Bridge to bridge incident
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Capt.Bill11
Guru
The girl in n the beginning of that video setting up the camera is a friend of mine. She is/was the engineer on that boat.
Most any boat over about 110' or so gets towed up or down the New River in Ft. Lauderdale. whether it is capable of moving under its own power or not. The cost of a tow is in most cases much less than the cost to repair any damage if the vessel encountered a problem while transiting the river.
Most any boat over about 110' or so gets towed up or down the New River in Ft. Lauderdale. whether it is capable of moving under its own power or not. The cost of a tow is in most cases much less than the cost to repair any damage if the vessel encountered a problem while transiting the river.
Shoalwaters
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And then there's this. Gave me white knuckles when driving the boss' new 54 Bertram sportfisher up the Miami river for the first time.
http://youtu.be/8sPXmR3UPVc
http://youtu.be/8sPXmR3UPVc
siestakey
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A few Years ago we went our friends on a Broward I think a 105 it got towed up the new river not nearly this far
I so with I had taken videos but I just watched with my mouth wide open
I so with I had taken videos but I just watched with my mouth wide open
psneeld
Guru
Wonder if it is because they can pivot the bow easier for sharp turns?
.....but in all the towing I have ever done, it's mostly because that's the way the object could be started to to the easiest.
Hopefully Sailor of Fortune will chime in.
.....but in all the towing I have ever done, it's mostly because that's the way the object could be started to to the easiest.
Hopefully Sailor of Fortune will chime in.
Seems two items to me
1. Maybe too long to turn it around
2. Tug to rear of tow direction has better line of sight via sharp bow in its view plane
Reminds me of FDP hook and ladder trucks.
I'd sweat bullets as captain of either tug. One slight error could cost a Million Buck$$$ +/-! They're moving that emense floating tonnage along at a pretty good clip.
With tows you can maneuver either end of the boat as needed and more easily maintain distance even against wind and current plus make the "impossible" turns. The maneuverability of a 164' in a 120' wide canal isn't like at 40' in the same canal. In Fort Lauderdale, Dania Cut and New River require it but so do a couple of shorter canals. In addition to bridges, these canals also have traffic. When there's another boat coming in your direction just around the bend it gets even trickier. I've never handled a 164 but I have handled a 130 in canals there. I compare having the tows at bow and stern to having some form of super 1000 hp bow and stern thrusters that you don't have any worry about keeping on for an hour, no overheating.
Bradford Marine in Fort Lauderdale where I work has our own tow boats and they charge around $1,000 to tow a yacht up and down the New River.
Not long ago I was taking some clients to look at some boats and their captain was with us. He was asking why other captains were using tow boats. I asked his boss what the deductible was on the boat he currently owned and was told $50,000 deductible, which explained the use of tow boats.
Not long ago I was taking some clients to look at some boats and their captain was with us. He was asking why other captains were using tow boats. I asked his boss what the deductible was on the boat he currently owned and was told $50,000 deductible, which explained the use of tow boats.
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Ski in NC
Technical Guru
I spent a week at a shipyard on the Miami River getting a boat ready for sea. Right there with all that traffic going by. Entertaining to say the least!!!
One ship loaded with nothing but wrecked japanese cars. One stacked high with used matresses. One stacked with used bicycles. Tugboats on each end. Laundry hanging off pilothouse rails. Banana plants in pots around pilothouse. And that is just bits of what I remember watching them ten years ago.
The bridge abutments show plenty of evidence that the tugs do screw up occasionally. Lots of damage and lots of tranferred paint of different colors. Or maybe that was vessels that did not use the tugs!!!
One ship loaded with nothing but wrecked japanese cars. One stacked high with used matresses. One stacked with used bicycles. Tugboats on each end. Laundry hanging off pilothouse rails. Banana plants in pots around pilothouse. And that is just bits of what I remember watching them ten years ago.
The bridge abutments show plenty of evidence that the tugs do screw up occasionally. Lots of damage and lots of tranferred paint of different colors. Or maybe that was vessels that did not use the tugs!!!
CPseudonym
Moderator Emeritus
Not in Florida but am willing to bet the owner of Azteca has no qualms paying tow fees.
Actually was said to be a sea trial after some work was done. While the boat was for sale, repossession not the case. Name, "Rockstar". Owner, Russell Weiner. Net worth, $1.5 billion. Bridge not all that wide open and narrow channel but tow was probably for trip back to the shipyard.
Not in Florida but am willing to bet the owner of Azteca has no qualms paying tow fees...]
It looks like St. Martins. Azteca is not alone on yachts "touching", coming or going into Simpson Bay Lagoon. Accidents do happen.
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Not in Florida but am willing to bet the owner of Azteca has no qualms paying tow fees...]
It looks like St. Martins. Azteca is not alone on yachts "touching", coming or going into Simpson Bay Lagoon. Accidents do happen.
It's only 56' wide and Azteca has a 44' beam. Wide beam ships are required to request piloting. And...."If unfortunately your vessel damages the bridge structure while transiting the bridge channel or if your vessel damages a buoy or marker while maneuvering, you will be held liable for all visible and hidden damages. Your vessel will not be allowed to leave port without settling the claim presented by the Lagoon Authority." And it doesn't open with wind greater than 20 knots.
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