dinghy towing bridle

[dylanwinter]

I got sent this short film

the bloke from Quebec who sails on the St laurence river has used a simple bridle and a clip to tow his dinghy

you can see the extra line running back to a cleat

seems like a good idea to me and allows the dinghy to settle where it wants

 

[rob2]

A lot of boats use a similar system - we have a similar strop on our club's RIB for towing dinghies home. I believe the tail of the dinghy's painter is made off to the starboard quarter to limit the movement along the bridle so it doesn't get entangled around the o/b. Indeed, it is essential to make up the bridle so that it cannot fall into your own propeller! As you say, the tow can take up its own preferred position and there is no single line sweeping the rear deck. Nice illustration of the system in action.

Rob.

 

[Frankie-H]

Water skiing uses the same sort of idea. I does enable you to turn your boat, if the towing point is behind the prop. If you try to tow something heavy from outside your turn radius, it will make it much more difficult.

 

[alahol2]

Just one thing to think about. When towing a hard dinghy you need to be able to let it off on a longer tow rope if you get into a following sea. The dinghy will, otherwise, start clouting you up the backside.

 

[William_H]

Water skiing uses the same sort of idea. I does enable you to turn your boat, if the towing point is behind the prop. If you try to tow something heavy from outside your turn radius, it will make it much more difficult.

Serious water skiers around here use an arch over the deck but well forward of the engine basically in the middle of the boat for ski line attachment, this stops the load of the skier impeding the boat turning. ie a pull from behind the boat will always pull the boat stern straight even if you want to turn.
You see the same thing on tug boats where the tow line is attached mid deck from a big swivel attachment. This is to enable the tug to turn with a load on the back.
Our rescue boat has bridle attachments at the transom. The bridle does not help to stop the load controlling the pulling boat. Indeed it is amazing when trying to pull a grounded large yacht how little steering you have on the rescue boat. You have to position and point the rescue boat then apply load.
Non of this is of concern in towing a dinghy. IMHO just a rope from a stern quarter will do. A said you need to be able to adjust the length of tow to suit waves especially if you are towing fast. And of course you need a back up line attached. good luck olewill

 

[fergie_mac66]

Just one thing to think about. When towing a hard dinghy you need to be able to let it off on a longer tow rope if you get into a following sea. The dinghy will, otherwise, start clouting you up the backside.

When I have towed, i found a very short tow better, i have used a short piece of 2 x 2 aswell as the rope , allows the boat to swing but not bump.

 

[LadyInBed]

Two painters work for me, belt and bracer approach.