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[tubby tomo]

  

     hi all when a member of the publice asks why is it called a tow boat if it pushes what do you tell them ?  

this tow boat is 5ft weighty 80lb 2 x 24v motors 75mm props in korts

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Tradition... 

The term used back when mules were used to tow barges through the canals and rivers.

Sort of like Starboard is a remanent of the words "Stear board" When rudders used to be mounted to the right side of boats.

Or Trenal is the truncation of Tree Nail  refering to the wooden pegs or nails used to assemble wooden ships.
Ooh,... and what is the person that makes trenails called? 

[Lord Bungle]

In these days of over hyped jobs probably a Nail Technician 

[TomTheKraut]

 

     hi all when a member of the publice asks why is it called a tow boat if it pushes what do you tell them ?  

They do that only in America, sir.

It's a different kettle of fish in Europe - and probably different again somewhere else 

[Arrow5]

I`ve noticed that nuts and bolts,rivets, and probably nails, are called "fasteners" . Oh dear. 

[towboatjoe]

Besides towboat and push boat there are a few other names. The smaller ones are known as fleet tugs, pool boats, push tug, harbor boat, lunch bucket boat among other things. Just like everything else in the American language, there are a dozen names for the same thing.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

In these days of over hyped jobs probably a Nail Technician 

Actually they had their own unique moniquer... Trenail makers were known as Mooters.

 

http://www.hmsrichmond.org/admiralty.htm

The average Dockyard had shipwrights; sawyers; sailmakers; block makers and riggers; caulkers, oakum boys, and
 pitch heaters; bricklayers with labourers, masons, painters with labourers, and plumbers; house carpenters and joiners;
 and braziers, a cooper, founders, locksmiths, messengers, scavelmen (for cleaning the muck from slips and docks),
smiths, teams, a tinman, warders, wheelwrights, and yard labourers (in the wood mills, in the metal mills, in the
millwright's shop, and in the ropeyards). There would usually be trenail mooters, who made the ships' wooden nails.

The command of the ocean: a naval history of Britain, 1649-1815, Volume 2



Trenail mooters mooted trenails (ie: cut them with a circular gauge or moot)

[tobyker]

thanks, Umi - well found. I love hearing new words - the more words the more scope for a. puns, and b. rhymes.