🔍 Key Concepts

• Think about how a towboat pushes rather than pulls its tow on inland rivers. • Consider where the forward pushing force from the engines has to be physically applied to the barge hulls. • Distinguish between parts used for propulsion (making thrust in the water) and parts used for transferring that thrust to the tow (contact point / structure against the barges).

💭 Think About

• Which labeled item is actually in contact with, or structurally designed to press against, the ends of the barges when the tow is made up? • Which items in the answer choices are more related to steering or underwater propulsion, and which are designed as heavy framing or fendered structure on the bow? • If the engines push water astern to move the boat ahead, what part of the hull then presses on the tow so that the barges move with the towboat?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which letters in the answer choices are on the bow pushing face of the towboat, not near the propellers or rudders. • Eliminate any choice that is clearly a rudder, propeller, or stern gear, since these create thrust in the water but do not directly touch the barges. • Focus on the heavy framed / fendered bow structure designed to rest against the stern of the barges—this is where the thrust is actually transferred.