Tug (boat)

"The thrill of seafaring adventure is only a downpayment away. You set sail with a fair wing and a hull brimming with illegal immigrants. Hours later, the sea spray and astonishingly poor top speed have brought you a newfound sense of inner peace. Before long, you cruise past the port authorities, and it's your turn in the barrel. This is the life."

- DockTease description.

The Buckingham Tug is a featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and later returning to Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the Further Adventures in Finance and Felony update on June 7, 2016.

Grand Theft Auto IV
The Tug is a large industrial tugboat, which is by far the largest controllable vehicle in the game, boasting a huge and sturdy, and a three-story (including a ) with the  attached on the top (other portions of the superstructure are inaccessible). It is similar to the real life Janice Ann Reinauer tug boat.

The Tug is unique in having a rusty color and access stairs, each one leading to an upper floor. There are no doors on the bridge and the captain stands up in front of the steering wheel. The Tug has an obvious industrial use in Grand Theft Auto IV, and it is most likely used to move the large garbage barges dotted around the city's waters, although this cannot be utilized in-game since all barges are fixed structures.

Grand Theft Auto Online
Returning to Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the Further Adventures in Finance and Felony update, the vehicle now holds the same design as the Olifantus found in the game, which shares the same body design as the Tug. The boat is similar to the real life Janice Ann Reinauer and Cape Romain tug boats.

The Tug still has a rusty appearance as it did in Grand Theft Auto IV, but this time, the Tug is now depicted with a two-story superstructure, since the third deck cab has been removed. Details like the front lamp and a mast with flags can be seen on the top of the main cab and the large exhaust now splits into a twin-tube (opposed to the single pipe seen in the previous model). Also, the Tug only boasts fewer flotation tires on the sides. To compensate for the issue of the boat's accessibility, there are two ladders to allow the player to get in the boat while on the water.

On the mast, there is an LSPA flag and two, specifically "I" and "P".

Grand Theft Auto IV
The boat is very large, and as expected for a vehicle of its size, is very slow, even more so than a Reefer. The Tug also possesses heavy control and very poor stopping power (due to the vehicle being a watercraft, coupled with its weight). Because of its obvious size, the Tug can easily flip other boats. The Tug can take numerous impacts from explosives or rockets before it is completely destroyed, since the water will set off any flame coming from the rear (where the propulsion system is located).

Whilst on the Tug, the player cannot run, but the player may move faster if they aim with the pistol. Pressing the correct button to board the ship will also cause the player to automatically walk to the wheel of the boat. This vehicle can only properly contain one person in multiplayer (the driver), although others can still stand on the deck, however these players will lose some control of their characters.

When the boat is moving, they will also begin to glide off slowly; if anyone stands at the front of the boat they will actually pass through the superstructure and see the water beneath. It is possible for passengers to stay on the boat by hanging onto the side of the boat's hull without letting go.

Grand Theft Auto Online
The boat retains most of its characteristics of being a heavy, slow and large boat. It is very sluggish and somewhat underpowered in the water, and slowing down may become problematic in high currents. It's the only watercraft in the game that can only seat one occupant (excluding the Blazer Aqua, which is amphibious), but other players can stand on the boat's deck as shown in update's trailer, allowing them to use any kind of weapon while the boat's in motion. However, the Tug's slow speed and decreased durability (it can't surive a single explosion now) don't make it a very useful vehicle in combat.

Olifantus
Olifantus is the name for a tugboat based on the Tug, appearing as a prop in Grand Theft Auto V. The design is unchanged from the Tug, with the exception of a different paintjob and the lack of the 3rd floor cab. The Olifantus serves as the livery for the Tug featured in Grand Theft Auto Online.

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * Located in the water just west of Colony Island (between Colony Island and Algonquin).
 * Located in the little channel of water that separates Tudor from Acter Industrial Park, near the dilapidated bridge.
 * Located in the water north of Alderney State Correctional Facility.

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Available for purchase on DockTease for $1,250,000.

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * If the Tug is on ground, there is a chance that it will cause severe lag. When this issue happens, it will last until the Tug disappears by leaving it with another vehicle or when the Tug moves back to the sea.
 * If the player is in the water and they want to board the ship, they will have to go in front of it and press the enter vehicle button. Note that this will only work if the engine is turned off.
 * Sometimes when the player starts the boat, the radio will delay turning on for about 3 seconds.
 * In Port Tudor, there is a docked Tug inside a warehouse, it has a much cleaner bodywork than those the player can use. It cannot be used, since it is just like a building.
 * In Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, the Tug lacks the flotation tires.
 * Although it has ample room on the back, vehicles cannot stay in there, as there is an invisible "slope" that simply makes the vehicle stay inclined above the vehicle's back.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * A wrecked version can be found on the seabed in Elysian Island.
 * Docked Tugs can be found around the Port of Los Santos: not rusted, they are white and green, one in a covered dock, and they are not able to be driven or used, but the player can access the decks.

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Its website description was erroneously shown as ** Placeholder Tug description **. It was most likely a developer oversight, since the description appeared as intended on foreign versions of Grand Theft Auto V. This was fixed in the Cunning Stunts update.
 * Although it has its own dial set, the captain cannot see it in first-person, due to its view limitation with the windshield.
 * The Tug is completely immune to damage from collisions.
 * The Tug has a unique horn in both of its appearances, which is loud and low-pitched. In GTA Online, it has a much lower pitch sound.