I am not involved in the maritime industry, and I appreciate the manner in which you explain stuff in layman’s terms. Very educational, thank you for all you do!

Very cool. I’m a pilot up on the Great Lakes moving foreign ships. Occasionally we get tug&barges, including Vane’s “New York”. Always a great appreciation for the wire towing skills/knowledge you guys have developed over the years!

Having a dual engine failure is very rare. What can happen is a fire in the engine spaces. That requires securing the fuel flow, closing the space and setting the fire suppression system. The engines are okay, but you can't restart them. The generators, pumps, and compressors are off-line, too. Your very best friend now is the handheld VHF radio. And watch out for the 20,000 TEU container ship coming up the channel. While you are waiting for the fireboats and the reserve tug, you can practice your response when your wife asks "So, how was work today?"

Thanks for spending time explaining to the interested crowd of how you go about things you do ! And no there is nothing boring about anything you do in a days time ! Thanks again Tim ! 😊

Captain Tim: Another appreciated video. Thank you for taking the time to produce this. I drove for Vessel Assist for awhile and loved the work. It does not compare to what you do but it was the best part time job I had. Thank you.

Greetings from Thailand from a fellow Mainer. I just found your channel and subscribed. You do an excellent job explaining the world of a professional mariner aboard a tug. Take care and stay safe!

Another, excellently delivered lesson. Interesting video. Thank you, Tim.

Great instructional video. Your crew has a great responsibility when an engine failure occurs. :)

Another similarity with my career as a commercial pilot: Loss of an engine scenario is in every (~6 month interval) training session. Min difference: we don't have to worry about that "wire"!😜

Thanks for the clip Capt. Loss of steering or power happens often enough to be prepared for it, Plenty of boat crashes on you-tube to attest to that, they just refloated a ferry in Washington that lost power and ran aground. shit happens best to be ready for it at all times. CUOTO

Your professionalism is inspiring.

Fascinating...so much knowledge you gotta store and use.

Always interesting ! Thanks Capt.

Terrific, Tim. James.

Thanks for the discussion, very interesting the issue of the wire and tug during emergency situations. I was going to mention 'inching the wire' but you came up with that. I can only think to add shorten the wire but that is not something easily dealt with in high seas. I will pray for the Heavens to be looking over you in times of distress.

From one captain to another, just wanna thank you from across the Atlantic for your always interesting content, and your humble way of being. I'm sure your crew appreciate being with a friendly and respectful captain. In my experience, it's the surest way to earn respect as a captain.

Tim every time I watch you I am always impressed how orderly and clean your tug is

Great video. The in-depth explanation is fascinating. Great to see a professional at work.

Always learning something from your videos. Thanks again for sharing.

I so enjoy your video's..Makes me feel like I'm on the water along side you. Good work

Very interesting Tim. Lots to consider. Thanks

Awesome to see your channel growing. I came from a long line of family members across the pond that were sailors. That being said somehow generations later I ended up being a land locked canadian. Every time I see large bodies of open water, being the great lakes or oceans, my heart races, and I feel over whelming comfort and peace. I own a boat, and I am in it every second I can in our local lakes, and rivers. My dream is to retire on a sailboat.

Great video! Training is always key to success.

When I was working on boats and ships, I got used to the engine noise, and learned to sleep through it. When the plant dropped or the motor stopped, I instinctively got up, because it was TOO quiet (wasn't close enough to hear the alarms), and I somehow instinctively knew.

Thanks for sharing

My grandfather used to run the fuel barge from San Juan to St Thomas USVI. In his Tug the Lakota. His name was Jerry Jackson. I made the trip with him a few times as a kid. I like these videos.. thank you!

Nice to see you back on the Tug!!!

You explained everything great Tim, thanks and CUOTO

This was great timing considering the recent grounding of the ferry Walla Walla up near Seattle. Sounds like the crew handled the problem very well. I think I mentioned to you before that a friend's father was lost on a tug up in Alaska when (at night in foul weather) they got "tripped" by an empty pulp barge that blew past them unseen as they turned to make safe haven. Only one of the crew barely survived by being able to get up on the barge.

Very interesting, good explanation Tim

Really good explanation. Thanks

Very interesting. Thank you.

Enjoyed!

I agree with Brian, Thanks Tim,

Great and interesting video. We will be flying into St. Croix on the 1st. Taking the ferry to St. Thomas and finally St. John where we are staying. Will keep an eye out for you off shore!

Thank you

Great video, not knowing anything about towing barges, thank you for an interesting video..

Thanks!

Good job, Cap

thanks cap. it's always interesting

Fascinating. That would be pretty grim to watch a barge slowly creep towards you knowing you couldn’t do anything about it. Great video, Tim CUOTO

Tim, I know you wouldn't be inclined to up your views with clickbait, but you sure got my attention with the title of this video. I am more than glad to hear that this is a 'what if' video rather than a 'We lost both engines and nearly died' situation.

interesting talk thank you tim

Great insight! It reminds me when I was 14 years old I was in my 13' Boston Whaler going around Cape Ann. As I rounded Rockport heading to Gloucester Harbor the sea got rough, I guess 5' seas. In the trough all I saw was water but on the crest I could see forever. I was about 3 miles offshore and saw a tug heading north. As I passed I heard a ripping sound of something coming out of the water and saw a wire rise up just in front of my bow! I gunned it to go under it as it slapped back down about 2' from my outboard! Because of the sea conditions I didn't know the tug was towing a loaded barge about 1/4 mile away! Best Regards, Jay

Hi captain very well explained day to day running and forward thinking on your tug ,here on the river Clyde in Scotland I can see most of the shipping movements from my house , you talked about tripping ,we recently had a tug sunk with loss of 2 life’s and some years ago a tug towing a large ship in fog on the river ran aground big ship overtook and sunk tug 3 lives lost, you guys stay safe.

Interesting topic👍🏻

Thank you Tim, another very interesting video. I have noticed many times now, you always do your best to minimise wear and avoid damage to equipment. I expect that in commercial shipping, there is a very serious enquiry if something is damaged? Maybe that could be the feature of a future video, The consequences of seemingly "minor" transgressions?

very timely topic 🥹🇺🇸

Wish you’d come back to NY - always wanted to wave on the Hudson or Cape Cod Canal. You’re a good man!

The only time i have lost everything was on a 25ft yacht under power and a lee shore about 100m away blowing 20knots . No time to do anything except throw the anchor over to give me time to either get the motor started or get a sail up , set the head sail and it is bloody hard work tacking while pulling up 100m of rope with chain and anchor on the end , missed the rocks by about 5m

Tim, congrats on your new position. Much nicer down there I expect.

Thanx Cap. I miss Gallows Bay. Almond-Johnson winches have been around a long time & almost exclusively used on the McA boats. Nothin’ but the best for our little dogs…. I enjoy your work/content Brotherman. Keep up the good work. Shiny side up, slimy side down, lest we forget that the closest ground is straight down….😅

I remember being towed through barnegat inlet that was breaking all the way across and the capt surfed two boats through perfectly also got a face full glass and a wheelhouse full of water in the same inlet 😂love you videos always

Thanks so much for that info... Admiral Tim... 🧢🌊🚢➖➖➖➖➖🌊🚢!!!.... You're absolutely The Best!!!!!

Very interesting, Tim. That would really suck if everything went dead 😱 You always seem so cool, mild and collective but it would be a different video to see TimBatsea freaking out. We’ll pray that never happens to you or your crew. Ron

Awesome tim thanks Cap

In the 70s, I worked on a tug the port of Philadelphia. We dropped of a barge in Claymont DE and we headed to base dock in Camden with a light tug. As we turned North bound the rudder fell off. We were a single screw tug. Luckily we had an experienced captain. We attached a tire to a rope and threw it off the stern. It worked very well and got us home.

Very interesting and thanks for the video. There was a recent incident where a ship hit the tug going into a lock. I don't think there was a tug on the rear of the ship and it didn't slow up quick enough. And there is a video on UKposts somewhere where exactly what you described happened, as the tug was overturned someone on the bigger ship could be heard saying 'there goes the mail'. Thing is there's people on board isn't there and lives at risk. Thanks for the video and regards from Wales

Interesting, thanks. After watching a bunch of your videos, it seems like a much more dangerous job than I had thought.

We once had a Moran tug with air controls go all stop. The air system had a leak and control went to the upper house. I woke up hearing the engines at idle and thought "the barge." Boom!, I ended up at the foot of the bunk. It put a small hole in the barge. Could have been worse

Thanks for the info. As a cruising sailboat never have to worry about that kind of stuff. But good imagery there. Could be a nasty scenario. I know that even as a sailboat, I sometimes (as you know Paquita). Have to motor long distances. While going from panama to San Francisco. I had to motor long stretches. Especially when the current is against you and you don’t really want to go backward! With that diesel thrumming along nothing makes your heart beat like hearing even the slightest RPM change! These engines are such work horses. And when it stops!!! OH CRAP!!

Nice channel!

I recall your tug from my years at Kinder Morgan Staten Island...R.I.P. :(

@TimBatSea Whats the work flow like on a tug? Mooring operations ive seen only take a couple hours.. seems like theres alot of downtime.. Is it like an hourly "land" job where you cant be caught sitting or playing on your phone...like do you have to stay busy while on the non existent "clock" or is it really chill??

Don't tugboats come equiped with oars in case of engine failure? Excellent explanation of the forces in play hauling a barge at sea, especially the inertia of a barge. Your lesson also points to the fact that good engine and propulsion system maintenance concerns a lot more than just making machinery last longer. It's about keeping people safe. Thank you.

Your making great videos, thanks. Im 53 do you think its two late to start? I'm a lot like you and think this would be a great career since all the other one sucked,,,,,

I live in south east Louisiana where hurricane ida a barge for Chet Morrison that had living quarters on it with 20 people on it broke free in the middle of the storm and was making 23 knots by itself before one of the 4 anchors they threw out bit 😮

My dad used to work for Crowley on the Philly to Puerto Rico weekly ro-ro barge

I was recently on a cruise that bought me through Puerto Rico and we were getting fuel from a barge. I looked over at the tug hoping that I would see you (FAT CHANCE!)

They should make a movie about these scenarios happening to a haunted tug.

Very interesting - could I ask how often are the wires inspected for damage and general ware. Many years ago I worked on mobile cranes and the wires (or as I called them wire rope) got some stick and were inspected every week

Hi Tim, Please tell me how to operate the winch with No air pressure during a total power failure. Thanks

Anda penuh kebaikan.. Semoga hari hari anda menyenangkan

👍☑️ Tks Tim

maine maritime student - this was an awesome video

Once your used to the sounds underway even if your sleeping you may wake up just because of the difference in your surroundings changing , no machinery sound. You may wake up before or at the same time just as the alarms go off. I worked in GTMO '82 - '86 as a contractor boiler operator , even in your quarters you know something happened by not hearing the same normal noises. Do they still have those huge supply barges going to the base from Florida? Very interesting what you have to do with a mechanical break down.

Hello Captain Tim from All of Us both here in Andros Greece.... ( Where still waiting for Ya!!! ) Quick question about how many feet in a layer of wire paying out via towing machine during distancing the tug from the head log on the barge????.... Take Good Care of Yourselves out there!!!!... George

Really, really interesting Capt. Is there any way that a second pulley could be positioned over the stern to prevent wear on the wire? Probably a far-fetched idea. You can tell I am not a seafarer! CUOTO

Interesting that you have to worry about wire chafe - wouldn't it be easier to have the sacrificial ABS layer on the stern rail (maybe bolted on in replaceable segments) than attaching it to the wire each time you have to use it?

You mentioned dropping the anchor on the barge. Is there a crew on the barge, or possibly an automated system to control the anchor on the barge?

Thanks Tim, very interesting and I hope they pay you well for shouldering all these worries. I'm wondering, in a total engine failure scenario, could the tankerman on the barge let the anchor go to drag the barge to a stop? Or is that a really bad idea lol?

Have you ever had your towing line part? And if that were to happen in storm would you just try to stay near the barge to try to get it under tow again once the weather calmed?

Great video!! Hard to tell for sure, but were you close to a breakwall?

Planning ahead… don’t want to have to spend time figuring things out in a crisis.

sorry if im optimistic but im more business savvy. Im curious if you have made a video about how much a tugboat business could make like a estimate range. different types of tugs and maybe price for a tug for a few mile tug. Maybe how many tugs you do a day

I don't remember coastal san juan being so calm

As I watch this I'm thinking of the Walla Walla that went aground last month due to loss of all four engines.

Parted one of my wires on my fishing gear the other day, they were a bit overdue, I would imagine a new towing wire for your tug would be mighty expensive.

I miss the good old days. The Problem Loss of Propulsion We rolled our boats back then. God I miss the screams when the first mata beat the gally slaves.

Tim are you familiar whit the tragedy of the Heather Lynn ll ?

Could you drop the anchor on the barge to slow it down.

Good info Cap'n, but we all know you would just hoist a sail on that tug and keep going. :) CUOTO

Tim, do you ever come to the new Orleans area?

You have all the power you need but how do you stop the barge when coming into port?

Man, do I miss that Blue on the North Side of PR!! #CUOTO

Gotta make your hiney pucker up losing propulsion out to sea.

Install a substantial strip of UHMW on the top edge of the transom. That will protect the wire.

Speaking about loss of propulsion, it seems that you don’t have towing pins. If the barge passed you and the wire was between the pins would that not serve to pull the stern of the tug around and prevent a capsize. I know here on the west coast of Canada with big currents and inflows and outflows we’ve had lots of tugs over run by their barges sometimes fatally.

Auxiliary Power Unit: Oars 😂😂😂 Guess there’s no SeaTow out there. When you say train: do you actually go back to a sim? Thanks and CUOTO

Hey Tim, I am a high school student interested in pursuing a career in marine transportation, I have a few questions for you. Firstly, are there any shore-based job opportunities available for individuals with a marine transportation degree who may be older or less physically capable? Additionally, I'm curious to learn about a typical day in your line of work. Lastly, I would greatly appreciate any advice you could provide to help me enter this occupation. Thank you!