Dinghy - davits or tow.

[longjohnsilver]

Lots of talk below on merits of taking a dinghy, be it a RIB or inflatable, on trips so getting ashore in the non marina-ised places is a possibility. Some say they get in the way, spoil the view astern when on davits, alter the trim of the boat, are a pain to inflate/deflate.

Well why not do as many of the raggies do and tow it behind on a long warp, adjust the length to suit. I have davits but do find it a pain sometimes to haul up the tender, on other occasions I take my RIB which is too big for my davits and tow it behind. This seems to me to be the obvious solution, dinghy is already launched ready for use when stopped, is an added safety item in case of emergency and allows me to take a larger boat than would be possible by using davits.

OK I cruise slower than probably most of you, around 12 kts or so, but once the dinghy is on the plane the resistance is minimal and as long as you leave the bung out to allow drainage this method works well for me.

Has anyone else tried this? If so what do you think?

 

[BarryH]

I done that once, not again tho, almost lost the thing coming thru poole entrance on the trip home. Poole entrance aint the place to stop and sort it out on a spring ebb. Still take the dinghy tho. just half deflate it, fold it in half and lash it on the bathing platform or the engine cover cum sun pad.

Could,nt do without the thing really, gets used everytime we get to the destination. be it for the short people or trips to the beech or pub.

BarryH

 

[tcm]

Don't think I do this with a planing boat really - it'll get kicked around in the wash, and a biggsih wave will tip it over. Even if it doesn't tip over twill get soaking wet, with resultant ear-bashing and immediate invoice for shoes.

But surprised there aren't more dinghys been towed about in UK

 

[longjohnsilver]

yeah meant to say witha large planing boat this probably isn't an issue, particularly those with an aft cabin where davits are probably low down anyway. I thought waves would turn mine over but doesn't seem to be the case, have towed through some fairly lumpy seas, but admit I did take the engine off just in case!

I can't remember seeing any other motor boat towing their dinghy. Maybe they all think I'm mad!! No comments please!

 

[byron]

Tow any dinghy over about 8 knots and eventually you will get problems probably flicking around and at some stage overturning. Sailers can do it due to their lower speeds.

ô¿ô

 

[hlb]

Yer daft bugger John. I can just see my dinghy doing twenty odd knots in a F6. Upside down with the outboard acting as balast.

Re the trip to my boat. Cancel!! <G>

Haydn

 

[longjohnsilver]

You're the daft bugger, you take the effing engine off first. If it's a decnt RIB I bet it won't flip over, mine never has, it just rides your wake.

 

[hlb]

I've got a tender not a bloody speed boat. Go change yer underpants!

Haydn

 

[rodbin]

Why not go for trendy hydraulic paserelle seems the answer does two things at once and much easier than davits etc. I had a quote of over £7k for one but getting it direct from italy for around £3k

rodneyb1647

 

[lanason]

We towed at 15 - 20 knts many a time - no probs behind a 30 footer. The trick is to adjust the length of the the rope so she sits nicely behind the rooster tails on the wash.
Flat no risk of tipping at all.
Still best place if you can is on top of a flat wheelhouse. No visibility probs and if the boat sinks it is in the perfect place to float off. Does need to be tied down at the front as the wind can get underneath it . We found the best was to put in on upside down......


Adrian )

 

[longjohnsilver]

Would look rather out of place on my 32' semi displacement boat!!

 

[DepSol]

and get covered in soot, she's not called old smokey for nothing <G>

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Towing not a good idea in my experience. Once chartered a motor boat in the Virgin Islands which came with a dinghy towed behind. First night at anchor it kept clouting the bathing platform so extended the painter. Next morning, managed to reverse over the painter with predictable results. Managed to do it again a few days later
Also there is the security issue. Once anchored overnight in the Scillies (St Marys) with the dinghy tied to the transom. In the morning it had gone. I always raise the dinghy on the davits overnight now

 

[tcm]

Re: Dinghy towing tips

I wd say

the tow line must be a floating line, and preferably easily visible, yellow.

max speed 15knots

make sure it's a cheap dinghy

don' tbe a lazy git, put it away if at all possible

anyone with leccy pump hardly ever ever uses a dinghy

in crowded marinas, spare small person to buzz off with dinghy means that the dinghy remains available once tied up, v important stern-to in the med.

anysolution invlving taking engines on and off a lot won't work either

 

[longjohnsilver]

Disappearing dinghy

When you say it had gone, was it down to rather befuddled post pub knot tieing or was it nicked?

If the former it doesn't count in this debate!!

Still agree however that at night dinghy better on davits or at least connected to davits as well as cleat.

There must be something about the Scilly Isles, our dinghy also went walkabout, down to no 1 brats knot tieing, luckily spotted and recovered it before it went solo across the Atlantic!!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: Disappearing dinghy

I dont know. We searched the beach and the harbour but could'nt find it. I prefer to think it was half hitched by some low life, local or otherwise (lot of rag 'n stickie frogs about there) rather than drifting forlornly across the Atlantic due to incompetent knot tying by yours truly but latter still valid in argument 'coz if you dont have davits or similar defective bowlines could be a factor