Towing Dinghies ...... Some Lessons

[Dockhead]

A trawler had been towing the 12 foot RIB behind the boat in reported 20 foot seas (probably 15 foot, but steep and cresting). The dinghy was being towed on a 40 foot length of Dyneema® SK-75 with negligible stretch. The snatching loads bent the combined fairlead - cleat that was set in the bulwark, and finally pulled the U-bolt clean out of the bows of the dinghy.

The trawler then made an attempt at recovering the dinghy, not at all easy in these conditions. Finally they grabbed it with a spare dinghy anchor ..... that hooked onto the throttle control on the centre console. The captain jumped into the dinghy to secure a line. But the dinghy broke loose again. The throttle control was broken now too.

With difficulty he got the RIB under way to try and keep up with the trawler, and to try a recovery. The visibility from the bridge to aft was bad, so his wife had difficulty keeping him in view. She had to go below for a short time. When she came up again he was no where to be seen.

An extensive search was instigated, including the Mexican Navy, and several cruisers. The trawler returned to port, captainless, in a thorough mess, and with a distraught crew.

About 3 hours later the Captain was discovered by the Mexican Navy lying on the bottom of his up-turned RIB. Luckily the water was warm and the sun not too hot. They recovered him, but failed to recover the RIB even after several attempts. He was declared fit and well and returned to his trawler later that evening.

Some lessons:
The loads on a towed dinghy can be huge.
The snatch loads are even higher ..... so if you do have to tow a dinghy use a long length of oversized poly-prop which not only floats, but has enough stretch to reduce the snatch loads.
If you loose the dinghy in heavy weather ...... don't risk your life to recover it.
If the bow eye has pulled out, there may not be another secure place to attach a line.
Have two independent tow lines, including the attachment point on the dinghy.

Anyone think of any other lessons?

When ever I read of someone's nautical mishaps I always say to myself, thinking back to my own nautical mishaps, "there but for the grace of God go I".

However, this one kind of goes beyond the ordinary limits. To jump into a disabled dinghy out at sea in 20 foot seas (or even 15 foot breaking ones) -- that is just a total lack of judgement. I hope to God I never do something so stupid. What was he thinking?

The other lesson is just as obvious -- don't tow a dinghy in rough conditions! Jeez! It doesn't matter if you've got better line, a bridle, or what not (nylon might have saved his cleats, but what happens when the dinghy is overturned by a breaking wave?). Just don't do it! Didn't his father teach him anything? If he didn't have a deck crane (hard to imagine on a boat like that), there should have been other ways to get the dinghy on board (rig some tackle for goodness sake). Otherwise he should have stayed home. The whole thing is a disturbing mess. He's lucky to be alive.

 

[prv]

There is only one lesson from this IMO - DON"T TOW A DINGHY!!
Except for very short hops in totally sheltered water, towing a dinghy is a horrible thing to do. It WILL eventually end in tears!

Agree.

Pete

 

[TradewindSailor]

...... He's lucky to be alive.

He knows it now! At the time though he saw little danger, and expected to recover it. The throttle control only broke after he jumped into the dinghy.

He probably thought his RIB, being 12' (maybe larger) with 25hp Honda, was well able to cope with the seas ..... so he could get it into more sheltered conditions to recover it. He obviously never expected it to capsize.

It doesn't take much error of judgement, prevado, adrenaline, or just bad luck to change the situation dramatically. I don't think I would have made the same mistake, but then I wasn't there.

The trawler was well able to take the seas, but many items hadn't been stowed for bad weather. Even the saloon table had up-turned. The interior of the boat was a mess ..... and was surely having a negative effect on the wife. Her elderly mother was sea-sick too. When she lost sight of her husband she noted the position and raised the alarm. There was very little she could do in these conditions, being the only one that could control the boat ....... which would very quickly go beam on to these nasty steep seas. The visibility from the bridge must have been pretty bad too, with no visibility aft of about 120 deg port or starboard. Altogether, she did very well despite her lack of experience with the boat.

I never tow a dinghy, but then I've got davits, and it's really easy to get it well up and out of the way of the seas.

 

[Ariadne]

I also keep a 30m length of 1" dia. Nelson on the boat in a locker for towing - only used once in 10 years and still as good as new.

That's called a long mooring rope then, not a towing rope. As somebody who has spent many a day at sea towing stuff around the coast, its not long enough!!!

You should have at least a 100m rope for towing anything (Other than small inflatable, and that should be at least 2 wave lengths behind you.), preferably 200m+ if your going a long way. Attached by a 2 point bridal from the dead ship with its rudder lashed amidships, to a strong point at your stern (another bridal if needed).

On this point how good are your deck fittings, are they well backed just in case you need to be towed/tow somebody?