🔍 Key Concepts

• Towing gear dynamics in waves (catenary effect, shock loading) • Difference between steady pull and sudden snatch loads on a towline • How towline length affects motion between tug and tow in a seaway

💭 Think About

• When the tug and tow are in ocean swells, how does a longer line change how hard the line is jerked or snatched? • Which option best describes a continuous, ongoing benefit of extra length, rather than a one-time ‘backup’ or minor efficiency gain? • Think about which choice directly relates to reducing damaging forces on the towline in heavy seas.

✅ Before You Answer

• Compare steady tension vs. shock (snatch) loads and which option addresses that most clearly • Eliminate any answer that sounds like a small side benefit instead of the primary safety/engineering reason for long ocean tows • Ask: which choice is about forces in the line over time in a seaway, not convenience or minor performance gains?