T UGBOATS ON THE C OAST

Tugboats in the morning mist
mmbc 984.8.22
Before 1870 marine towing was carried out by steam-powered vessels. By the 1870's vessels were being built specifically for towing and existing ships, such as the Beaver, were converted for towing purposes. These early towing vessels had limited power and only basic equipment. As requirements for larger and longer tows developed, tugboats were built with long, slim, deep hulls, and enclosed power plants. These vessels were also equipped with electric lighting plants, instead of oil lamps, and with towing winches, instead of only towing bitts. In the 1910-1920 period, smaller tugboats were repowered from steam or built with gasoline, distillate, or semi-diesel power plants. Coal as a fuel for larger tugboats was replaced by oil.

The tug 'Island Trooper' escorting the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Camsell mmbc 993.017.2491

Tugboats serve many industries including lumber, fishing, mining and agriculture, transporting raw materials, fuel and machinery. They also transport people, for example the engineers who layout industrial plants and the employees who operate them. The vessels transport finished products to market; act as support vessels for naval ships; and rescue distressed vessels or salvage them. From the British Columbian coast to the province's lakes and rivers, tugboats have played a critical role in the success o f our diverse industries.

---