Do you have a floating line for your dinghy painter?

[tudorsailor]

Just curious, having watched the latest Delos video where a neighbour runs aground partly because their dinghy painter gets wrapped on the prop. I use a floating line for towing the dinghy. How many others do the same?

TudorSailor

 

[Minerva]

I don’t, but it would be a good idea. Still be easy to be wrapped in the dinghy prop tho

 

[Rappey]

In 29 years ive only ever got one rope around my prop and ive motored over a fishing net, counless moorings and lobster pots.. got to love a long keel..
the one time i caught a rope was my own dingy painter when i reversed over it and it was not a floating line.. I just totally forgot i had a dingy behind as i hardly ever tow one.. It dragged the dingy under, jamed my steering and left me adrift !
Luckily at 3am on a flat calm night a man in an inflatable with a yam 2hp was able to tow all 12 tons of me back to the pontoon.

 

[Stork_III]

Painter should be of a length that it can't reach the prop, then no problem.

 

[NormanS]

I don't, but the dinghy is always made fast with the painters short enough to make it impossible to foul the prop.

 

[Refueler]

Painter should be of a length that it can't reach the prop, then no problem.

Then don't go to Newtown Creek and use dinghy to the quay ... short painter will have that dinghy hanging when Tide goes out ...

 

[lustyd]

The painter on mine is three strand but the towing line is Marlow floating rope in bright orange (also handy for the swim fender at anchor!). Painter isn't long enough to reach the prop on the big boat or the dinghy prop but I am considering the orange floater to replace the painter nonetheless.

 

[prv]

Painter doesn’t float, but I don’t tow the dinghy. If I’m going to need it again soon, I lift it onto the foredeck.

TBH with a saildrive so far forward and under the hull, I doubt the painter would end up round the prop even if the dinghy was drifting around the stern.

Pete

 

[Tim Good]

Yes and a small float at the end of the bridle.

 

[jdc]

I don't, but the dinghy is always made fast with the painters short enough to make it impossible to foul the prop.

There should be a dislike button!

Painters need to be long enough to reach the wall the the tide is out, and to let enough slack when tied up to a pontoon so that other dinghies can come alongside and for many more reasons.

 

[lustyd]

There should be a dislike button!

Painters need to be long enough to reach the wall the the tide is out, and to let enough slack when tied up to a pontoon so that other dinghies can come alongside and for many more reasons.

I agree with the sentiment, but you're suggesting a dinghy must be tied with and only with the painter. That's not the case, all kinds of bits of string can be used as required.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Yes - a length of 12m Marlow Nelson, never got tangled in my boat or dinghy prop. A acquired a long length some ago and renewed every few years.

 

[[70521]]

Painter should be of a length that it can't reach the prop, then no problem.

How do you tie it up on a pontoon with 25 other dinghies on each cleat?

 

[prv]

Painters need to be long enough to reach the wall the the tide is out, and to let enough slack when tied up to a pontoon so that other dinghies can come alongside and for many more reasons.

Certainly, but that doesn’t mean the entire length of it needs to be deployed when the dinghy is made fast astern of the yacht. That’s what Norman was saying.

Pete

 

[lustyd]

How do you tie it up on a pontoon with 25 other dinghies on each cleat?

A second piece of rope?

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I've used the three strand Hardy Hemp synthetic rope for a number of years now that floats ok. I used to use the yellow stuff which broke with a snatch load. I'm sure the "common blue" rope found in skips would do ok but you risk being turfed out of a yacht club or marina if you do .

 

[Caraway]

I usually used to leave my tender on the mooring when going for a sail on Windermere. A floating line made picking up the pick-up buoy again a doddle.

 

[LadyInBed]

How do you tie it up on a pontoon with 25 other dinghies on each cleat?

With the length of old rigging wire that is also padlocked to the engine

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I use 2 metres with a 120mm s/s spring clip on the end easy to fasten on the quey, I also have 2 metres on the stern of my boat again with a spring clip, clip both together and no more knots to do.
If I wish I can move the 4 metres to amid cleat and tow the dingy at the side of the boat or on reversing into position on a quay the 2.3 m dingy sit quietly against the bow nowhere near the anchor chain.
I learned 20 +years ago from billskip not to anchor inside your own dingy?

 

[lustyd]

I use 2 metres with a 120mm s/s spring clip on the end easy to fasten on the quey, I also have 2 metres on the stern of my boat again with a spring clip, clip both together and no more knots to do.

So you’ve weighted the middle of the line to ensure it’s next to the prop?