How to tow and how to be towed

[tudorsailor]

As part of the Spanish regulations, I have a huge long tow rope at the bottom of a locker on board. In a bored moment I wondered how I would use it to be towed and also if I offered to tow someone else.
I have a keel-stepped mast but understand that one should not use the mast to take the toe. If I use the two forward cleats, should I do this through a bridle?
Should the need arise for me to tow someone else, how should this be done. I understand that the point of attachment should be as far forward as possible in order to maintain steerage. But what exactly should I attach the toe rope to? I do have cleats amidships. Should I make a very long bridle?
Hopefully the tow rope will remain unused.

Any thoughts?

TudorSailor

 

[Twister_Ken]

A bridle around both genoa sheet winches is often suggested, if you don't have a rufty-tufty sampsom post.

How practical that is presumably depends on the layout of your fine vessel.

 

[DJE]

I've been towed once and the nice man from the RNLI brought his tow rope in through the bow roller under both bow cleats and tied it in a bowline. Never done much towing except dinghies, I don't see why the attachment point should be forward except to maintain manouvreability (that's why tugs have there hooks amidships). For a long straight tow this wouldn't be important and as far as I can remember the other end of the tow rope was fastened to the lifeboat's stern cleat.

 

[ribrage]

Towing: Fasten a line from starboard midships cleat to starboard stern cleat (only taking a turn around)form a loop around the transom back to the portside stern cleat(only taking a turn around) and then fasten the line onto the starboard mid ships cleat. (spreads the load)

This will form a decent sized bridle from which to attach the long towline, personally at my end I would use a round turn and two half hitches (undoes under load) so that in an emergency I could dump the vessel being towed.

lash the tiller or wheel midships and in bigger seas put adrogue or trail some longer lines to create drag and resist snatching, hanging a heavy object in the middle of the tow line will do similar but i cant claim to having tried this.

oh and DONT try to put the towed vessel alongside the fuel barge whilst heading down wind and downtide cos it wont stop until it hits me and I WILL shout at you ! (just in case you were thinking about it)

Being towed: much the same spread the load over as many points as possible, personally Ive never towed any thing around the mast ( way to expensive)
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[mikejames]

I towed another GK24 once for about 15Nm (Bembridge to Hamble) in flat water , using a 25m long 25mm nylon rope attached to the other boat's foredeck cleat (the GK has a single large cleat on the centreline where other boats would have an anchor locker).
On the other end I use one of the transom cleats - if the pull gets too hard I can feel it skewing the boat around so I drop the towing speed. In the end I worked the towing speed up to flat out (4 knots instead of 5.5 usual) on my engine.
To get into the marina berth at the end we switched to towing alongside with the towed boat on the 'inside' of the turn into the marina.
The only hazard was when we decided to start going opposite sides of a channel marker buoy near the end of the tow (Bald Head) because we were both bored and losing concentration ...

After wednesday evening races, Forethought has towed up to three XOD's at the same time (about 1.3 tonne 21 foot long keel dayboats circa 1926 design) using their 10 mm polyester towing lines. Then the off-centre pull was really noticeable, because it was necessary to go flat out against the Hamble ebb.

 

[cnh]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a keel-stepped mast but understand that one should not use the mast to take the toe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Odd that, since when I was pulled off a shoal by a German SAR boat, they told me to put the line round the mast!

 

[jerrytug]

The rule is,the tow rope wire or combination should be as long as possible with regard to depth and navi hazards. Only shorten if neccessary. Inform and signal,and don`t be in line with the **** if it snaps.

 

[Csail]

I wouldn't use the winches, one of mine got ripped off doing that method, i would use the windlass.

 

[Thistle]

Isn't a large part of the aim to spread the load between a number of fittings none of which, on a yacht, were designed to be suitable by themselves for the loads imposed by towing? So using a bridle between two cleats roughly* halves the load on each. Then taking another rope from each cleat to a winch supports the cleat and allows some of the load to be taken by the winch so the loading is now roughly* 35-40% on each cleat and 10-15% on each winch so the loading on any given component is, hopefully, now within its design limits.

* yes, pedants, I know it's not exactly 50-50 because of the angles involved and the way snatch loadings can be applied and ... and ... but this simplification will do me if I ever have the misfortune to be on either end of a tow-rope.

Other things that no-one seems to have mentioned (or have mentioned only in passing) are to get the casualty to steer, if it can, towards the transom of the tug; to arrange some form of communication between the casualty and tug (VHF or hand signals)(especially indicating turns, slowing down, let go); to watch the tow at all times; to show the appropriate lights / shapes; be especially aware of other vessels. No doubt others can add to this list.

 

[Cloven]

Towed & been towed and by far the best way was a bridle of ropes from bow through forward fairleads and back to cockpit sheet winches. Then obviously a rope from the bridle to the towing vessel.

This worked fine when at sea but as we came in to the marina, then we changed to an alongside tow to bring the boat to the pontoon. If doing the latter, make sure you have both fore bow and stern lines and fore & aft springs then the whole unit acts as one.

 

[ytd]

got towed once by a large mobo who took pity on us in a flat calm after our engine failed. Our 33' steel long keeled sloop was fine until about 10 knots when the 20mm tow rope broke. Retied and asked the mobo to keep it under 8 knots but he was keen on 20 knots and the rope soon broke again. We thanked him and drifted home on a couple of knots of wind while he shot off at 30+, but what amazed me was how easily he could break a 20mm nylon town rope. Also getting towed at well above hull speed you can't see anything from the cockpit since you have this wall of water behind you and the bow points skyward in front.

 

[wooslehunter]

Done loads of towing. Everything really depends on the situation. There's no best method. The easiest & quickest to set up is through the bow roller to a convenient cleat. I have known the bow roller structure to chafe through the tow rope though. Edges of plates can be sharp. Failing that a bridle can be used. Now the question is where from. Some boats have dual bow cleats. That's the obvious place. Otherwise back to the midships cleats. Tow make up the bridle, a loop made with a fig 8 is best. If the tow starts to oscillate there's no chance of the tow slipping round the bridle.

Spreading the load is great but remember that taking a rope from one cleat to another is not spreading the load. It simply gives a backup if the first cleat gives way. A bridle from 2 cleats will spread the load.

The tug is best with a single samson post. If that's not there as in most pleasure boats, a bridle made up from the quarter cleats is normally OK. Winches can be used too.

Don't tow from masts unless keel stepped. Don't tow from chain plates. Windlesses, Cleats & winches are best.

Before getting under way make sure the towed skipper knows to follow the tug. Once under way get someone to watch the tow.

As for tow ropes, if you carry one especially for towing, get a lead loaded rope. It won't whip back so badly if it breaks. An if it does, it will sink and pose less a tangle hazard while being recovered. The length needs to be set so the towed vessel is trying to climb the wave pattern set up by the tug. If it's falling off the wave it will be less stable.

If the tow starts to oscillate or the stearing is dodgy, more power is best. Alternatively a drogue is used. If that's not available, use warps and or sail bags etc. When setting a drogue, do it under way to avoid fouling it. Set everything up before hand. Make off the bitter end & start to feed the warp out. Keep the drogue on board until all the warp is out, then drop it over. If you send the drogue out first, you'll find it difficult at best to hold it if there's a snag in the warp.

If you need to manouvre in a marina, towing alongside is best. If you set up before hand & think clearly, it's easy & quick to convert from a normal tow to along side. Make up all the warps before hand. Slow down & allow the towed vessel to come along one side taking in the wapr as it does. this becomes your sten spring & can be made off as soon as you're in the right position. Then add the bow spring. By now the two boats will be moving together. You can adjust the for & aft position so the tug's rudder is slightly aft of the towed vessel. If not, steering is very difficult. Now add the brest ropes. These serve to make the two boats parallel. Steering an alongside tow is often difficult & one sided, especially if the tug is the smallest. You can spin the whole lot in a very small area though. The tug is on the inside of the circle. Take the tug astern & the whole lot will pivot. If the two vessel has power, it can also be used in the same manner.

 

[ebbtide]

Culpa mea!

Having been towed by the Howth Lifeboat, Gaffirs AND a friendly club member I must confess to never having the presence of mind to hoist the appropriate signals!
(But as I recall, neither did they . . .)

And repeating one lesson learnt, I've since added two foredeck and two midships cleats.

 

[Ariadne]

Having read all this I suggest you all go and take to your local tug company and ask them! We used to go and give talks on towing and salvage at the local yacht clubs if they asked.

Some of the ideas are down right dangerous and some are good, but you all need to get some serious advice on towing and being towed. There is lot more to it than meets the eye and more to understand than can be easily uploaded here. In my experience the RNLI know FA about towage, their job is to save lives not vessels, they also have a tendancy to tow too short and much too fast.

From a yachts point of view always use a bridal either from the bows if being towed or from the stern when towing. Keep your tow rope as long as possible (ours is 100m plus the bridal). Try and get at least two wave crests (three is better) between you and the tow - this is what should stop you from being overtaken by the tow-if not you need a longer tow. Keep your towing speed to around 4-5 kts no more.

The hook on a tug is where it to aid manouverability, the towing point is normaly further aft, over the rudder and controlled by a 'gog rope' passed through a gog eye on the deck. Most of the harbour tugs will use a gog winch now.

 

[NormanS]

It's worth checking to see if your sheet winches are attached in such a way that they can withstand a great load with a pull from aft, before using them to tow another boat. They are installed primarily to take a pull from ahead

 

[Ariadne]

Its worth checking to see if any of your cleats, winches, etc, are attached in such a way to take a towing load!

Most are not fitted or designed to handle this type loading, on most production boats the cleats will pull out under a heavy mooring rope loading! On a boat of 10m or more, can you actually get a 25mm tow rope on one of your cleats so it holds? If not then you need bigger cleats!

Make sure all your towing points have substancial backing plates, thickness and total area to handle the loading. If they aren't then you are danger of hurting yourself, your crew or even the towing crew. Make sure they are backed up.

Your sheet winches should be fitted so they can handle the load from ahead or astern; they are winches! If they can't handle one they can't handle the other, put a larger backing plate under them, if they have any at all.

 

[Refueler]

Best is to set up a rope from cockpit winch one side up deck to foredeck mooring point and then back to other cockpit winch. This should also be able to have the tow hawser made fast to it as well as to the foredeck mooring point. This spreads the load. It is also a good idea to wrap plenty of cloth round the hawser where it crosses onto the bow as it's bound to jump the fairlead or roller ... Another way to reduce chafe is to use a short length of chain out from bow to the hawser so rope is not chafed.
As to towing boat - a bridle with central fig 8 eye is set up to take the hawser ... made fast to the strongest points possible either side aft, maybe cleats or the winches.

If you use a heavy hawser or even better chain to make the tow - the weight acts as a shock absorber.

I've towed on quite a number of occasions and generally can maintain 5kts easily with above arrangement between my boat, heavy motor-sailer 25ft and average mid range yacht.

 

[Refueler]

Bembridge towed me of the flats in bad weather on a long tow - fine till they wanted to enter Bembridge. They then shortened the tow by reeling me in (This was the big pre Arun class boat). They promptly ran aground halfway into Bembridge on the last leg before the narrow cut ... being on short tow - I couldn't avoid stuffing them up the rear ! seriously damaging my stem and pulpit ! They then dragged the boat alongside and used my jib sheets to hold boat alongside while they backed off, and then made another attempt to get into harbour.

Don't get me wrong - I was so glad to have their help I can forgive the damage.

It was a bit daunting though that damage due to the tow and hitting LB when it ran aground amounted to more than the original that caused the casualty !! We were trying to beat the weather back to langstone and nearing exit of Bembridge channel near the fort - the forestay with furling gear pulled out of the deck. This was same time as outboard decided to get swamped when boat pitched. No way to propel the boat - genny unfurled and horizontal from mast head ! We used spinny halyard to replace forestay and then furling line to get gear and sail back down - by now wind was up to F7 !

Yeh - tell me about towing !!

 

[Wakatere]

One thing that never seems to get mentioned when talking about towing (bridles etc.) is rope sizes.

A couple of years ago on a friend's boat approaching Braye the engine gave out (making us a prime RNLI statistic, but it was because a mechanic HAD been at it) and the LB came out to get us before the tide took us down The Swinge.

We broke a cleat because the LB's splendid tow rope was so thick I couldn't find an adequate way of tying it off.

At least if I'd rigged a bridle of some sort, however primitive, I'd have avoided having to go into the chandlery and buy a cleat (I think I got away lightly that time).

 

[Pye_End]

How do you rig up for a tow if you have a bowsprit?

Does the towed boat keep a steady course, or swing around. If she swings around I can imagine the tow rope taking off the forestay. Is this a risk?