Boat sinks after hitting tug rope

[rsn48]

The flaw in the diagram above of a tug towing and lights at night is the assumption, at least along coastal BC, that the lights actually work or are so dim as to be functionally dead. I spent years sailboating in the dark around Vancouver, Howe Sound and from Point Roberts over to the San Juan Islands. Many of the tows I saw had no to poor lighting on the barge. I took my Q from the three lights on the tug itself.

 

[Steve Jackson]

That drawing above is very poorly done. Per the COLREGS when towing astern the towing vessel (tug) will have two (2) white lights if the towed vessel (barge or anything else being towed) is less than <200 meters behind the towing vessel. There will be three white lights if the towed vessel/barge (or other thing) is more than >200m behind the towing vessel. Now the barge will have normal side lights as well as a stern light but no STEAMING light as shown in the drawing.

All small vessels have to understand that when towing the tug captain will allow a longer tow wire when it is rough to prevent the tow wire from getting jerked by the tug to the point of breaking. Also the line that is trailed is there in case the tow wire breaks the tug can go back and snag the line and reattach a new tow wire to the barge. That line is quite often attached to a tow bridle/wire that is held along the side of the barge in breakaway clips.

 

[C lectric]

The flaw in the diagram above of a tug towing and lights at night is the assumption, at least along coastal BC, that the lights actually work or are so dim as to be functionally dead. I spent years sailboating in the dark around Vancouver, Howe Sound and from Point Roberts over to the San Juan Islands. Many of the tows I saw had no to poor lighting on the barge. I took my Q from the three lights on the tug itself.

This happened 10 or so years ago, actually I suspect longer now, yup 1999.

There were a few people injured and at least several killed in English Bay of Vancouver Harbour.

Part of the fault lay with the pleasure boat operator. Almost no training and very limited experience ferrying a group of people to a fireworks show so his attention was not where it should have been. He was travelling in the dusk/dark at a too high rate of speed. {my comment]


But part of the fault was laid on the tug skipper and the company he worked for.

Reason: Inadequate barge lighting. THe light could not be seen untill you were almost on the barge. Also inadequate watch kept in a very busy part of the harbour on a known very busy night.

I looked the report up and read it a while ago. I also remembered the accident which is why I looked it up.

So as rsn48 says you do need to be aware of the meanings of the two or three vertical lights among other light configurations if travelling in poor conditions/dark.

AND STAY CLEAR.

And as an aside, those darn tugs can travel faster than you think especially if the barges are light [running empty]

Official Report below

https://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/marine/1999/m99w0133/m99w0133.html

 

[soin2la]

The flaw in the diagram above of a tug towing and lights at night is the assumption, at least along coastal BC, that the lights actually work or are so dim as to be functionally dead.

With all the tech advancements, the springtop batteries which replaced oil lanterns decades ago, are still in use today; they are bought by the pallet. They die or go swimming and often aren't replaced for days.

 

[angus99]

That drawing above is very poorly done. Per the COLREGS when towing astern the towing vessel (tug) will have two (2) white lights if the towed vessel (barge or anything else being towed) is less than <200 meters behind the towing vessel. There will be three white lights if the towed vessel/barge (or other thing) is more than >200m behind the towing vessel. Now the barge will have normal side lights as well as a stern light but no STEAMING light as shown in the drawing.

All small vessels have to understand that when towing the tug captain will allow a longer tow wire when it is rough to prevent the tow wire from getting jerked by the tug to the point of breaking. Also the line that is trailed is there in case the tow wire breaks the tug can go back and snag the line and reattach a new tow wire to the barge. That line is quite often attached to a tow bridle/wire that is held along the side of the barge in breakaway clips.

And sometimes no lights!

While piloting a 76-ft Alden ketch on a pitch black night from Newport to Bermuda, I was keeping a nervous eye on lights that were paralleling us on the port horizon. The captain was on watch with me but was sick and had fallen asleep. The radar was out of commission so I roused him when it became apparent that the lights were getting larger but remaining at the same point on the compass, indicating constant bearing and a likely crossing. It was obvious by then he was a tow but there was no light visible behind him.

Our captain spent quite a bit of time trying to raise the other vessel and, when he finally made contact, the tow captain sounded drunk. He confirmed that he was indeed towing a barge on at least 100 meters of cable (the seas were sporty that night). We raised the rest of the crew and tacked off behind him, still not seeing the unlit barge until the tow put its large search light on it. It loomed large where our course would have taken us and looked positively menacing in that light—a massive rusting hulk like something the Jawas in StarWars would be riding in. We put several miles between us before tacking back on course. I wouldn’t call it a near-miss, but it seemed a lot closer than it should have been.