A friend called me recently and asked if I thought he could tow one of his passenger boats to drydock using one of his other passenger vessels. My immediate answer was “yes, I don’t see why not.” He needed to get one of his vessels to drydock and, with tight drydock schedules, he had to move quickly.
During our conversation, I explained that I did not know of any federal regulations that would prevent him from using a certificated passenger vessel to tow another vessel. I suggested that he should inform the Coast Guard, but that as long as he had a plan, adequate lighting, appropriate crew, and adequate horsepower, all should be satisfactory.
I am not a regulator, but I do have some experience in this area. In 1982, my company, BB Riverboats, was awarded a contract to provide passenger vessel services during the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville Tenn. We transported three excursion vessels, three deck barges, one office barge, and one crew barge approximately 1,400 miles from Cincinnati to Knoxville. All these assets were towed by the 600-hp passenger vessel the M/V Becky Thatcher and a small 350-hp towboat, the Shirley B. We made it to Knoxville and back without a hitch, even though on the return trip we encountered high water when we entered Ohio River on the last leg of that trip.
U.S. passenger vessels are completely safe to use in towing situations that I have described here. There is no intention to compete with towboats commercially. Financial compensation is not a consideration and passengers are not being carried during such operations. The owner is simply towing a vessel from point A to B and back again.
I am not seeking any additional regulation. I believe that current regulations permit passenger vessels to engage in this type of towing practice, as long as there is a plan in place and the Coast Guard is informed. I am interested in hearing your opinions about the towing of passenger vessels.
