Towing a tender at night.

[Gargleblaster]

I moved my boat from the Solent to the East coast for winter. I decided the easiest thing in terms of my rigid tender was to tow it all the way. It towed really well and had less water in it at the end that it usually does going back and forth to the mooring.
However I wanted to make sure that it kept well behind me for the 120 nm I was towing it and attached a long painter of about 30 metres so I could adjust it so it was always one wave crest behind me.
My first night was very dark between Beachy Head and Ramsgate and I couldn't see the tender at all. I had to keep touching the painter to make sure the tender was still there. If my painter had parted I don't think there was anyway I would have found the tender in the dark. In retrospect I think I would throw a little led torch into the tender at night so there would be some chance of finding it in the dark. I was wondering if anyone else had had this problem and what they may have done about it?

 

[Aja]

How about two painters?

Donald

 

[Malcb]

What lights were you showing on the boat and tender /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Gargleblaster]

I like to keep the cabin light on so I can make a cup of tea.

 

[Danny]

Maybe some reflective tape or some other sort of reflector might be enough for you to see it in the glow from your stern light? Probably wouldn't work with a tricolour but might just work if you have a seperate stern light.

 

[Gargleblaster]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe some reflective tape

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, that was the sort of idea I was after. Being a pram, I can get quite a lot on the bow. A handtorch every so often would show it up [as I use my tricolour most of the time, rather than my deck level lights]. And sweeping around with a torch will certainly be aided my the reflective tape if my painter does part.

 

[sailorman]

Tow a Ridged Dinghy 120 miles /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that!

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Tow a Ridged Dinghy

[/ QUOTE ] No he clearly said, "rigid". What is a ridged one

 

[Danny]

[ QUOTE ]
What is a ridged one

[/ QUOTE ]Clinker-built? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pete]

I would be a little concerned about a long painter getting wrapped around the prop in the dark. When I have to tow my tender I pull it tight to the transom so there is no spare line to go under boat but then it is an inflatable.

Pete

 

[fishermantwo]

By law my dinghy has to have reflective tape around the gunwhale {commercial fishing boat tender}. I have actually lost it a couple of times at sea at night. The reflective tape is inside the gunwhale, 6 inch strips and spaced about 6 inches apart. Inside the gunwhale prevents damage to the tape. When the dinghy is bobbing about, the tape is easily visible with a search light about half a mile.

What about reflective tape inside edge of gunwhale with a cheap garden solar powered light temporarily attached to the thwart.

 

[Woodlouse]

[ QUOTE ]
Tow a Ridged Dinghy 120 miles /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
My parents towed a rigid dinghy across the north sea.

As for garden solar lamps, I saw a few dinghys on moorings with those a few weeks ago and was most impressed. Meant you could see where they were when otherwise there would have been no chance.

 

[roly_voya]

Re: Towing a tender at night. Used to be common practice

I also have been towing a rigid tender. Used to be common practice ie everyone did it untill the invention of inflatables but it didn't go out of fasion because inflatables are better. It was because with heavy wooden tenders and very basic ropes the dingy was at risk in bad weather due to the tow line parting. With light plastic boats such as the Walker bay's and modern ropes its a doddle with very little risk. No more hauling inflatable aboard, taking half an hour to blow then up and having to rely on outboards because the dingy rows so badly its impractical

I usually tow with 10-20m line but have 50m available and the amount needed depends on speed and sea state. Let out enough so the dingy is skimming along level. Never had problems with it swamping but will be looking at making a tight cover for extended passages. Also devised a system using a rubber mooring shocker both to take any jerking out of the line and also to eliminate chafe. The line is locked at each end of the rubber which is a tight fit in the aft fairlead so the rubber takes all the abraision.

The idea of reflective tape is exellent - thanks will be using that. Use the 'garden' LED's as anchor markers for which they are exellent but I dont think they would survive on a dingy unless on a pole. Round here it's not a problem, nobody is going to cut across 50m from the stern but if I sailed somewhere crowded like the south coast would defiinatly want a 'proper' nav light. Best would be a small battery and solar panel like they use for navigation bouys

So don't knock it try it!

 

[Gargleblaster]

I like that idea about the reflective tape inside the gunwhale, I could leave it there permanently and it probably wouldn't suffer damage. I take your point on the solar garden lights. Unfortunately we don't get much sun or even daylight this time of year. We have them running up the garden path at home, and some nights [if there has been sun during the day] they are on for an hour or so, other nights there is no glimmer from them at all. I keep buying LED torches, particularly the headband type and next time before dark, if towing in late autumn or winter I will set one of them up in the dinghy pointing towards some reflective tape on the stern gunwhale.
There has been some concern implied here that I should have had proper towing lights showing. However I must admit I did shorten my painter going past Dover as at 0500 in the morning the ferries were becoming active, but as long as you stay the mile out they always give you a wide berth and would have come nowhere near my dinghy if I had left it on a long painter. I wasn't worried about wrapping my painter around my propellor as it's not really a problem to unwrap it if you keep your gearbox locked off in reverse which I do with my Yanmar 8hp engine. And I find if you try and keep the dinghy a wavelength behind you the painter stays taught.
As for towing it 120 nm, I thought about putting it on top of my car and hauling it around but it also meant that if I towed it I could use it at both ends to get out and back from my mooring without having to blow up my inflatable. the only problem it caused me is that as it pulled slightly to one side I didn't use windvane steering but used my autohelm instead. I thought it was a bit too much when I passed the Whitaker Buoy entering the Crouch Estuary, and the tide turned against me with an F6 on the nose and still the steep chop of the wind over tide from the flood. But I put my engine on and was able to make a knot over the ground until the sea flattened as the wind over tide effect eased.

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
I like that idea about the reflective tape inside the gunwhale....... There has been some concern implied here that I should have had proper towing lights showing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Remember that reflective tape is just that: it will reflect the light straight back to the source. If you shine a torch on to reflective tape then you will see the reflection, but other people won't. So it can't substitute for towing lights.

But just as a matter of interest, what are the 'proper towing lights'? Colregs only refer to the light for power vessels towing, and make little provision for sailing vessels. The only suggestions are that the 'long and two shorts' sound signal is made, and that the tow line is illuminated. The latter could be difficult; if I'm towing, then I usually ballast the cable so that the centre stays underwater to minimise shock loading. Certainly a white light in the tow is acceptable, but what should a sailing tug show?

 

[BrendanS]

24 e, g and h seem to cover it.

(e) A vessel or object being towed, other than those mentioned in paragraph (g) of this Rule, shall exhibit:

(i) sidelights;

(ii) a sternlight;




(g) An inconspicuous, partly submerged vessel or object, or combination of such vessels or objects being towed, shall exhibit:

(i) if it is less than 25 meters in breadth, one all-round white light at or near the front end and one at or near the after end except that dracones need not exhibit a light at or near the forward end;

(h) When from any sufficient cause it is impracticable for a vessel or object being towed to exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed in paragraph (e) or (g) of this Rule, all possible measures shall be taken to light the vessel or object being towed or at least indicate the presence of such vessel or object.

 

[Woodlouse]

Do towing regulations apply to tenders though? I can't believe maritime law dictates that you have to have towing lights up for towing your dinghy.

 

[BrendanS]

it says vessel or object. It's got to be one or other. or at least inconspicous object as per g

 

[peterb]

I wasn't worried about the tow, that's nicely covered as you suggest. But what about the tug? 24(a), (b), (c) and (d) all refer to power-driven vessels. They are lit so that you know that they are towing either from ahead (multiple masthead lights) or from astern (yellow towing light). In particular, the towing light should prevent other craft from cutting between tug and tow. What should I show when towing under sail?

This doesn't necessarily have to be just a tender. In a Westerly Fulmar I have towed a 36ft mobo with a failed engine for 10 miles. What lights should I have shown if it had been at night?