Ships that existed before thug boats would not be considered large today, you could pull them with smaller boats that people rowed or buy using ropes to land or to an anchor that was stopped by a smaller boat.

The option that was commonly used was to drop anchor and load and unload via smaller bots and barges.

The fest steam-powered tug boat was made in 1801. If you look at the war ships of the Napoleonic war more specifically the Battle of Trafalgar HMS Victory, Lord Nelsons' flagship was one of the largest in the British fleet. It was 69 meters long and 16 meters wide and has a 3,500 tons displacement. The vast majority of ships om that fleet or in general was not that larg.

The largest passenger ship in 1831 was SS Royal William at 1,370 ton and 49 meters long.

In 1901 it was RMS Celtic at 20,904 ton and 214 meters.

Today it is Wonder of the Seas 236,857 ton and 362 meters.

All of these ships are after the invention of the steam-powered tugboat. So with today standard that war not large ships before tugboats.