🔍 Key Concepts

• Towboat handling with barges ahead and how speed affects control and safety • What visual or physical signs indicate loss of control or dangerous operating condition, not just normal high-speed operation • Difference between normal operating symptoms (like vibration, rooster tail) and clear danger signs on the tow or gear

💭 Think About

• Which option shows a condition that directly threatens the safety of the tow itself (barges and wires), not just the towboat? • Think about what happens to the lead barges at excessive speed in a river current or restricted waters—what changes first: deck, wake, or wire tension? • Which sign would a cautious towboat operator use as an early warning to slow down before damage or loss of tow occurs?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which options describe normal but not necessarily unsafe behaviors vs. clearly dangerous ones • Ask: which sign would be visible at the barges, not just at the towboat? • Consider which condition would most directly risk shipping water, loss of buoyancy, or damage to the connection between boat and barges