Helping a fellow stranded boater at sea

[henryf]

One thing, would it not make sense to have a "sacrificial" section in the tow rope where you WANT it to break, in preference to your really expensive 50m heavy duty rope, and/or ripping a cleat out of the deck!

I'd personally use a decent main rope and a section that had a breaking strain of around half the main rope, perhaps just a 2m or 3m section, so if it snaps you can just put another bit in....

I would be more concerned about dealing with rope in the water and trying to re-attach a tow line rather than the cost of a bit of string. Ultimately re-claim any costs incurred on the chap's insurance if he doesn't want to pay himself.


Henry

 

[henryf]

From memory, it was pretty calm. He claimed some tanker had almost run him down -this was about a mile offshore, and his engine had broken down. I guess CG felt there was nothing imminently dangerous, so why not first check is some is passing by...yes, he certainly felt entitled to boss me about, but I think he was very stressed out.
I suppose we had just done 4-5 hours and had 2-3 more to go so I wasn't exactly delighted to add probably another 3-5 hours on top of that sorting this guy out.

I think I would probably have towed him to a place of safety where he could deploy his anchor and await help from someone going in the right direction. Once under tow he would have a chance to calm down, you would be able to chat with the coastguard and they may even have been able to get another vessel on scene before he needed to drop the hook.

You already had a long day planned.

Henry

 

[grumpy_o_g]

you are right thanks, still can't think what its called? but it works!

It's a line thrower - you can get one-shot devices from Wessex, etc and re-usable versions that take a small explosive charge or I believe there are compressed air versions now too.

 

[RAP77]

it is a weighted handle with a thin line inside, you throw it like a hand grenade over the casualty,(mob or breakdown) the end you keep hold of is attached to the tow line to haul over.
Not sure of name but it works..
I have used it twice to pass a tow line.

Is this it?
http://www.balcan.co.uk/balcan-emergency-life-line/the-facts.htm

 

[Elessar]

They don't, he's thinking of something else

I know the ones he means, but can't seem to find a picture of it. A light moulded plastic case, sort of like a big cup with a handle on the bottom. The cup is stuffed with line, and the handle is supposed to give you leverage to be able to throw it further. Sometimes seen alongside the life-rings on piers and bridges.

For what it's worth, I suspect I could throw a coiled mooring line very nearly as far as I could throw a proper ship's heaving line. Certainly far enough to reach another boat without having to pass dangerously close. Ships have to have heaving lines because nobody can throw a 9" hawser

Pete

yeah the point was I thought i could too. Fact is in the swell we had I found it very difficult. You need to stand to throw a full size line.

The MOB sack with the polyprop rope in is the answer. I think this is what you're describing but henry has posted a pic. I haven't got one on this boat I will buy one. Handy to trail when swimming too.

 

[ronsurf]

Don't tow the other vessel like a car. My Powerboat Level 2 instruction was to tie the other vessel alongside with the towing vessel forward of the towed vessel. Less rope needed and better communication with the crew.

 

[NorthUp]

Don't tow the other vessel like a car. My Powerboat Level 2 instruction was to tie the other vessel alongside with the towing vessel forward of the towed vessel. Less rope needed and better communication with the crew.

An alongside tow is only suitable in flat calm waters, for the final pull back to the moorings or berth.
When towing alongside, the tug is positioned towards the stern of the disabled boat.

 

[Elessar]

Don't tow the other vessel like a car. My Powerboat Level 2 instruction was to tie the other vessel alongside with the towing vessel forward of the towed vessel. Less rope needed and better communication with the crew.

for 8 hours at sea? With big cruisers? They taught you nonsense. Dangerous nonsense. Use that for the last few hundred yards only.

And they didn't even get that right - the disabled vessel is ahead.

 

[ronsurf]

for 8 hours at sea? With big cruisers? They taught you nonsense. Dangerous nonsense. Use that for the last few hundred yards only.

And they didn't even get that right - the disabled vessel is ahead.

Well, it doesn't surprise me. We also untied from the pontoon in a force 5/6 without starting the engines and were blown into the path of a cargo vessel which alerted us with a very long, very loud blast of its horn. It took three goes to start the engine. I've never willed anything to start so much in all my life.

During the meteorological lesson we were told "..and these lines have something to do with the wind", at which point I offered to take the class as I was doing a Met degree at the time and certainly knew more than the instructor. I now have an ICC for motor vessels up to 24m or something, which un-nerves me slightly. Which is why I own a sailboat.

 

[fireball]

Don't tow the other vessel like a car. My Powerboat Level 2 instruction was to tie the other vessel alongside with the towing vessel forward of the towed vessel. Less rope needed and better communication with the crew.

So wrong in so many ways ... well 2 really - as has been pointed out
1) towing alongside - the towed vessel is forward of the towing vessel.
2) an alongside tow is fine in calm weather and short journeys.

The alongside tow wouldn't have worked as well for our tow into St PP - by putting them alongside we would've shifted the center of drag well to one side so would've ended up correcting the direction of travel with the rudder - essentially side-slipping - not too bad in a flat bottomed boat, but with two great big keels it's adding a lot of drag.

I have carried out an alongside tow with the club launch to help a fellow cruiser get his boat to a yard - simple to do but with the limited engine power manoeuvring was still tricky and required an active helmsman on both boats.

When towing dinghies with the safety boat I almost always do an astern tow - providing they're stable and lift the board then their boat follows mine plus I get to open the throttle in relative safety - not so sensible with an alongside tow.


*edit - ah - just seen your reply to Mark - sounds like you had an idiot masquerading as an instructor ... we had one of those for our Dazed kipper theory - not quite as dangerous as yours, but it still meant you had to teach yourself ... he had a good pass rate though - not surprising as he was coaching people through the exam!

 

[Elessar]

... he had a good pass rate though - not surprising as he was coaching people through the exam!

yes - he decides who passes......

 

[RogerRat]

Ronsurf,

It's quite sad those last few replies. It's amazing how someone has an instructors ticket and can get it so wrong.
Thanks Elessor and Fireball, you're on the money as explained in opening replies. Not just by me. :ambivalence:

It's probable tho, that the PB2 course is taken on a Rib with an outboard which will be smaller and usually towing dingies inshore. Once you're out and there is some sort of sea running, and the boats weigh more than 10 tons, forget it. :nonchalance:

Last few hundred yards ok as said above.

RR

 

[Kawasaki]

Don't tow the other vessel like a car. My Powerboat Level 2 instruction was to tie the other vessel alongside with the towing vessel forward of the towed vessel. Less rope needed and better communication with the crew.

Are you sure ronsurf?
That your Instructor said the towing vessel had to be forward of the 'casualty' itis all against the logic and the RYA's guidelines!
'Less rope and better communication'?
Rollocks inmho