actually she did! My mom told stories of her family riding tugs ..(or something close to it)In germany. She also told stories of my grandfather getting them on a steam ship to escape the Russians.But all in all the best stories was when she told of the sea and fishing. And also the Rhine river.But shes 85 now. And still going strong. Best cook i ever saw.i had the cleanest ears in school.Lol.ya ..i like those tug boats. Ied just want one to putt around in. Peabody

[peabody]

How about a genuine working tug that tows around a barge with your house and accommodations on it?

Now that? ! Is a splendid ideal! !
Golly bob! !! That would be just too kool for retirement on the lake.
Wishes you hadn't posted that .....now you've got the little woman thinking about it too! !!
Her exact eords ran along the lines of ..... GET BUSY! !!
LOL
peabody

[peabody]

There are two somewhat contradictory directions you can go here:

An actual little hard-working push/pull boat, like the yawl boats used in the Maine schooner fleet; or

A "folly", something that evokes "tugboat" but is also a practical boat in its own right for the intended use of puttering about.



A real working boat puts a lot of displacement into the power plant and a nice big slow turning screw. This uses up valuable space for pleasure use and is a huge waste of fuel if what you want is a pleasure boat that feels tuggy. This is why if you look at the hulls and power plants of yawl boats and pleasure or folly "tugs" of similar above water size (LOA and B) what you see is double or more displacement in the working boat. The design brief for a folly is an efficient at low speed fat but in total light displacement hull. Way different from the deep underwater form of a working boat.

Dang ..ideally ied like to have a 18' tug with a beta diesel.
And a shanty barge to live on. Sheesh ...you guys got my mind a spinnin! !!
Lets see! ? Eleven more years to go till retirement .......hummmm it could be done in time..
Yes ...i thinks it could be done.....
peabody

[chuckt]

Little toot was one of my favorite childhood books! Love it. Mike Mulligan's steam shovel was the other. And a similar one about a snow plow. Oh--and a story about an old lonely fellow on an island and a cat on a boat that is marooned who becomes his friend.

[Cmschlatt]

Your tug and barge dream may appeal to your bride now but give her a week of decking, pulling in your hawser, roundin up on the hip, passing your push cables, she might be wishing for a houseboat, if not there's money to be made in NY!

[peabody]

Your tug and barge dream may appeal to your bride now but give her a week of decking, pulling in your hawser, roundin up on the hip, passing your push cables, she might be wishing for a houseboat, if not there's money to be made in NY!

Lol....thats so true ... but i think she'll be fine .. she likes the water.
you guys have had my head pretty busy.
Im serious about this ideal. Ive been looking at the berkeley perfect 10 mini tugs..
Thinking? Enlarge the plans 25% and run two yamaha long shaft 9.9's
With those high thrust props should pull push just about anything.
Wonder? How fast it would go with the 9.9's ? In say a 15 footer.
Just food for thought.
Peabody

[peabody]

This is bad .....i scrounged around and found a u-tube movie of little toot .......i loved it all over again.
Makes me more determined to build a little tug.
Im liking the ideal of dual yamahas .......after all? She be a tug.
Famous tim allen saying .......MORE POWER! !!
I have that old john deere tractor...patti thinks we should name the tug "deere john" and paint it john deere green.
lol...sounds good to me.
Peabody
Heck ...i like peabody too ....

[David G]

peabody - per your inquiry... Dick has not drawn up plans for Seaweed. But I can supply you with his phone number if you'd like to discuss the boat, or tugs in general, with him. PM me again if you're interested.

Here's some fotos of one of our Messabouts - including some fotos of SeaWeed alongside a Candu-Ez tug

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkohnen...7618949304199/

[tomlarkin]

I'm taking my chubby little tug on a two-week trip up to the Canadian Gulf islands. Leaving in a week!

[peabody]

peabody - per your inquiry... Dick has not drawn up plans for Seaweed. But I can supply you with his phone number if you'd like to discuss the boat, or tugs in general, with him. PM me again if you're interested.

Here's some fotos of one of our Messabouts - including some fotos of SeaWeed alongside a Candu-Ez tug

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkohnen...7618949304199/


thank you. Ill. PM
peabody

Thank you ill pm you.peabody

[Canoeyawl]

Mr Peabody, (I also like that name)

What model John Deere engine is it? Some are much better suited for marine use.

[peabody]

Its a 48 john deere ... model -A- .... about? im guessing around 22hp... has the big flywheel ...just an ol' popping johhny....how would that adept to boat use? ...it sure would sound good. Whenever you putt a load on her.
Peabody

[peabody]

P.s. i know where there is a john deere model 630 diesel .... but thats one big tractor motor. Has
to have a pony motor to start it.
Peabody

[peabody]

Ok..fixed ..closed the other thread ...i hope?
Now stay tuned for more tug boat action!
Same tug time! Same tug channel!

Peabody

[Canoeyawl]

Its a 48 john deere ... model -A- .... about? im guessing around 22hp... has the big flywheel ...just an ol' popping johhny....how would that adept to boat use? ...it sure would sound good. Whenever you putt a load on her.
Peabody

The model A used a horizontal engine that the crankcase is integral to the foundation of the machine. It would be difficult to separate from the gearbox, axle etc. The model L and M have 2 cylinder vertical configuration and a smaller (thicker) flywheel, electric start and could adapt to a marine gearbox.
They sound just the same... but have good value as a tractor.
A well found one or two cylinder antique marine engine is a wonderful thing that would spare you a lot of work, unless you were thinking of a paddle wheel tug

[BBSebens]

How about a genuine working tug that tows around a barge with your house and accommodations on it?

This is my long term housing plan. Who needs real estate?

[peabody]

Actually ...in my quest to build a tug boat ...to push/pull a shanty barge .....
Dont know if i can download the picture ....
Its a tug/barge .... with two outboards on the end. And two tall vertical push bars on the front.
Withh an elevated pilot house.
looks to me. It would be super super simple to build. Outta wood.
Just saw one on used tug boats..they want 110.000 for it.
Interesting to look at. Seems like a person would tie off from the rear of the tug/barge with steel cables.
to the corners of the barge being pushed. Steer everything with your pusher tug.
I know ive seen those type of tugs just about everytime i cross a major river.
Be a viable option?
Your thoughts?
Peabody

[peabody]

P.s. question ..... does a pusher tug/barge have a skeg?

[peabody]

Www.uglyships.com

I found a link to what im trying to say.
and darn? If i dont seem to like it. They call my name.
Two yamahas 9.9 high thrust motors ......
this ideal is growing.
Peabody

[BrianW]

I'm taking my chubby little tug on a two-week trip up to the Canadian Gulf islands. Leaving in a week!

You're bookmarked Tom! Looking forward to following your progress.

[BrianW]

Forgive all the aluminum, but here's an example of push knees that don't stick up way high, and work very well...



The boat is 28ft, the barge 40ft.

[BrianW]

If your serious about pushing or pulling a barge, capstans are a great tool to get lines tight. I don't know anything about the manual versions, like on sailboats, but the hydraulic versions are great. That would mean an inboard engine though, and not outboards.

[Spokaloo]

You're describing the system that moves so much stuff around my neck of the woods it isn't even funny:





Spot on setup for moving a houseboat in tight quarters without messing around with a towing cable.

E

[peabody]

[QUOTE=Spokaloo;3377767]You're describing the system that moves so much stuff around my neck of the woods it isn't even funny:

[peabody]

Interesting thread ......like those tugs.

[peabody]

Still thinking .....lol

[Captain Intrepid]

How about a genuine working tug that tows around a barge with your house and accommodations on it?

Why bother with the barge? Just caulk your house and float her out to sea like they did on the Rock.

[seo]

There are three classes of tugboats:
1) toys. Look cute, not good for anything.
2) Cheap. Can be quite elegant to look at. Often powered with 12-278 EMD's or OP Fairbanks engines. Parts will cost you...lots. The tanks will be able to hold 40,000 gallons of fuel-for a reason. The hulls will likely be very old, and thin, and when a tugboat starts to flood, it goes VERY fast.
3) Reasonable size, like a 64' dredge tender, with a pair of 8-92 Detroits. Economical, only maybe 25 gallons per hour. But a good one like that will cost most of $300,000, and they aren't handsome like the old boats, or cute like the toys.
My favoritest-ever tug was 109', built in 1908, converted from steam to diesel in 1945. A sweet-handling, surprisingly seaworthy vessel, I used to run her towing from Rockland to Boston. Now gone, along with almost all of her ilk.

[Spokaloo]

How close is this to what you want?

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/...shan/index.htm



E

[Sailor of fortune]

Because they keep me employed!

[gypsie]

I helped hang a giant 25meter diameter ball off Sydney Harbour Bridge for New Years Eve - about six years ago i think. I was on this huge barge under it, in the middle of the harbour, centre of the bridge, as the ball was raised and the fireworks went off.
There's a beautiful effect, like a waterfall, when sparklers tumble off the bridge into the harbour. Those little twinkling sparklers are each about the size of a large cuban cigar spitting fire from each end. Death was raining down. We, two others an i, made the leap of faith from the barge to the tug boat towing us, and dashed into the tiny little wheelhouse, about the size of Dr. Who's Tardis, but smaller inside.
We saw out the rain of terror in there.
There and then i loved that tug.