Enter Katie G McAllister towing a barge from the East River. What follows puzzled me–I admit–the first time I saw it, but it happens all the time.
The tow slows gradually to a halt.
The tug bears off,
The towline goes slack. I’m not quite sure how the uncoupling occurs, but
it does, and the tug sidles alongside the barge,
shifting the barge onto the hip, so to speak, and
once all lines are secure, the tow proceeds into tighter waters, in this case, westbound on the KVK.
When I say it happens all the time, I mean it happens frequently right in front of a certain cliff, I know. Almost makes me think it happens there for demonstration purposes. Some day a denizen of the cliffs may hold up placards with numbers, like 5 for form, 4.5 for expeditiousness, 5 for safety precautions, 4 for protocol, etc. , rating the execution of different aspects of the dance involved in remaking the tow.
Photos, WVD.
tugster: a waterblog 
6 comments
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March 8, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Jed
Too bad we can’t get close up look at the bow of the barge as it’s entirely possible that she DIDN’T break the tow. It is not an uncommon practice to slack the wire, go alongside, get a headline up to the barge, then heave around on the wire bringing it back alongside the barge tight and then head off to where yer going.
In picture 5, there is hint of something gong under the bow of the barge that could be the wire as it’s improbable they would fair lead a stern line from the tug that way.
March 9, 2009 at 2:08 am
towmasters
The phrase would be “picking up the barge alongside / on the hip.” The turning maneuver may be called “rounding up” or flopping around” on the barge. For a trainee on a conventional hawser boat (wire or synthetic fiber) it is the most difficult of all the many skills that must be mastered. When done correctly it can appear effortlessly graceful and smooth…..when done incorrectly, CRUNCH!
March 9, 2009 at 8:24 am
Mage Bailey
How many people are on the barge? Can you make a run on a tug just to find out? We will deputize you.
March 9, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Rick Spilman
I also thought that the towing bridle wasn’t uncoupled, as Jed suggests. The final photos looks like there is a wire still running from the stern of the tug to the bow of the barge.
March 9, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Jed
Mage-
in the normal course of events there are two personnel aboard the barge. Each stands 12 hours of watch a day, though not necessarily all at once.
As for Rounding Up alongside – I have gray hair attesting to it’s difficulty. It can present challenges on a NICE day. Add some wind and ya go the makins’ of some excitement.
April 27, 2009 at 9:33 am
captbbrucato
You should note that all this is done at slow speed and utilizing the advantage the wind provides in dropping the barge toward the tug. Gentle application of throttle and rudder add up to a synchronized dance of tug and barge until they come together. It can be a maddening process if the elements aren’t put to advantage, like a dog chasing its tail.
This evolution is conducted to safely control the barge while switching towing modes and it’s truly a test of judgment, balance, and finesse to conduct this smoothly. It’s a team effort between the wheel-man, barge man, and deckhands.
Check out the flag on the foremast on the barge, you can see the barge is windward of the tug. Once the tug has turned “head and tails” with the barge it will naturally drift toward the waiting tug and the first line is sent up.
Once the first line is secured the tug is free to “shorten up” and unshackle the towline or just take up the slack and use it as a stern-line. It generally takes a while to slow down the tow to a crawl and then align everything so the wind ends up on the proper side and the towline is kept away from the propellers and anything else it can hang up on.
After an apprentice can perform this maneuver well he is on his way to a final sign-off.