Tender towing

[Major Catastrophe]

Tomorrow I am going to launch my lovely new (Bought SIBS 2005) Quicksliver 240 Airdeck with Johnson 4hp outboard.

It is too big to fit on boat inflated but I can envisage some times when I would need to tow it. I have taken into consideration the need to keep the towing rope away from the prop of the of the main boat - 90 hp outboard.

I intend to use a floating tow rope tied to the two towing anchor points - not the lifting handle on the front - then joined to a single towing line.

Is there a criteria for length of tow rope to prevent yawing or other phenomenom? Or the length of the Y?

Have I overlooked anything?

I will not be towing at planing speeds.

Someone suggested that I should tow it on a very short rope that lifst the front of the tender out of the water. But it would rub against the engine!

 

[aran01]

Did you ever think to deflate it? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[tcm]

Don't know your boat but one option worth considering from time to time is to tow alongside - regardless of fore-aft movement the dingy can't foul props.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

[ QUOTE ]

Did you ever think to deflate it?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, but as I explained, there are some occasions when I don't want to deflate it when only going a short distance - like from marina to opposite shore.

tcm, it is a Beneteau Antares 650.

I have thought about lashing it alongside but can be problematic when returning/leaving marina.

Has anyone towed a tender with engine with an outboard powered boat?

 

[tcm]

prhaps a Y (ie bridle) at the boat end as well?

Or bollx to the tender cos er can't you get nearly everywhere anyway with maiin boat? Bit of crunching here and there but you can jack up the o/b surely?

 

[[2068]]

Umm, did you ever think to buy a smaller tender...
...Or a bigger boat ! Something around 34ft should take your tender quite nicely /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have a Quicksilver 240 Rollup for the S28 which is clipped to the back using the dreaded Weaver Snap Davits, but it wouldn't be too hard to inflate it each time.

dv.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I thought the 240 was small!

It was more for the kids to mess around in.

Yes, I could deflate it, but I am not sure I want to fit engine whilst in the middle of the 5 knot edd tide on the Menai Strait.

'Spose I'll have to practice.

tcm, I can crunch ashore, especaily since I fitted the KeelGuard, tender was a good way of getting ashore at Conway as the harbour pontoons are mid stream, seemed easier to tow it there, rather than inflate and deflate every five minutes.

In my minds eye, a double Y would induce an exaggerated yaw, but that is why I came on here to see if anyone has actually ever towed a tender and what was the best tow rope set up.

 

[[2068]]

I looked at the 240 Airdeck in the shop: it's huge !!! Probably great performance with the keel and inflatable floor, but a bit too fat and heavy to fit on the back of my 28.

I'm only chuckling because I screwed up big time myself: I bought a 270 Airdeck, and it was MUCH too wide and heavy. I also messed up sticking on the snap davit pads, which came unstuck /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and had to go tail between legs back to the dealer to swap it for the 240 Rollup.

See, I'm not perfect...

As to towing, I slung a mooring line between the stern cleats (short enough not to be in the water, just) and attached the tender painter roughly to the middle. Using floating line (e.g. ski tow stuff) as a painter line helps not to foul props.

dv.

 

[Talbot]

make sure you take the engine off the tender before towing EVERY TIME tenders have been known to flip and the outboards dont appreciate it!. If you are only towing a short distance tow on a very short line from the quarter, then the bows will be out of the water, and there wont be a problem of tow rope to foul a prop. long distance towing has its advocates, but not when you are manoeuvring.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Thanks dvinell and Talbot, I think you have answered my question.

The mooring line as a fixing point is a good idea and I can do that and bring the bow of the tender up on the quarter.

Seems the best sloution.

The max length of tow will be a couple of miles at slow speed on the flat waters on Conway river or within the Menai Straits. But with multiple stops and places to explore, I didn't want to have to deflate/inflate all the time.