tug towing

[towboatjoe]

We've had towing courses before and even tug-of-war. All I can say is never go up against Tom O'Dell of St. Louis, Missouri and his ATLAS. He's got a secret drive system and will certain to pull you under when tugging against him. It normally runs at 12 volt, but when you think you're getting the best of him, he's got a switch that throws 18 to 24 volts to the motor.

Most courses contained a combination of things that may be changed for the next person running the course so they will not know what to expect. There is running straight out to a certain distance and turn port or starboard for a certain distance, a figure 8, backing in a straight line fora specified distance, docking by pulling into a slip and coming along side, and navigating between set bouys.

It gets more interesting when you've got barges. How many barges do you want to try and run through a course? That ought to add extra points. I like making parallel bars about five feet long to act a lock and have a boat enter a lock, stop for a specified time and pull out. Sometimes I push a midstream fuel flat with a small boat and come along side other boats like I'm refueling them.

[Eddy Matthews]

Well I've looked at every UK built paddletug I can think of and haven't managed to find one with the wide beam I'm looking for. So what about the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or elsewhere?

Do any of our members in those countries know of a wide beamed sidewheel paddletug that I could build and successfully use in tug towing events?

Virtually all countries must have operated sidewheel paddletugs at some time in the past, so any help would be appreciated....

[towboatjoe]

I'll do some searching on my end. I do remember the City of Catlettsburg ex-SUNCO A4 that was built in 1946 and was originally built with caterpillar blades on a chain drive on each side.  Later it was converted to side wheels and renamed Harbot Point. In the late "40s it was converted to three Harbormaster outdrives. I was aboard the vessel the day before it sank. I think it was around 1988. It was sold to Zubik towing after raised and I think they scrapped it. It was 93 feet x 33 feet
here's a photo I took of her the day they raised her.

[Eddy Matthews]

That sounds promising Joe - at 93 feet by 33 feet it's exactly the sort of length/beam ratio I'm looking for.

[towboatjoe]

Take a look at this link

http://www.nps.gov/safr/local/eppie.html

[steamboatmodel]

Hi All,
I had this link forwarded to me by two different persons and thought I should share it with the group.
http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm
Joe is that how they run tows down your way?
Regards,
Gerald

[towboatjoe]

Boy, those photos sure get around. I've been aboard that boat. It used to be the Cahaba at the time of that mishap. My friend Nelson Jones at Madison Coal & Supply owns that vessel now. It's been renamed Capt. Ed Harris. Here's a photo of her I took back in April this year. Here's some info on the boat....

Twin screw built 1972 by Halter marine Services, lockport, LA. 85 x 30 repowered 2002 Caterpillar 3512 diesels 2400hp.

[towboatjoe]

Here's an ad that had the Sunco A4 on it. Also heres a photo of the catepillar drive which didn't last long till it was converted to  side wheels. She looks strange in the bow because they were also experimenting with a pivoting tow knee. Needless to say that didn't last long either.

[towboatjoe]

Thought you might like to see the console of the City of Catlettsburg. She had three little joysticks, one for each Harbormaster outdrive. The guys that used to pilot her said it was a bitch to catch on to operating her, but once you learned the tricks they didn't want to go back to conventional boats.

Eddy, there are no photos of her as a side wheeler and the ad of the Sunco is the only photo I've seen of her original design. I remember seeing a 1:96 scale model of the Sunco in Vicksburg, Mississippi. I might try to contact lamar Roberts the museum cureator and see if he can track down any plans or what the guy used to build it.