Towing under sail - cross post

[roly_voya]

I am taking a 130 year old 23ft 3/4 decker of about 3/4ton displacement to Brest festival in July and having found what it will cost to do it by road/ferry am looking for an alternative!

I am wondering if it will be practical to fill the hull with infation bags, add a pump and board/sheet over the cockpit same as you close a ships hold then tow her. She will have just finished a full restoration and so is very sound, has a good underwater shape but little freeboard and fine ends. The tow boat being a 32ft heavy wt sailing cutter of about 8tons. Anyone any relevent experience?

(This plan also has the advantage of getting the cruiser down there as well instead of having to camp under a tarp in the open cockpit for a week.)



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[rich]

Have you been to Brest festival before, do you think it is realy worth all the hassel,, personaly I myself would not.

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[roly_voya]

No - first time but it sounde fun

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[rich]

It is fun,,,But i would not go to all that trouble to get a boat there.

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[Mirelle]

We sometimes tow, cautiously, our 16ft boat, which is rigged as a baby bawley with a standing gaff mainsail and an inboard engine, behind our 37 foot cutter.

Shift the ballast in the boat aft, lash the tiller and tow from an eye in the stem as you would a dinghy.

Woodbridge to Hamford Water is one thing but I don't fancy the idea of crossing the Channel that way.

A sailing boat is diabolically awkward to tow; she sheers hard and is heavy on the tow rope and I would be pretty sure that over 130 miles the tow rope would part.

I would make up the tow big ship style with a lot of anchor chain from the bow of the boat, to give catenary and take chafe, a LONG nylong warp and some more chain to take the chafe where it belays on the tug.

But I still reckon it would part. And it would be all but impossible to reconnect.

I suggest sailing the 23 footer over, with the big boat as escort. Pick your weather and you should do OK - by all means fill the boat with bouyancy bags, etc.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Benbow]

Can you drop the mast ? If so is towing alongside an option ? With lots of fenders and lots of springs it could be made reasonably secure.

I have never tried this with a boat anything like as big as the one you propose, but it would would stop it surging around behind you. I don't know how controllable the whole shebang would be.

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[Mirelle]

Fine idea in sheltered waters, but not viable at sea; the relative motion between the two boats would be too great. You'll notice that lifeboats tow yachts astern at sea bit hip up alongside when they get into shelter.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Mirelle]

Thinking further

I am sure that the best way is to sail both boats over, in company. Deck over most of the 3/4 decked boat's cockpit with a simple strong plywood hatch cover, bolted down against strongbacks running under the carlines, and she should be absolutely fine. her crew will have an uncomfortable time off watch but should come to no harm.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Benbow]

Yes you are probably right - that was more thinking aloud than a suggestion.

The other thing lifeboats (nearly) always do with a tow is deploy a drogue from the towed vessel to make it more controllable. Of course the lifeboat also has a very powerful engine so it can still maintain a good speed.

Personally I never even tow a dinghy in open water so I think its a mad idea, but interesting to speculate how to do it in an emergency.



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[roly_voya]

Thanks everyone sounds like the best idea is a trailer on the ferry!! If I do take her by water the sailing in company sounds most sensible probably ferrying crew off to change watches but I think doing it to a timetable is not going to be possible - with a big crew available for a couple of weeks to pick weather ok but in reality its going to finnish up a logistical nightmare.

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[Victorious]

I would think that if the weather/sea state is too bad to sail it over.. (in company with anotherr boat) then its also too bad to tow it!

modern forcasting is mostly good enough to predict conditions it could not sail in.

if it is liable to take on water sailing.....due to the low freeboard, it would do so while rolling (as many boats do under tow)

To cross an area of sea, in a boat not seaworthy for the pravailing conditions of the area...... ?
If it IS sea worthy for the crossing... then ENJOY sailing it )


Sail it... trailer it... or leave it at home (IMHO)

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[Kristal]

Brest 2004

Speaking of Brest, is anyone else planning a visit? I really fancy it, but it might be a bit much of a journey just for six days... and also, it would probably be one of our first trips abroad in Crystal. If others wanted to go, perhaps a cruise in company would be ideal?

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