Towing a inflatable tender... What is the correct way?

[Roach1948]

Getting used to towing my first blow-up tender. With Rigid ones I used to trail with a very long line and have trailing warp from the transom of the dinghy too to so that it tracked better and slalomed less in a follwing sea. I am not sure if the same applies to an inflatable tender. Do I trail with a very long warp, or a short one. Is it safe to leave the outboard attached? You thoughts and experience much appreciated.

 

[Malcb]

Take the outboard off. I use a shortish bridle attached to the rings on each side of the bow of my inflaable.

 

[FullCircle]

Take the outboard off, especially as an inflatable does not weigh much and can be flipped by the wind/waves quite easily, and then you have a dead outboard.
I found inflatables better on short tow, and in a big following sea, I drag it up onto the pushpit rail to try and prevent it launching itself at the back of my head (happened going into the Colne one day). It cant flip then, and will not hold much water to jerk you about if it fills.

 

[pappaecho]

On the only time I tried towing, I found that the round entry of the inflatable cause quite a lot of water to ship, which is why many actually raise the bow out of the water and tow with only the stern half in the water

 

[Poignard]

Also, don't forget to unship the oars and bring them on board the yacht. Why do I suggest this? Never mind!

 

[flaming]

[ QUOTE ]
in a big following sea, I drag it up onto the pushpit rail to try and prevent it launching itself at the back of my head (happened going into the Colne one day). It cant flip then, and will not hold much water to jerk you about if it fills.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you be towing an inflatable in a big following sea? Or offshore at all!? Surely the major reason for owning an inflatable is the ability to deflate it and put it away! I would never tow one except for very short journeys in very light conditions. If you find yourself towing your inflatable more than stowing it then can I politely suggest you re-think your choice of dinghy!

 

[FullCircle]

Dear Flaming,
polite suggestion noted. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
However, I was in my Corribee 21, with partner, 2 kids aged 10 and 12, and a 6 month old baby, and this was our 3 week holiday.
The plimsoll line was well exceeded, the pram and bikes were on the coachroof and my reasoning was that the inflatable would look after itself. In fact, I was a bit peeved with the weather as I had been using the inflatable to tow extra stores around the East Coast with.
It doesn't always make sense in the text book rules, but sometimes we do it.

 

[CraigB]

I don't usually tow the inflatable, but a few weeks ago got lazy and towed it for several day-long passages heading up to Mull. When I got to Tobermory I discovered that the ring had torn through the strap which holds it on. The pressure on these fittings in any kind of sea must be great. This tender is only a few years old and has mostly been kept covered up when not in use, so it wasn't falling apart due to UV.. I'll never tow one again other than perhaps for a short time in a flat sea.

 

[smeaks]

How temted were you to put the 10 and 12 year old in the dinghy on a very very very very long line..... and the wife and baby.......and the bikes........ and pram... leave more room for the essentials ... such as beer and pies.

 

[Noddy]

Because we try to avoid marinas, there being lots of lovely anchorages in the Thames Estuary. After about 2 weeks, as a cruise is coming to an end I have used my tender as a skip.

2 or 3 bags of rubbish are far better towed behind, placed in the tender, than the cabin.

 

[FullCircle]

I did....... when the little sods were continually bickering, I towed them in the dinghy one at a time. Only in safe waters, yada yada yada.

 

[Roach1948]

Ofcourse on the East Coast towing a tender in the Rivers is a VERY wise thing to do. I have had to get Roach of the Mud twice this season already, and one usually only has a quarter of an hour window to kedge-out successfully. Try inflating a dinghy, launch, range a warp, row out, drop kedge, row back, and haul-in all within 15 minutes.... that is why I tow!

 

[MikeBz]

[ QUOTE ]
Surely the major reason for owning an inflatable is the ability to deflate it and put it away! I would never tow one except for very short journeys in very light conditions. If you find yourself towing your inflatable more than stowing it then can I politely suggest you re-think your choice of dinghy!

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? A lot of people choose an inflatable as a tender not because it can be deflated and stowed away (fine if it's a horrible tiddly little thing) but because it makes a better tender - more stable for stepping on & off, less damage to the mother ship, lighter to carry up the beach when popping ashore etc. Each to their own, but I see (and know) plenty of people towing inflatables around which would be too much aggravation to deflate/inflate at the drop of a hat and often too big to stow anyway, none of whom seem to have any problems. For sure it might not be advisable to tow when seriously offshore, but that could apply equally to any sort of dinghy.

Mike

 

[mickshep]

Cat amonge pidgeons time, I found that towing my Suzumar (with inflatable keel) backwards with the rear of the tubes and transom, lifted clear of the water apparently created far less drag, (Highly scientific test, I tried pulling the dinghy up to the transom). With no weight aboard the tender and in flatish water, Just my 2 pennies worth. Mike

 

[bluedragon]

Much the same as others have said. Take outboard off. Tow up close. I have a roundtail dinghy and it's quite happy up behind the transom on a short bridle. I've felt the load on the line and it's quite light. Now I have to say that I only tow in moderate conditions...if it's likely to be rough, then up it comes. The distance is not the issue...it's the likely sea state

 

[nigelhudson]

[ QUOTE ]
Take the outboard off. I use a shortish bridle attached to the rings on each side of the bow of my inflaable.

[/ QUOTE ]
To which I would add use the normal mooring line left slightly slacker than the bridle as a safety back-up. I've only towed round the Solent using this method but it does work well.

 

[Stemar]

I've towed my wood transome Zodiac in a variety of conditions up to F6/7. It's on a short bridle and the engine on removed. I've never (so far...) had any problems with towing other than the drag slowing me down. WIth the design of the transom & pushpit on Jissel, it would take a pretty spectacular combination of wind & seas for the rubber duck to try & join me in the cockpit and the odd friendly pat on Jissel's bum doesn't matter 'cos the tender's one big fender anyway.

I have a folding boading ladder on the transom, so I have a small fender mounted across the ladder near hinge level so the dinghy doesn't damage itself if it does get a bit too affectionate. If you do the same, make sure you can fold the ladder down from in the water. Don't ask me how I know how important this is - just accept the voice of experience /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[alec]

I tend to go for the ' semi deflate and stuff under the boom' option.

I hate the drag and it only takes a jiffy to get going again.

The Avon's take terrible abuse and you see loads on Ebay now.

 

[Searush]

I rig mine with a bridle - mostly because, one day in a strong wind it lifted out of the water, rotated several times in mid-air & then landed upside down in the sea. As I was doing around 6kts at the time, the transom formed a wonderful sea anchor, The painter ring pulled the nose of the dinghy out about 9" before breaking.

It took a little while to sail around to the inverted dinghy & recover it (it swamped when we turned it the right way up).

So now I always remove the outboard & use a short painter attached to a bridle. If over F5, it gets brought aboard & lashed down upside down across the aft cabin. If on a long passage I deflate it as well to reduce the impact on the mizzen sheets/ aft cabin hatch.