Towing your dinghy

[v.a. kinsey]

rescue rope

I have towed a Quicksilver 300 since '98 in the Fla. keys and the Bahamas using a white water rescue rope that can be purchased at any Bass Pro shop in the camping section.(approx. 50 cents a foot) The rope is a braided type and bright yellow, but the nice part is that it floats! I have not had any trouble with fouling on the prop. I made a bridle and whipped the ends for a secure attachment. After almost two years, there is only minimal wear. I do not pull with the O.B. in the water and have tried various lengths from the stern. I have found that for most applications, it is easier to pull the dink with the boat close the the stern or on the stern tubes. This seems to give me about .5 to .75 knots of increased speed.

 

[Bob Bass]

No Problem Mon!

We towed a 11.5' RIB across the gulf stream (without engine) and all around the islands (with engine) with no problems. A short Y bridle (1.2" nylon) is secured to the two aft cleats on the sailboat. Then 3/4" yellow poly (40') goes through a D ring on the top of the bow of the dinghy and attaches to another Y bridle that attaches to two attachment points on the inside of the transome. This puts the load on the transome and the D ring keeps the bow pointed forward. This worked well even in a 70 mph storm crossing the stream. We no longer tow the RIB, but tow an 18' power catamaran for a tender. It is towed across the stream on a 50' poly that can be extended to 100' in rough weather. We do watch our weather window more closely, though.

 

[Warren Blanchard]

Towing the dinghy

On our Hunter 460 charter boat, we have a 10-foot Apex RIB with a 30 ft 5/8 nylon rode attached to the bow eye on the dinghy. Aside from going offshore, when we stow the dinghy on deck, we tow it all around the Sea of Abaco. We lead the painter through one of the stern boarding ladder grab rings and then tie it off on the stern pulpit base with a bowline. Prior to entering tight quarters (assuming we remember), we simply pull the painter in through the grab ring, leaving the end tied, and tie a new temporary overhand knot on the pulpit base to keep the dink in tight. Never had that technique fail. On those occaisions when we just plain forgot to "reel in" the dink, I'm glad to say we were lucky enough not to wrap the rode!

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 11/27/2000:Have you wrapped the dinghy painter around your prop shaft?  72% Never 12% Once10% More than once06% Don't ask

 

[Ken Wagner]

Funoodles To the Rescue

I use two 6' Funoodles with the 1/2 inch line run through the center...to a snap to the bow of my Avon. It holds the dink back from the stern..and acts as a bridle...the funoodles keep the line from fouling,and hold the dink away.Works great for me.

 

[John Gray]

Two Bridles Work Best

After experimenting for the past 7 years I have a solution that works well for me. Attach a bridle to the dinghy as normal, but terminate the bridle with a stainless ring knotted in as the tow point with a ski tow float near the ring. When towing, pass a line from the starboard transom cleat through the ring on the dinghy bridle and back to the tramsom cleat on the port side. You can adjust length while under way, ideally with the dinghy surfing the downhill side of the wake wave to reduce drag. I have caught the line in the prop only once, and that was when we backed down on it while anchoring and deserved it. I usually shorten the line while anchoring, but forgot. Using this method I have reduced the tendency of the dinghy to "hunt" while being towed, and reduced the chafe occuring on the dinghy at the tow points. You can add additional ski foats if you like, or you could consider polypropelene line which floats, but has a short life expectancy when subjected to UV exposure.

 

[Tom Ehmke]

Thanks, John, I'm printing that one

Similar to what I have now except for the tow ring and flexible bridle to the transom cleats. A simple addition which I'll use next season.

 

[Sam Kurtz]

Fender Helps

I have found if you can get a fender to drag just under the bow of your inflatable it helps it to not get sucked down into the water. I have not tried it on others mine may just have an odd shape but it sure helps mine.