Now that time will start permitting, we want to start doing some extensive coastal cruising on the Great Lakes. Prior opportunities (not long distances) had us towing our 10' Zodiac. While chartering in the BVI, it seems EVERYONE was towing a dink, most with motors left on the transom. But I don't see a lot of it up here on the Great Lakes. I've seen/read many articles regarding the "proper" procedure for towing. Everything from specific lengths of line (ride a specific stern wave, snub up close, etc) to line type and thickness, to NEVER leave the motor attached, to simply "don't do it", etc. Any one out there with a lot of experience that can share some tips.??????
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Dinghy Towing
Frank, We have a 10 plus foot zodiac inflatable with a 9.9 hp Mercury outboard. We never tow the dinghy with the outboard on it's transom due to the weight. We have an engine hoist attachment for our radar mast which makes picking the outboard up and putting it on the stern rail pretty easy. We will tow the dinghy in protected waters in calm conditions. With any kind of wind or open water we will put the dinghy on the foredeck, securely tied. We use the spinnaker halyard attached to the dinghy's towing bridle and a winch to haul it up which makes for light work. We use a floating polypropylene line as a painter to help keep from fouling our prop. When maneuvering in close quarters we will shorten the painter to bring the dinghy right up next to the boat. When out on the water, we will let out 25-30 feet of painter which lets the dinghy ride more easily. Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Frank, We have a 10 plus foot zodiac inflatable with a 9.9 hp Mercury outboard. We never tow the dinghy with the outboard on it's transom due to the weight. We have an engine hoist attachment for our radar mast which makes picking the outboard up and putting it on the stern rail pretty easy. We will tow the dinghy in protected waters in calm conditions. With any kind of wind or open water we will put the dinghy on the foredeck, securely tied. We use the spinnaker halyard attached to the dinghy's towing bridle and a winch to haul it up which makes for light work. We use a floating polypropylene line as a painter to help keep from fouling our prop. When maneuvering in close quarters we will shorten the painter to bring the dinghy right up next to the boat. When out on the water, we will let out 25-30 feet of painter which lets the dinghy ride more easily. Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Sometime yes...sometimes no...
We sail our C36 on Lake Superior and whether or not we tow our inflatable depends on what we're doing: 1) On a long day, when a half-knot of boatspeed can change our arrival time by hours, we use the spare jib halyard to hoist the inflatable onto the foredeck and lash it there. This is clearly the most seaworthy configuration and, through use of the halyard, and a motor lifting davit if you have one, its not all that much time/work. 2) Daysailing, we usually just tow it without the motor. If I care about speed, the inflatable goes on the foredeck, but usually I care more about keeping the crew happy and that means relaxed sailing. As long as you remember to tie the dingy close whenever motoring, this works fine in moderate conditions...If the winds get too strong, the inflatable may blow off of a wave crest and flip over...or just terrify you. I tend to lash it on the foredeck if I think the winds may get over 15 knots (about when I reef, I like to sail flat) 3) Once in a long while, on short hops in sheltered waters, we'll tow with the motor, but watching the way it rides doesn't inspire me!
We sail our C36 on Lake Superior and whether or not we tow our inflatable depends on what we're doing: 1) On a long day, when a half-knot of boatspeed can change our arrival time by hours, we use the spare jib halyard to hoist the inflatable onto the foredeck and lash it there. This is clearly the most seaworthy configuration and, through use of the halyard, and a motor lifting davit if you have one, its not all that much time/work. 2) Daysailing, we usually just tow it without the motor. If I care about speed, the inflatable goes on the foredeck, but usually I care more about keeping the crew happy and that means relaxed sailing. As long as you remember to tie the dingy close whenever motoring, this works fine in moderate conditions...If the winds get too strong, the inflatable may blow off of a wave crest and flip over...or just terrify you. I tend to lash it on the foredeck if I think the winds may get over 15 knots (about when I reef, I like to sail flat) 3) Once in a long while, on short hops in sheltered waters, we'll tow with the motor, but watching the way it rides doesn't inspire me!
We've decided to use
We've looked at several systems and have decided to use the Dingy-Tow for our BullFrog. Seems like a good idea to us.
We've looked at several systems and have decided to use the Dingy-Tow for our BullFrog. Seems like a good idea to us.
Davits
Don't tow. Get it out of the water and out of the way. Our old inflatable used to spend half its time in the air or upside down when towed in the open sea.
Don't tow. Get it out of the water and out of the way. Our old inflatable used to spend half its time in the air or upside down when towed in the open sea.
It Depends Upon How Far We Are Going
We have an 8 foot inflatable that weighs about 70 pounds. I have towed it with and without the 3.3 Evenrude and I really don't like having it back there. If the voyage is short we may tow it but the penalty is about 3/4 of a knot. That is a lot when you are only going 5 1/2 or 6 knots to begin with. For longer distances I either lash it to the foredeck or lash it to the transome. In either case it is better than towing it.
We have an 8 foot inflatable that weighs about 70 pounds. I have towed it with and without the 3.3 Evenrude and I really don't like having it back there. If the voyage is short we may tow it but the penalty is about 3/4 of a knot. That is a lot when you are only going 5 1/2 or 6 knots to begin with. For longer distances I either lash it to the foredeck or lash it to the transome. In either case it is better than towing it.
Caution Towing Dinghy!!!
I have a colleague that was towing an inflatable dinghy behind his new catalina 38 last summer. Dinghy was tied to the stern pulpit verticle bars. Going up Buzzards Bay the dinghy flipped over filled with water and ripped the stern pulpit apart causing extensive damage to the boat. When towing a dinghy I always attach it to stern cleats for maximum strength...I think the line would break before the cleats. I sailed with it tied on the bow before but my concern is then how do you drop anchor or if you have a fouled roleer furling unit or who knows what else can go wrong on the foredeck in an emergency situation there is no room to move...any thoughts on that? Dave
I have a colleague that was towing an inflatable dinghy behind his new catalina 38 last summer. Dinghy was tied to the stern pulpit verticle bars. Going up Buzzards Bay the dinghy flipped over filled with water and ripped the stern pulpit apart causing extensive damage to the boat. When towing a dinghy I always attach it to stern cleats for maximum strength...I think the line would break before the cleats. I sailed with it tied on the bow before but my concern is then how do you drop anchor or if you have a fouled roleer furling unit or who knows what else can go wrong on the foredeck in an emergency situation there is no room to move...any thoughts on that? Dave
BVI maybe, Grenada NO
Moorings and others may let you leave the outboards on the dingy transom in the BVIs because of its relatively protected waters, but they won't in the open waters such as sailing from island to island (St. Martin, St. Barts, Martinique, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. Bottom line, dingy may get swamped in heavier waters. Losing a dingy hurts. Losting both really hurts. Even in sailing the Great Lakes of SD with our 200 mile long lake, we remove the outboards.
Moorings and others may let you leave the outboards on the dingy transom in the BVIs because of its relatively protected waters, but they won't in the open waters such as sailing from island to island (St. Martin, St. Barts, Martinique, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. Bottom line, dingy may get swamped in heavier waters. Losing a dingy hurts. Losting both really hurts. Even in sailing the Great Lakes of SD with our 200 mile long lake, we remove the outboards.
Don't tow with motor attached
I NEVER leave the motor attached, and always tow using a dock line snubber. This works great. I have towed a dinghy for many years this way in Great Lakes.
I NEVER leave the motor attached, and always tow using a dock line snubber. This works great. I have towed a dinghy for many years this way in Great Lakes.
We do it
We towed our 9.5ft inflatable with 5hp outboard for our 9 day cruise last summer, in conditions ranging from dead calm (motoring) to 30 knot winds and 4ft. seas. We had a double line from the front corners of the dinghy to our stern rail that kept it about 3ft. off the transom, and a slack second line directly to the outboard. Since we never did more than 30nm/day, speed was not an issue. No problems encountered.
We towed our 9.5ft inflatable with 5hp outboard for our 9 day cruise last summer, in conditions ranging from dead calm (motoring) to 30 knot winds and 4ft. seas. We had a double line from the front corners of the dinghy to our stern rail that kept it about 3ft. off the transom, and a slack second line directly to the outboard. Since we never did more than 30nm/day, speed was not an issue. No problems encountered.
Try in in January . . . you won't then
If you sail during the Christmas Winds in the Caribbean you won't have the outboard on the dingy.
If you sail during the Christmas Winds in the Caribbean you won't have the outboard on the dingy.
We've done it
We towed a 9ft dinghy with the motor attached from the upper Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis and back. Hubby and I are fairly new to sailing, so we made the amateur mistake of tying it to the side of the boat, only to find that within minutes the dinghy was filled with water and the boat would not sail. Bailing water came next. Safety lines and a locking mechanism (similar to a bike like) for the dinghy motor worked fine for us. BTW - folks on Chespeake tow dinghys all the time. Good Luck.
We towed a 9ft dinghy with the motor attached from the upper Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis and back. Hubby and I are fairly new to sailing, so we made the amateur mistake of tying it to the side of the boat, only to find that within minutes the dinghy was filled with water and the boat would not sail. Bailing water came next. Safety lines and a locking mechanism (similar to a bike like) for the dinghy motor worked fine for us. BTW - folks on Chespeake tow dinghys all the time. Good Luck.
Dingy-Tow
Doc: What is the price for the unit with all the hardware? Maybe the Sailboat Owners Store should carry this one. The links to their dealers is not very good.
Doc: What is the price for the unit with all the hardware? Maybe the Sailboat Owners Store should carry this one. The links to their dealers is not very good.
kayak
i've had very good luck towing a cobra tandem-about 2 boat lengths of line, adjusted for sea conditions-at top speed in moderate to flat seas-here we use them mostly to land on beaches at the channel islands or on the rincon.
i've had very good luck towing a cobra tandem-about 2 boat lengths of line, adjusted for sea conditions-at top speed in moderate to flat seas-here we use them mostly to land on beaches at the channel islands or on the rincon.
Fred Scott, in a Nutshell
Hey Fred, How does 'Little Freddy' tow behind your 26X? Check out Fred's pictures and stories on the related link. Click the link to: "Fred Scott's Mac 26X Page". Happy sails _/), MArk
Hey Fred, How does 'Little Freddy' tow behind your 26X? Check out Fred's pictures and stories on the related link. Click the link to: "Fred Scott's Mac 26X Page". Happy sails _/), MArk
Here 'tis!
It's not exactly as he described it but it's the same setup. "Jon has an Avon similar to mine with two towing eyes built in to the fabric of the craft about 2 feet back from the bow. He uses a self-made bridle the commercial version is called a C-Level Towing bridle in which the painter from the mother boat consists of two lines meeting at a float at which point a figure eight knot is put through both lines which then spread out again into two lines which each go an eye. Jon has improved upon this by putting two pad eyes on each side of the transom and runing lines from the towing eyes back to them to take the stain off the eyes. I think these two lines a permanant attachments to the dingy. I took his advise and put the pad eyes in but for a differant reason. I needed a place to put a anchor line and to cleat off the dingy in attation to the lifting handle in the front." Hopefully this makes sense. LaDonna
It's not exactly as he described it but it's the same setup. "Jon has an Avon similar to mine with two towing eyes built in to the fabric of the craft about 2 feet back from the bow. He uses a self-made bridle the commercial version is called a C-Level Towing bridle in which the painter from the mother boat consists of two lines meeting at a float at which point a figure eight knot is put through both lines which then spread out again into two lines which each go an eye. Jon has improved upon this by putting two pad eyes on each side of the transom and runing lines from the towing eyes back to them to take the stain off the eyes. I think these two lines a permanant attachments to the dingy. I took his advise and put the pad eyes in but for a differant reason. I needed a place to put a anchor line and to cleat off the dingy in attation to the lifting handle in the front." Hopefully this makes sense. LaDonna
Towing OK
Have towed for a couple of decades. (SoCal.) Both inflatables and hard dinghies in the 9-12 foot range. Usually with the OB off. Sometimes I leave it on when returning since the dinghy goes into the slip first. We have a charter fleet here and all the dinghies are hard-bottom inflatables with 10+ HP engines. They are always towed. I tow with a bridle from each side of the inflatable with a safety line from the painter ring. On the hard bottom, I use two straps to the D-ring on the hard bottom. I use 15' poly webbing with shackles on the dinghy side and sewn loops for the cleats. Have used it in all conditions. In a cross-chop, it will slide about, but the bridle always keeps the bow in place. Only once in 15' following seas did I unhook the bridle and add a 15' dock line to keep the dink from riding up. Those were not breaking seas. Bottom line, for coastal cruising its OK to tow if you don't intend to be out for days at a time. Particularly if the dink is used a lot (we do). Otherwise, we carried an inflatable with a roll-up floor. It disintegrated so I'm looking for another. Otherwise, we greatly prefer the hard dink since I don't worry about junk boats at the dinghy docks or landing on shore. And, it is durable. Good luck, Rick D.
Have towed for a couple of decades. (SoCal.) Both inflatables and hard dinghies in the 9-12 foot range. Usually with the OB off. Sometimes I leave it on when returning since the dinghy goes into the slip first. We have a charter fleet here and all the dinghies are hard-bottom inflatables with 10+ HP engines. They are always towed. I tow with a bridle from each side of the inflatable with a safety line from the painter ring. On the hard bottom, I use two straps to the D-ring on the hard bottom. I use 15' poly webbing with shackles on the dinghy side and sewn loops for the cleats. Have used it in all conditions. In a cross-chop, it will slide about, but the bridle always keeps the bow in place. Only once in 15' following seas did I unhook the bridle and add a 15' dock line to keep the dink from riding up. Those were not breaking seas. Bottom line, for coastal cruising its OK to tow if you don't intend to be out for days at a time. Particularly if the dink is used a lot (we do). Otherwise, we carried an inflatable with a roll-up floor. It disintegrated so I'm looking for another. Otherwise, we greatly prefer the hard dink since I don't worry about junk boats at the dinghy docks or landing on shore. And, it is durable. Good luck, Rick D.
Rigid tow system
I have this idea jumping around in my head to fabricate a rigid towing system similiar to the Dinghy Tow (which is a cool set-up). What if you used the fold-down ladder as a stand-off (ladder transom backing plates reinforced and some type of side or lateral support, maybe lifeline wire and fittings?), a detachable-yet-secure connection to the dink's stern with the bottom ladder rung, and a tackle arrangement to lift the dinghy stern out of the water. Bow will trail. What type of engineering disaster is in my path?
I have this idea jumping around in my head to fabricate a rigid towing system similiar to the Dinghy Tow (which is a cool set-up). What if you used the fold-down ladder as a stand-off (ladder transom backing plates reinforced and some type of side or lateral support, maybe lifeline wire and fittings?), a detachable-yet-secure connection to the dink's stern with the bottom ladder rung, and a tackle arrangement to lift the dinghy stern out of the water. Bow will trail. What type of engineering disaster is in my path?
What About Dinghy vertical on Transom?
I was thinking about putting the small davits on the swim platform and rotate the hard dingy vertical so that it is sideways across the transom. The system seems simple enough. Am trying to figure out the down side. Any thoughts or experience. Good Winds Dave s/v DAMWEGAS
I was thinking about putting the small davits on the swim platform and rotate the hard dingy vertical so that it is sideways across the transom. The system seems simple enough. Am trying to figure out the down side. Any thoughts or experience. Good Winds Dave s/v DAMWEGAS
Downside: Med Mooring, Dave
The transom brackets are sticking out like a couple of nerf bars that bang on the dock and anything else. Also, its pretty low to the water and at sharp heel angles.... Probably better for power boats with swim steps. Rick D
The transom brackets are sticking out like a couple of nerf bars that bang on the dock and anything else. Also, its pretty low to the water and at sharp heel angles.... Probably better for power boats with swim steps. Rick D
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