🔍 Key Concepts

• Yawing of a tow – side-to-side swinging of the tow behind the tug • How weight distribution (trim and deck load position) affects directional stability • How towline length and stern drogues influence a tow’s tracking and stability

💭 Think About

• Think about which options make the tow track more steadily in line behind the tug versus making it more ‘loose’ or unstable • For each choice, ask: does this make the tow’s stern more controlled and ‘dragged straight,’ or does it shift weight in a way that might encourage more swinging? • Consider how changing the length of the towing hawser affects the tow’s ability to surge, yaw, and respond to seas.

✅ Before You Answer

• For each option, picture the center of gravity moving forward or aft and how that affects the tow’s tendency to swing • Decide which measures add drag or directional stability at the stern and which do not • Verify which option would least help keep the tow lined up behind the tug in a seaway