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30MNSeptember 2011Ocean Towing with Z-Drives Western Towboat leads the way with tractor tugs ? by Raina ClarkFor a first-hand look at how tractor tugs are used for ocean towing on the West Coast, I took a ride on the first Titan class vessel built by Western Towboat out of Seattle, Wash. The 108-ft Western Titan was built in 1997 with stern Azimuth drives. She pulls a container barge the size of a football field on a tow line from Seattle to Skagway, Alaska, mak- ing several port calls along the way and traveling through both the inside passage and waters more open to the Pacific Ocean. On a contract with Alaska Marine Lines, the Western Titan supplies Southeast Alaska with indus- trial and consumer goods ? everything from cars, con- struction equipment, mail, explosives and containers. FIRSTIN: EXPERIENCE COUNTS Captain Chris Lickey runs this route regularly with the Western Titan and has been driving tugs for more than 20 years. ?Western Towboat was the first to do line hauling with a tractor tug, to the best of my knowledge,? he told me on the first day of my trip. ?The biggest strength of tractor tugs is the ability to back down and maintain con- trol.? The Titan class vessels are regularly able to flop alongside their barges and bring them into port without the assis- tance of a harbor tug. ?It will be blowing 40 knots when we get to Ketchikan and we?ll bring the tow in ourselves,? Lickey told me as we neared the first stop on the tug?s route. ?I?ve been on a tractor tug when it was 70 knots and gone unassisted. You wouldn?t dream of doing that with a conventional tug. One of the hardest things with a con- ventional tug is to get the tow stopped.? That, and ?back- ing into the wind is brutal,? he said. (Photo: Raina Clark)The Western Titan , the first in the Titan class of tractortugs built by Western Towboat (Seattle, WA) for line hauling barges up and down the West Coast Western Titan Specifications Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Z-Drive Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 Feet Breadth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Feet Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 Feet Gross Tonnage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Main Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Caterpillar Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3516-B LS (2) Horsepower/RPM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4500/1600 Radio Call Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WCX-4599 Reduction Gears . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ulstein Z-Drive Year Built . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1997 Propeller . . . . . . . .100x120 Nautican Nozzles Generators . . . . . . .Caterpillar 3306 135KW (2) Fuel Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140,000 Lube Oil Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,200 Tow Winch / Wire . .Burrard / 2600 ft, 2.25 in. Port of Registry: . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Seattle, WA MN#9 (18-31):MN 2011 Layouts 9/6/2011 12:03 PM Page 30