From a 4 barge harbor pilot who likes his comfort zone and low stress...i must say....hats off to you and all your brothers who do the heavy work...awesome videos too....thanks
Wow totally interesting. Great play by play. Funny how knowledge so useless to one person (me) is entirely useful to others. Either way it's fascinating!
Great video, is flanking a method of saving fuel or a safer way of making the bend? Why would he not put the rudder hard over and power around then center and go ahead? Thanks, your videos are very interesting.
DC Brown it is the safest way to make a sharp turn with high current.. Since the tow is 1000' long if you try and steer it the water will be hitting you on port side and be pushing you towards the bank causing an accident
He would be flanking the next bend. By driving down towards the bend. Slowing his headway down and letting the current on the outside of the bend push his head around. The outside of a turn will always have the faster current.
No, many bends can be what’s called driven around. It’s a decision made by the pilot in command at the time. River conditions are always changing and what worked yesterday, may not work today. The inland towing industry is like many others. Time is money. Flanking is safer but slows progress. Driving a bend is much quicker but riskier. If the pilot decides to drive the bend but is unable too due to conditions or lack of skill. The outcome can be costly and time consuming. Where is after understanding river current and it’s effects upon a tow, flanking requires less skill. In this video it’s easy to see that there is a swift current. The narrator explains what’s happening in terms that land lubbers show easily understand. It should give those unfamiliar with towboat operations a better understanding of what might be happening or how sharp bends are made.
This is how the NTSB describes Flanking; A flanking maneuver allows tows to pivot around the point of a bend, similar to how a large log might drift downriver. The operator reverses the engines to reduce the forward speed of the tow and places the stern of the tow near the “point” or inside of the bend, in slower-moving water. During the turn, the operator applies a series of engine thrusts against the current to keep the stern near the point of the bend, while the faster-moving water at the outside of the bend, swings the head of the tow around. A vessel operator may decide to flank around a bend if the combined forward speed of the vessel and the current might otherwise push the tow onto the outside riverbank before the turn can be completed. Compared with steering around a bend, flanking requires more time to navigate through relatively short stretches of the river (as the forward speed is slower) but reduces the risk of running aground. Flanking is possible only when the current pushes the vessel from astern and “carries” the vessel through the turn.
From a 4 barge harbor pilot who likes his comfort zone and low stress...i must say....hats off to you and all your brothers who do the heavy work...awesome videos too....thanks
SUPERB TUTORIAL. SO VERY INFORMATIVE. A TRUE MASTER OF HIS TRADE. THANX FOR ALL THE GREAT VIDS. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Thankyou enjoyed your commentary on flanking, and reading current. It has to make a difference on high water. Thankyou again sharing
Now , that is skill and knowledge put to good use !
Wow totally interesting. Great play by play. Funny how knowledge so useless to one person (me) is entirely useful to others. Either way it's fascinating!
Awesome video and awesome work by Cap’n Kenny.
Awesome video. Thanks Captain!
My fatherinlaw run them big towboats back in the 70s up and down the rivers. he worked the ocean going tugs in the 80s and 90s
Been a quite a few years is it Bringier the point about mile 168-169 right above Uncle Sam dock?
Super interesting information!
I came around a corner one time in a john boat, it was just like this.
Great video, is flanking a method of saving fuel or a safer way of making the bend? Why would he not put the rudder hard over and power around then center and go ahead? Thanks, your videos are very interesting.
DC Brown it is the safest way to make a sharp turn with high current.. Since the tow is 1000' long if you try and steer it the water will be hitting you on port side and be pushing you towards the bank causing an accident
I understand, thanks Capt.
Great video
Very nicely done
WAS DOWN IN HENRY, IL ON 3/20/19 AND FOUND 3 NAVIGATION BOUYS STRANDED IN THE RIVER BOTTOMS
The drone pilot is the impressive one
I lost that one in the trees at a later date but jave just decided to start again and bought new setup
How will he get around the next turn with the current working against him I mean trying to push him into the bank
He would be flanking the next bend. By driving down towards the bend. Slowing his headway down and letting the current on the outside of the bend push his head around. The outside of a turn will always have the faster current.
I miss working on the river 😞
DO YOU FLANK EVERY CURVE
No, many bends can be what’s called driven around. It’s a decision made by the pilot in command at the time. River conditions are always changing and what worked yesterday, may not work today.
The inland towing industry is like many others. Time is money. Flanking is safer but slows progress. Driving a bend is much quicker but riskier. If the pilot decides to drive the bend but is unable too due to conditions or lack of skill. The outcome can be costly and time consuming. Where is after understanding river current and it’s effects upon a tow, flanking requires less skill.
In this video it’s easy to see that there is a swift current. The narrator explains what’s happening in terms that land lubbers show easily understand. It should give those unfamiliar with towboat operations a better understanding of what might be happening or how sharp bends are made.
This is how the NTSB describes Flanking;
A flanking maneuver allows tows to pivot around the point of a bend, similar to how a large log might drift downriver. The operator reverses the engines to reduce the forward speed of the tow and places the stern of the tow near the “point” or inside of the bend, in slower-moving water. During the turn, the operator applies a series of engine thrusts against the current to keep the stern near the point of the bend, while the faster-moving water at the outside of the bend, swings the head of the tow around. A vessel operator may decide to flank around a bend if the combined forward speed of the vessel and the current might otherwise push the tow onto the outside riverbank before the turn can be completed. Compared with steering around a bend, flanking requires more time to navigate through relatively short stretches of the river (as the forward speed is slower) but reduces the risk of running aground. Flanking is possible only when the current pushes the vessel from astern and “carries” the vessel through the turn.
You forgot to tell us which way the river is flowing.
Use your eyes
no ones going to talk about the massive flare in the background, OK
Lol from Exxon refinery
🙄