tow one or more barges. Since old schooners were available, they could be adapted to towing service with reduced crews. When winds were favorable, the schooner barge could have one or two sails rigged to save fuel in the steam tug. Eventually, schooner-rigged wooden ships were purposely built for use as barges. The concept was later extended to salt-water use, with, for example, the United States Navy converting some schooners for use as barges for coal.

Because of rough weather and small crews, schooner barges were frequently lost