Interview: John Waterhouse, EBDG - “Be Bold in Thinking but Cautious in Application”
John Waterhouse is a ubiquitous character in the U.S. maritime industry, a deep-thinker, a signature bow tie and more than three decades of naval architecture and marine engineering experience and success as co-owner of the Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG).While growing up, John Waterhouse spent some time in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and it was as a young boy standing on the shores of English Bay, watching ships come in from around the world to load and unload their cargos, when he realized that a maritime career could be his future.
Advances in Bollard Pull Testing Technology
Many arguments about the capabilities of a tug can be quickly settled when you can conduct a full-ahead power, bollard pull test. “Many captains will argue about horsepower, hull design, rudder angles, and other variables, but the only thing that really matters is bollard pull and a test provides empirical data of pure power,” says Mark Babcock, VP of Machinery for Sause Brothers’ 200 tugs, barges and OSVs. While the bollard pull test has been around for many decades, recent changes in technique, technology and data-logging allow engineering and operations to fine tune the analysis and provide more accurate information. Providing accurate reports allows pilots, agents and customers to have confidence in towing and tug capabilities at the edge of the performance envelope.