On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:14:49 -0400, "Ernest Scribbler"
wrote:

"Bob" wrote
I’m not going to play chicken with a tug.”

Words to live by.

Out of curiosity, does anybody know why a boat that tows barges behind it is
called a tugboat, while one that pushes them in front is called a towboat?

Actually ocean going tugs sometimes push. They have special barges
with a notch that matches the bow of the tug. If it gets too rough,
they then use the regular tugboat half mile long wire. Sometimes they
lash a barge to the side of the tug. The call that: on the hip.

I bought some books at New York Nautical, one of them on tugs.

Casady