🔍 Key Concepts

• Catenary shape of a towline and what it does for shock absorption and towing forces • How shallow water affects the risk of the towline dragging bottom or fouling • Relationship between catenary size and under-keel clearance / depth

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens if you have a deep, sagging catenary in very shallow water. Where might the towline end up? • Consider what happens to the tow if there is almost no catenary at all—how does that affect shock loads on the towing gear and the vessels? • Ask yourself which option best balances avoiding bottom contact with still keeping some shock-absorbing curve in the line.

✅ Before You Answer

• Compare which choices would cause the towline to drag on the bottom in shallow water • Consider which choices would create excessive shock loads on the towline and fittings • Decide which answer best reflects a compromise between clearance and shock absorption in shallow water conditions