How To Run A Tractor Tug

[@thatkyledude1093]

This is the angle we need in more vids. Love it. We can see basically everything you are doing.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! I’ll make more like that! Working on a better camera for it. Thanks for watching 🤙

[@jerryonkick]

I have only been waiting for an ACTUAL video that explains EXACTLY what how to operate something of this level. Thanks

[@tugboatwilly843]

My pleasure! Thank you for watching 🤙

[@stephenmorgan3036]

I'm not the one that asked you for this explanation of the controls, but that was exactly what I needed to see! Thanks a lot guy! Love the videos. I am a retired locomotive engineer. Moving big loads on land was my thing. Some similarities in work style. I was was proud of what I did and I see it in you as well.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Yes sir I am proud and love doing what I do! Locomotive engineer seems like a pretty cool job as well! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@keithsuggs7935]

I'm a current Locomotive Engineer but I surely am proud of what I do! Thanks for the info. Wish I could share my cab but we have inward facing cameras and video recording isn't allowed.

[@lyriconii]

Thanks Willy, the overhead is nice to see as you see. Cool to know how the drives interact. I can see somewhat when you are underway but having the base theory is great. Helps to see where your control moves are coming from. Great content!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now!! Glad you enjoyed it and as always thanks for watching!! 🫡

[@TUGZMAN1]

Great videos Willy. I especially like the overhead camera so we can see what both z drives are doing during the job. Keep up the great work. Tugs have come a long way since my days on the Tilly.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now!! Glad you enjoyed that one. Thanks for watching 🫡

[@o1eksandr653]

Thank you, Captain, for sharing your experience!🤝

[@tugboatwilly843]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@utahrusty7555]

Z Drives Make the Cycloinadal drives nearly obsolete, Man, I hated using the original Voith Schneider Controls, nothing made any sense! Around 15 years or so ago, they finally listened to us and converted the controls to pretty much what you have with the Schottel drives ( Z Drives/Z-Pellers) and that made all the difference in the world! You Z drive guys got it made, your 4000 Hp Tractors actually Put full power to the water, Mine will never match that, about the ONLY advantage is the slightly more finite thrust contolI have ( Azmuth ) when manoeuvring close! Awesome Videos Capt, Keep um coming! Our new 12,000 HP boats are nearing initial build, we got the plans and ordered the steel and engines and all that, and guess what, they are going to be Z Drive, not more Voith Schneiders, and we are going to use every one of those 12,000 pony's on our new 80 mile turns!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hell yeah! That sounds amazing! I would love to see that tug when finished! Maybe get an interview with you?? Enjoy your day my friend!

[@jackhooper3927]

Can you teach an older (82) sea dog new tricks? With your video, I boarded the 21st C. Seeing BOTH of your hands at work, understanding the center of each controller indicates direction of thrust was an epiphany! Many, many thanks.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! So glad that you enjoyed it Capt! That means a lot 🫡

[@theburnhamproject]

I’ve just recently discovered this channel and I’m fascinated by the Tug life!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hell yeah! Thanks for watching!

[@kennethgrindrod6438]

From an ex merchant mariner I found this one very interesting thank you

[@tugboatwilly843]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@Bob060742]

Tractor Tug 101, GREAT better understanding now.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank ya sir and glad you liked it! 🤙

[@ThumperKJFK]

You did a very good job of explaining the Z Drive controls of the wheel. I am not a mariner, but have caught on very quickly of how a Z Drive tug has much more maneuverability than fixed wheel boats. I also find is so amazing watching you guy's maneuver while up on the bridge Port or Starboard wings as the Pilot gives you orders via radio. Tugs are Rock stars in my book, and always have been. And the Z Drive tugs take it to another level. Captain I will CUOTO slow bell 🤙✌

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now!! Thank you my friend as always!! So glad you enjoyed that one! I’ll catch you on the one 🫡

[@mike14sp]

Nice breakdown.. Thank you: it is nice to have a bit of an insight as to how it all works.

[@tugboatwilly843]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@mollystrack7902]

I definitely been one of those folks who wondered about how. 😅 Thanks for showing!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thanks for watching as always 🤙

[@DeanNusbaum]

Captain Will , aaahhh the modern age of tug boat. Have you ever had to run one of the older tugs with the large wooden helm and throttle controls separate? You and your crew stay safe please !!!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Yes I came up running single screw and twin screw boats. Never really a big wheel tho. Just the sticks. Thanks for watching 🤙

[@LIFEOFALPHASIGMA]

Hello and thank you for this video and inside view of your job! A very interesting job you have. Greetings from Austria!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Greetings my friend!! Thanks for watching and supporting! Enjoy your day 🤙

[@TheHumanMass]

Thanks Willy, ever think of trying to stream some 360 camera when running the tug ? i wuld love to be able to look around whilst you do your tug biz

[@tugboatwilly843]

Yes sir! Working on that. The vibration is killing me at the moment but I will find a way! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@TheHumanMass]

@@tugboatwilly843 the insta 360 x4 is a great choice, i bought one you connect it to your phone and you stream through that on to youtube you set the stream in you tube to 360 i think they will only go for 30 min but you can stop and restart, its image stabilization is top notch as well i dont think the vibrations we see when your pulling hard will bother it, love your videos and thank you for the content

[@marlawhite3682]

great over head video!!! Try and do this view when you are doing a tug job

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank you! I got some videos up with this view if you are interested

[@selkiemaine]

Wonderful! From the tug modeling community, I thank you!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank you! If you need to see anything else let me know and I’ll do my best to make it happen 🤙

[@EdwardSimpson159]

Hey now. I thought you did an excellent job, explaining how it works. The overhead camera works pretty good for that. Most of the time, I'm watching what your hands are doing, so I can get an idea in my head, of how it works.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now!! Hell yeah!! Glad that you enjoyed that one. Thanks for watching 🤙

[@EdwardSimpson159]

@@tugboatwilly843 Anytime brother

[@savethehumans7460]

Thanks for the share

[@tugboatwilly843]

💯🫡

[@davidcassidy6226]

Wow, what a great video! So glad you had the lapel mic on. We can hear so much better when you have it on in any of your videos. How you can use it more!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank you! I promise I will use it more. Thanks for watching 🫡

[@davidcassidy6226]

@@tugboatwilly843 HEY NOW!!

[@Pm678-b1b]

Appreciate you Willy. You didn’t happen to see what they dug out of the water today did you?

[@tugboatwilly843]

Appreciate you! I got off Wednesdays afternoon so I didn’t see. I might be able to find out for you tho.

[@jeffacko465]

Gd day mate, Re my last comment on the previous vid, dont do anything that will interfere with your operations. Ive seen videos where the host comments after the video is shot, the audio is much clearer, maybe you could do that ,explaining what your doing and how things work. What your doing now is fine,but you havent got the time to explain things. I really do love that video where the door was open, you could hear the engines better.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Yes sir! I’ll definitely do a breakdown of a job after we are finished. Thanks for watching and have a great day my friend!

[@JohnSmith-vi5pz]

I was wondering, could you also have a ''neutral'' position with the props pointing at each other rather than away from each other? Great video BTW.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! You never want to point the wheels at each other. Too much water and pressure you’ll break something quick. Thanks for watching 🤙

[@JohnSmith-vi5pz]

@@tugboatwilly843 Thanks, I did wonder.

[@Taytertot-Motoring]

Fantastic overview

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank you!!

[@AlBracco879]

Hey Hey Now 🤙🤙 Professor Willy That was perfect 👍 Great Job !!!!!! Next Topic.......... How to deal with weekend recreational boaters I call them Staten Island Mosquitoes 😂😂😂😂😂 Be safe 🫡🇺🇸

[@tugboatwilly843]

Staten Island mosquitoes!! That’s good Capt! Happy Thursday bro and stay safe out there!!

[@brucehobbs1734]

I want to see more about the winches, brakes and abilities.

[@tugboatwilly843]

I’ll see what I can do! Thanks for watching 🤙

[@C_Alcock]

​@tugboatwilly843 LOVE your videos man! I just got my Able Seaman and wanna be a Z drive tug captain eventually. Are there any companies you'd recommend? I live in FL but don't care where I work

[@jamesburnside3023]

Awesome it sure would take a while to get used to, how long do you have to work on a boat before you get into your seat. And what test or any to prove you know what you are doing before you work in the Harbor.

[@tugboatwilly843]

So the route I took was 4 years on deck and during that time I got my AB ticket then got my steersman ticket. Then I trained in the wheelhouse while I was working the deck holding my steersman. After about another year I got my 500 ton Mates license with a mate of towing and was pulling my own watch in the wheelhouse. So about 4 years to get from the deck to the chair. To get to the captain spot in really depends on you and how serious you take the job.

[@Veronicat-of4nz]

Looks more like a space ship LOL Very interesting!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thanks for watching 🫡

[@sondredid]

Do you have an indicator that shows where the props are? How fast does the props turn, like if you turn the wheel 180° quite fast, how longe does it take for the props to have the same direction?

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Yes the is an indicator. It takes a few seconds to catch up if you spend them fast. Thanks for w🤙

[@philipf8774]

Thanks for the explanation. What is the maximum pulling power of a tug you are operating (in tons)? Cheers

[@JohnSmith-vi5pz]

About 70 tons at 3/4 throttle - he says it on a previous video. So maybe 100 tons bollard pull?

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! He’s right 90 tons is the max. Thanks so much for watching! Both of y’all 🫡

[@JohnSmith-vi5pz]

Hey Now Willy, howz you doin? I was wondering, can you come to the side of a big ship and push with your bow using the full 90 tons available or would that maybe damage the side of the ship's hull?

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Yes you can push full on a ship you just have to be in position first.

[@WavzonRox39]

Thanks, finally have a clue!

[@tugboatwilly843]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@TaylorTaylor-yi4qd]

🔥 🔥 🔥 thank you for the awesome video!!! Hey Now!!!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now!! My pleasure and thanks for watching 🫡

[@subocito]

I'm fairly new to the tugboat-world, but have recently started on an ASD-tug. You mention this is a tractor tug, but the maneuvering principles are the same as an ASD tug? Where are the propellers mounted on her? Instinct says that handling this should be like reversing an ASD, but this seems to be the same... And my head can't seem to understand the physics...

[@tugboatwilly843]

From what I can tell the maneuvering is the same. The bottom of our hull is flat tho. Makes it easier for us to slide across the water.

[@subocito]

@@tugboatwilly843 Interesting! Because I assume that your propulsion pods are fore of midships?

[@tugboatwilly843]

@ aft of midship

[@Grubywengorz]

the best view

[@tugboatwilly843]

I agree! I’ll definitely make more like that. Thanks for your support 🫡

[@bjrnlvjomas8083]

How fast do your sterndrive react to your commands? I guess they do need some time to rotate?

[@austingooger7566]

It takes a second but its not super slow, especially on the newer boats. By the time u look down at your position indicator they are where u want them.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Austin is right just a few seconds. Thanks bot of y’all for your support!! 🤙

[@stephenstange4194]

Where (fore vs aft) are the drives actually located? Based on your explanation I would guess that they are aft.

[@tugboatwilly843]

You are correct! They are on the aft deck!

[@jonathanrighetti5897]

they should have made the controls with joysticks without the return to center springs for easy use

[@tugboatwilly843]

That might could be cool. Thanks for watching 🤙

[@philorkill]

How many degrees per second does the z-drive turn? Or: What is the max turn rate of the prop/rudder?

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! I believe it’s like 6-8 degrees per second. Thanks for watching!

[@philorkill]

@@tugboatwilly843 thank you

[@frogmorepipester7490]

Neat.

[@tugboatwilly843]

💯🫡

[@KresimirGrbic]

Willy you could be a maritime school teacher 😃 please tell me how can I reach you out of KZbin?!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! Thank you! [e-mail]

[@KresimirGrbic]

@@tugboatwilly843 check inbox please

[@brentbares9015]

Next video do the job with this view

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! I got some up like that if your interested

[@a-fl-man640]

looks like the system is ripe for a digital drive coordinating control system.

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! I never worked with one of those but sounds interesting! Thanks for watching as always 🫡

[@titofuentez2340]

best way to learn is to get in the chair!!!

[@tugboatwilly843]

Hey now! The best way!!