towing another yacht

[rondapom]

We had to tow a 31' centre boarder for a couple of miles up the medway the other day and put them on the all tide landing. We have a 32' fin keeled sloop. There wasn't any wind and it was calm so we tied up next to them as if rafting up with our stern sticking a few feet out at the back and motored round. No real problem except motor boat wakes which made the two boats bump around a bit when the fenders tried to pop out and I was worried that the masts might hit each other (they didn't and no damage done). Clearly this method of towing is only suitable for calm conditions. Fortunately it was calm because otherwise I couldn't see how to attach the tow - presumably you can't just hang it off the aft mooring cleats and still expect to manoevre? But where else can you put it? On the mast (but then the tow rope would be threatening to decapitate people in the cockpit and rubbing up against the backstay? Any advice?

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[philip_stevens]

I would say you got it "almost" right. I have towed boats with this method before, but need to have at least a third to half the boat length aft of the "towed" boat. This way you can manouevre with your rudder and engine, as long as the towed boat rudder is centred or they assist in turning.

As for the fenders and motor boat wash, there is not much you can do with inconsiderate boaters. Put most of both boat fenders between the boats, and leave enough to go alongside.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards,
Philip

 

[fluffc]

Alongside towing is, as you've discovered, only suitable for calm conditions. It is only also suitable for a short tow - for the very reason you mention.

To tow astern, you should be able to use your mooring cleats - provided they have been fitted for such use. A safer alternative would be to make up a bridle. Use your mast as a strong point, and use the mooring cleats as "fairleads". The bridle should finish about a metre behind the back of your boat. The actual towline should be attached to the bridle with a bowline, to allow it to slide along the bridle.

It is this last element that gives you the ability to turn - using a bowline (or even a block if you want to be fancy) - that is important.

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[Mirelle]

Bridle to primary sheet winches

is one way to do it; take the legs of the bridle forward from a point at least a couple of yards clear of the transom.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Mirelle on 09/06/2003 23:39 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Ivy]

The bridle is a good method , but NEVER use the mast as a strong point, unless it is keel stepped ! use your winches or other cleats.

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[wpsalm]

depends on a number of factors....if the vessel being towed is crewed by an experienced person who is able to steer and you,re willing to tow very slowly on 3 or 4 boat lengths you can attach at any strong point aft . if the vessel is unmanned you are better of to take her alongside...

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[maris]

Alongside works well, if you tie your fore quarter to his aft quarter. A smaller boat can manouver a larger boat fairly easly. Its possible to manouver a boat with a dinghy using this method.

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[philwebb]

Re: Bridle to primary sheet winches

We towed another boat into St Malo using the bridle method on sheet winches and
stern cleats. It worked well. I have heard that you can put a weight in the middle of the
tow rope to stop snatching.
Regards, Phil

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[Mirelle]

Re: Bridle to primary sheet winches

Good point about weight. One way is to belay your tow rope round the casualty's anchor and have her pay out a worthwhile amount of chain. This incidentally prevents chafe at her fairlead.

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[Rob_Webb]

Re: Bridle to primary sheet winches

I was once towed into Cherbourg by the lifeboat at 10 kts in a side-by-side configuration with my 31-footer tied alongside their much longer vessel (I estimate 60ft).

Conditions were 'moderate' i.e. far from calm but amazingly no damage arose. The key to success involved a combination of skill & technique (mainly from the French lifeboat crew) and prayers and faith (mainly from me).....

They took the main tow from my primary port-side winch to their starboard bow. They then used for and aft lines from my boat to 'fine tune' the attitude of my boat as we sat alongside them - they set us up so we weren't quite parallel but adopted a slight bow-out attitude which had the effect of keeping both boats slightly forced apart - we sat about 6 feet off their starboard side, surfing on their stern wave as we screemed in at 10kts - quite an experience. I was too grateful for the rescue to argue with the technique but I would never have thought it a safe option if described to me in advance!

The lifeboat put out only 1 huge fender (like a space-hopper) which only occassionally came into use. Without a doubt, the primary winch took a huge load but I never found any sign of damage or weakening from the experience.

R

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[tcm]

Re: agreed

.. and as well as having better steerage, no risk of clonking/snagging each others mast.

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[PaulR]

During half term week we were sailing to Weymouth and heard another yacht alert the Weymouth Harbour to an engine problem - as we arrived near to the entrance we spotted the other yacht and offered to tow them in (our own yacht at 34' was about the same size) - wind was very light and sea calm and we did exactly what you did, ie rafted alongside with lots of fenders and very gently chugged in-our biggest surprise was that some .... on his very large and lovely Moody (50' +) proceeded to motor quickly past us in the entrance and then to our astonishment once in the harbour did a 180 degree turn in front of us and motored in between us and the end of the raft that we were lining up to moor alongside-lovely boat , lousy helm!


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[colvic]

My nephew towed in a boat that had lost power, but not in such calm conditions. On the way back in the tow line snapped and it flew back to his boat where it lashed across his face taking an eye out.

In the inevitable insurance/compensation claim the amount he claimed was reduced by almost 80% on settlement, the reason given being that he had chosen to offer his services and had put himself at risk and didn't have full cover for towing another boat.

Phil

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[peterb]

That's another reason for taking Mirelle's suggestion of towing with the other boat's anchor chain. Firstly because the catenary acts to give a measure of shock absorption, but also because it keeps the cable under water, so slowing the recoil should the cable break.

I've done this, towing from a shackle in the tripping eye. We adjusted the length of chain and rope so that if we slowed down the anchor would reach the bottom and set before the tow hit us. Well, that was the theory; whether it would have worked we never found out!

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[tcm]

Bridle to primary sheet winches - via rear cleats

would avoid obvious prob for those with rear rails, maybe? But i t hinkthat the rear cleats would take a gently applied load (on long line with bridle ) anyway. Well, ours did.

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