An Enlightening Tour of a Working Tugboat in Bristol

Lori Dorn
July 2, 2026

Captain Rhiannon Pritchard gave a wonderfully enlightening tour of the Svitzer Sun, a working tugboat under her charge out of the Royal Portbury Dock in the Bristol Channel in England.

We have had this boat for two, it might be three years. It is the best tug I have ever worked on. Everyone in the port loves it. She’s strong, she’s small, she’s nippy, she’s just perfect. …So here we go. Come on deck.

Pritchard provided a proud look at the Damen 2411 harbor tug, showcasing the bridge controls, cramped living quarters, and the powerful engine room. She also shared the duties as a Tugboat Master and explained the essential tools and equipment maintained on board.

Come along and have a nosy around my boat, see where we work, sleep and eat onboard and even have a stroll around the engine room.

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via Tom Scott

Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.