I was sailing from East Greenwich, RI through Narragansett Bay to Block Island, RI on Friday when the winds gusted to 30 knots. I was towing my dingy (Zodiac 8'6" inflatable w/o the engine attached) behind the boat. At one point the swells were 8 to ten feet. I occasionally looked to make sure the dingy was towing well but when things got hairy my concentration was on the sailing and, unfortunately, not on the dingy. When I had a second to think about the dingy and looked it was gone. When I pulled in the line I found that the two brass shackles which attached the dingy to the tow line were both broken. Called the Coast Guard to report the loss and am hoping that an honest sailor who finds the dingy will turn it in. Now my question(s): 1. Under heavy seas like I had, how far behind the boat should the dingy be when being towed? 2. Once the sea became that heavy, should I have stopped the boat and hauled the dingy on deck? I was smart enough to reef before we got into trouble but didn't think about the dingy. Should the same rule about reefing also appy to bringing the dingy on deck? 3. I guess brass shackles should not be used. I would guess that heavy stainless would be best in the future. 4. Does the insurance on my boat cover the dingy? If not would my homeowners policy cover it? Just as an aside. We turned back and looked for the dingy and, obviously couldn't find it. We went to Newport for the night. We picked up a mooring there which had a double loop for both cleets on the bow. When we were leaving my "crew" only released on of the loops and told me we were free of the mooring. When I motored away not knowing I was still attached to the mooring I ended up dragging a 500 lb mooring about 100 feet, right in front of the Harbormaster's boat. I guess I will also have to pay to have the mooring moved back into position. All in all not a very good trip. 5. I think what happened to me is a good case for getting davits. What do you think?
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Daniel Jonas
New Something
Mickey, We would not consider pulling our dingy in those conditions. You should check your insurance it might be covered. Yes, you should have gotten it on deck, but I suspect that by the time the waves were getting to 10 feet, that might have been dangerous. Losing a dingy is preferable to losing a person overboard, and it sounds like you were sailing with some inexperienced crew members. I assume that with 10 foot waves everyone was in a PFD and a tether? When transiting areas where there is a chance for weather changes (time), or physical areas that have different currents or winds, we deflate the dingy and stow it onboard. Does not take that long to inflate on the other side. We like to sail with the idea that we are prepared for the worst rather than hoping for the best. Finally, it is important to spend a few minutes with crew going over instructions prior to leaving any dock, mooring or anchorage. Perhaps if you had gone forward and talked the crew through the release (verbal rehearsal) it would have been clear that there was a need to release two lines. Another good plan is to move the boat slowly until you can visually verify the mooring ball is free of the boat. We learn something new everytime we go out, especially when we go out with those more experienced than we are. Hope that your insurance can cover at least part of your weekend education. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
Mickey, We would not consider pulling our dingy in those conditions. You should check your insurance it might be covered. Yes, you should have gotten it on deck, but I suspect that by the time the waves were getting to 10 feet, that might have been dangerous. Losing a dingy is preferable to losing a person overboard, and it sounds like you were sailing with some inexperienced crew members. I assume that with 10 foot waves everyone was in a PFD and a tether? When transiting areas where there is a chance for weather changes (time), or physical areas that have different currents or winds, we deflate the dingy and stow it onboard. Does not take that long to inflate on the other side. We like to sail with the idea that we are prepared for the worst rather than hoping for the best. Finally, it is important to spend a few minutes with crew going over instructions prior to leaving any dock, mooring or anchorage. Perhaps if you had gone forward and talked the crew through the release (verbal rehearsal) it would have been clear that there was a need to release two lines. Another good plan is to move the boat slowly until you can visually verify the mooring ball is free of the boat. We learn something new everytime we go out, especially when we go out with those more experienced than we are. Hope that your insurance can cover at least part of your weekend education. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
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Tim Schaaf
Onboard!
I absolutely agree with Jonas that it would have been too late to get the dinghy on board. You are right, that as in reefing, it is best to get the dinghy on board when first you think about it....but that should be before you set sail, unless it is a short trip and you KNOW you will be in sheltered waters. I have seen this happen TOO many times. It helps to have the mental image of a two thousand (or more) dollar bill, dragging through the water on a line....not a good thought! You can get in trouble with davits, too, by the way, if the seas are big enough or the boat not big enough. Your boat insurance policy will specify if it covers a dinghy, and with what deductible. I have no idea about homeowners' insurance. Good luck.
I absolutely agree with Jonas that it would have been too late to get the dinghy on board. You are right, that as in reefing, it is best to get the dinghy on board when first you think about it....but that should be before you set sail, unless it is a short trip and you KNOW you will be in sheltered waters. I have seen this happen TOO many times. It helps to have the mental image of a two thousand (or more) dollar bill, dragging through the water on a line....not a good thought! You can get in trouble with davits, too, by the way, if the seas are big enough or the boat not big enough. Your boat insurance policy will specify if it covers a dinghy, and with what deductible. I have no idea about homeowners' insurance. Good luck.
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Colin
You got me thinking!
I have often worried about the same thing happening to me! As a solution for the future I am considering a second slightly longer line attached to the dinghy that will trigger some sort of alarm in the cockpit if the tow line fails. I have heard of the personal alarms being used alongside of anchor rodes but think these might be a little light.
I have often worried about the same thing happening to me! As a solution for the future I am considering a second slightly longer line attached to the dinghy that will trigger some sort of alarm in the cockpit if the tow line fails. I have heard of the personal alarms being used alongside of anchor rodes but think these might be a little light.
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Gary Jensen
Dinghy towing
It is recommended that when towing a dinghy that it crest the second wave behind you when you are doing the same (cresting a wave). That way the painter is less apt to come free. Another chosen method of towing is to turn the raft around and have the raft's transom up out of the water and close to the boat. (that would be my second choice)..My first choice is to have it secured up-side=down (on deck)..
It is recommended that when towing a dinghy that it crest the second wave behind you when you are doing the same (cresting a wave). That way the painter is less apt to come free. Another chosen method of towing is to turn the raft around and have the raft's transom up out of the water and close to the boat. (that would be my second choice)..My first choice is to have it secured up-side=down (on deck)..
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Ken Cobb
Two lines, same problem
If the conditions are bad enough that the first line failed, what is to keep the second line from failing, too? In rough conditions it is too late to get the dinghy back on board. I think the real problem is the refusal to stow the dinghy in the first place. Or, if it is a hard dinghy and absolutely has to be towed, then all efforts have to be made to build redundancy into the towing bridle and connections.
If the conditions are bad enough that the first line failed, what is to keep the second line from failing, too? In rough conditions it is too late to get the dinghy back on board. I think the real problem is the refusal to stow the dinghy in the first place. Or, if it is a hard dinghy and absolutely has to be towed, then all efforts have to be made to build redundancy into the towing bridle and connections.
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Ed Schenck
What about Dinghy-tow?
Anyone think it can handle rough weather? Link is below if you are unfamiliar. Davits do not seem adequate for those kind of seas. And I hate having it underfoot. What to do?
Anyone think it can handle rough weather? Link is below if you are unfamiliar. Davits do not seem adequate for those kind of seas. And I hate having it underfoot. What to do?
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Todd Osborne
Adjust painter length to one wave behind
I think it has already been mentioned, but wanted to be clear. towing the dinghy one wavelength (period) behind is recommended. that way both vessels climb
I think it has already been mentioned, but wanted to be clear. towing the dinghy one wavelength (period) behind is recommended. that way both vessels climb
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Peter Brennan
Davits
Well, we all have weekends like that. Let no one throw blame around or like spitting to windward it will come right back in your face. Hindsight is really great. All those who have never run aground, dragged or fouled the prop please raise your hands. I thought so. Used to have 26 footer and a 7' Achilles LT-2. Too small for davits and carrying the dinkl on deck took up a lot of space. We generally towed it snug up against the stern. If things got hairy we would drag it aboard and deflate it and stow it in the cockpit locker. Hated the thing and eventually supplanted it with a hard dinghy. Sold the LT-2 on E Bay. The hard dinghy liked to surf its way into the cockpit. When it didn't fill with water and act like a drogue. We bought a bigger boat and one of the first additions was a set of davits. That is where the dingy now resides at all times except at anchor. I can see where a big breaking following sea would fill the dink with water and tear up a lot. But we seldom encounter that sort of going in coastal cruising. In any case, if we did not expect to use the dink for some time, we would load it onto the foredeck upside down. If we were going to do that a lot, I would install chocks. Life is a spinnaker wrap.
Well, we all have weekends like that. Let no one throw blame around or like spitting to windward it will come right back in your face. Hindsight is really great. All those who have never run aground, dragged or fouled the prop please raise your hands. I thought so. Used to have 26 footer and a 7' Achilles LT-2. Too small for davits and carrying the dinkl on deck took up a lot of space. We generally towed it snug up against the stern. If things got hairy we would drag it aboard and deflate it and stow it in the cockpit locker. Hated the thing and eventually supplanted it with a hard dinghy. Sold the LT-2 on E Bay. The hard dinghy liked to surf its way into the cockpit. When it didn't fill with water and act like a drogue. We bought a bigger boat and one of the first additions was a set of davits. That is where the dingy now resides at all times except at anchor. I can see where a big breaking following sea would fill the dink with water and tear up a lot. But we seldom encounter that sort of going in coastal cruising. In any case, if we did not expect to use the dink for some time, we would load it onto the foredeck upside down. If we were going to do that a lot, I would install chocks. Life is a spinnaker wrap.
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Mickey Goodman
Thanks Everyone!
Thanks for all the advice. I normally stowed the dink on the deck when not in use. I was even smart enough when I replaced my life lines to install a gate by the bow stanchions so that I wouldn't have to lift the dink over the life lines. In the past I never cruised with the dink on board, always towed. But again, I never incounted such conditions when cruising. I have not heard back from the Coast Guard regarding the dink so who ever found it is not a very honest person. "May the dink sink with him or her aboard!"
Thanks for all the advice. I normally stowed the dink on the deck when not in use. I was even smart enough when I replaced my life lines to install a gate by the bow stanchions so that I wouldn't have to lift the dink over the life lines. In the past I never cruised with the dink on board, always towed. But again, I never incounted such conditions when cruising. I have not heard back from the Coast Guard regarding the dink so who ever found it is not a very honest person. "May the dink sink with him or her aboard!"
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Bryce
dingy
Mickey, See my recent post on white squall. this storm straigtened a 1500lbs WL shackle and separted a 5/16 three braid bridle attached to the stern cleats with which i had been towing my dink without the motor. Guess I don't think there a perfect solution to the dink delema, except to deflate and stow in a locker. We too do a lot of coastal cruising, with a different port almost daily. Reinflating and defalting daily is a PIA. Think davits present there own problem in trailing seas, and having it tied on deck in the winds I encountered could have really been dangerous if a tie down had let go. So guess I'll keep towing and just take my chances. My insurance provides for dinghy and outboard coverage. Losing a dink is far better than losing both dink and outboard. I just keep upgrading the towing equipment. Bryce S/V Spellbinder H410
Mickey, See my recent post on white squall. this storm straigtened a 1500lbs WL shackle and separted a 5/16 three braid bridle attached to the stern cleats with which i had been towing my dink without the motor. Guess I don't think there a perfect solution to the dink delema, except to deflate and stow in a locker. We too do a lot of coastal cruising, with a different port almost daily. Reinflating and defalting daily is a PIA. Think davits present there own problem in trailing seas, and having it tied on deck in the winds I encountered could have really been dangerous if a tie down had let go. So guess I'll keep towing and just take my chances. My insurance provides for dinghy and outboard coverage. Losing a dink is far better than losing both dink and outboard. I just keep upgrading the towing equipment. Bryce S/V Spellbinder H410
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