We've all seen them from afar, but how do they work, what do they do and who runs them? This mammoth book gives readers a rare, closeup look of working tugboats around the world. Huge color spreads that fold out a full 27 inches show the boats at work. In-depth text explains the complex maneuvering systems, techniques and the technology tugs employ.From the port of New York to the Mississippi River, from Hong Kong Harbor to the Panama Canal, these indispensable hard workers quietly control the harbors and rivers of the world. The detailed history walks readers through the development of these beautiful creations of woodwork and engineering from the first makeshift tug to today's rugged powerhouse models.Interviews with working captains and profiles of legendary sea dogs depict the colorful and often difficult lives of tugboat crew-daily routines that differ substantially from most of our own as they work in tight quarters under the constant threat of dangerous water conditions.The book describes how, through an intricate choreography of movements, a fleet of tugs navigates massive ships and tankers into narrow waterways, around perilous shallows and into tight docking bays. Their world is a delicate balance of nautical engineering, brute motor force and coordination among vessels that can oftenmean the difference between safety and disaster.