🔍 Key Concepts

• Catenary as it relates to chain, cables, or hawsers under load • How a towline or anchor chain naturally hangs between two points • The role of weight and sag in absorbing shock loads in towing or anchoring

💭 Think About

• Visualize a towline stretched between tug and tow—what shape does it naturally take if it is not bar‑tight? • Think about which part or feature of the towline helps to absorb shock and keep steady tension between vessels. • Consider which options describe a shape or form of the line versus a fitting or piece of hardware.

✅ Before You Answer

• Eliminate any choices that describe hardware fittings rather than a shape or curve of the line. • Ask yourself which option best describes the sagging shape formed by a heavy line or chain between two support points. • Confirm that the correct choice refers to the geometry of the hawser under its own weight and tension, not how it is secured to the vessel.