Towing

[Gary Fox]

My yacht was towed a mile into harbour by another yacht, I had a towline ready, as we'd realised we wanted a tow. All very easy in a calm fjord though.

 

[penfold]

With long tows the challenge is chafe control; it has been suggested to me that the towee uses their anchor and chain as their part of the tow and the tower makes secure to the chain near the anchor with what they have available, ideally a shackle or chainhook but a rolling hitch or soft shackle if not. A snubber of some kind would be important for the towee to limit strain on the bitts.

 

[Juan Twothree]

As for towing into harbour, a line astern tow is not the right way as it leaves the towed vessel out of control with any manoeuvering - it cannot ever place the vessel safely in a berth or even alongside. (It might save life - but its a messy way to get a stricken vessel the last bit home). Transferring to an alongside tow is the seamanlike and not difficult way to put the victim on a quay or mooring.

Yes, we know that thanks. That's why it's SOP to bring a casualty vessel into an alongside tow before entering a harbour or marina.

If can be very difficult, if not dangerous, to do so if it's very rough, but at the very least we'd shorten the tow, then bring them alongside the lifeboat in calmer water.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I have towed many yacht out here in Greece. I find two lengths of warp connected in the middle with a car/van tyre works perfectly.