Towing & Ship-Assist · Towline — Length and Sea State
In heavier seas with a long ocean tow, the towline length should generally be adjusted so that the tug and tow:
- AAre always exactly one boat length apart
- BStay 'in step' — on the crests and in the troughs together — to minimize shock loading✓ Correct
- CRide out of step to add excitement to the motion
- DKeep the shortest possible towline at all times
Explanation
Towline length is tuned to the wave length so the tug and tow rise and fall together ('in step'). If they are out of step — one climbing a crest while the other drops into a trough — the towline alternately goes slack and snaps taut, generating destructive shock loads.
Authority: Towing seamanship references; Bowditch (Pub. No. 9)
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