Pilot, Clay Culp, steering the m/v Nick G Buford on the Tennessee River.
Towboat "sticks". These are the steering mechanisms used in guiding the rudders on a towboat. As opposed to normal front wheel drive land vehicles, towboats (in contrast to their name) "push" heavy loads along the inland waterways. The act of pushing (as opposed to pulling) changes the manner in which a pilot must steer. When navigating curves or moving to pass other boats, a steersman must use the raw horsepower of the engines to twist a front tow left or right, often while battling wind and heavy water current that can act against him or help in manuverablility.
