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Originally Posted by weswood
There's some things about this adventure that have always bothered me. I can't find my copy this instant so I might have some details wrong but....
The Tugboat- yes, I've seen pictures of pointy bowed tugs. But I live near the Houston Ship Channel, I think it's the 3rd largest inland port in the U.S.A. Every tug I've ever seen has a squared off bow. I'm not an expert, but I see tugs at least once a week, pushing everything from barges to cargo & tanker ships.
Another thing about the Vistula Queen is it being a diesel tug converted to steam. Okay, I realize it's a game. But this came up previously on this forum and someone talked to a marine engineer (or something) and was told it would be easier to scrap the diesel and start over for a steam engine. Plus what's always bugged me is the funnel aft of the wheelhouse. Why does a diesel powered craft have that nice ready built funnel????
Then there's the mission. Head down the river to rescue Adam's family & any other survivors they can find. So they're taking a tugboat that doesn't have enough cabin space for the characters, plus a half decked barge? Ooookay.
My idea is dump the tug/barge and have Adam captain a restored paddleboat steamer, similar to what cruised the Mississipi in Mark Twain's time. Already steam powered, plenty of cabin space, easier to repair a wooden hulled vessel than a steel hulled vessel.
I don't know if Poland ever had such boats but I can't see why not.
What's ya'lls thoughts on my idea?
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The tugs you see in Houston are barge tugs, intended for inland waterways and harbors...
Adam's tug may be a coastal tug, it would explain the bow difference. Still...why is it so far up the river? As for the funnel...a lot of tugs have the "traditional" funnel, its fitted with air intakes, the diesel exhaust is a pipe that runs up the backside of the funnel....