🔍 Key Concepts

• Catenary in a towing hawser and why it forms • How different tow makeups change the shape of the towing wire (single tug vs multiple tugs, single vs multiple hawsers) • Which arrangement is designed specifically to reduce sag in the towline

💭 Think About

• Visualize each tow makeup in side view and ask: which one tends to keep the towline the straightest between tug and tow? • Consider whether adding more tugs or more barges in line would increase or decrease the natural sag of the hawser in the water. • Think about offshore/ocean towing practice: which named system was historically developed to control the depth and sag of the tow wire in seaway?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on what catenary means: a sagging curve in a heavy wire or chain under its own weight. • Check which option refers to a specific system of towing (not just the number of barges being towed). • Verify which named tow makeup is associated with minimizing wire sag and keeping better control of the hawser in rough conditions.