Association Forum - Towing an Inflatable

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Cruising Forum

Towing an Inflatable

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Page: of 2

hinmo
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
248 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/27/2008 : 07:39:49

I will be navigating Buzzards Bay, in Mass. next summer as a newbie. Buzzards Bay has prevailing 15-20 SW with 3-5 ft chop. How long a painter is the optimum for towing a 8 ft inflatable? Is it doable? The inflatable will have an engine mounted also.

thanks

"Kukla" '83 FK,SR

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 12/27/2008 : 14:22:56

John,
You'll probably get a fair number of responses to this, so let's start the ball rolling.

We tow our Avon (10'-4" rollup) on a 3/8" polyethylene line about one boat length back. About one boat length gets it far enough back to be out of the way, and if you adjust the length of your painter so the dink is on the "front" side of your standing wave trailing your boat you'll help minimize the amount of jerking, etc. This is on Puget Sound with similar winds & chop. The poly line floats so it's harder to entangle it on your prop, but still not impossible. While we have a 4hp engine for it, we've never actually towed it with the engine on the dink. The engine was in the shop for what seemed like forever, so we simply rowed with it wherever we needed to go. Now that we have it back out of the shop, we haven't been on a overnighter since. The general consensus seems to be don't leave the engine on the back, it'll make it nearly impossible to flip it back over should the inflatable get capsized.

When we're maneuvering in tight spots, we snub the dinghy right up to the port quarter (furthest from our engine) so it tracks right with the boat. We also tow from the port stern cleat to help reduce chances of entangling the prop (this is NOT fun to fix on the water, I've had to do it once, and it was in protected water, I'd not want to do it out in the open in chop or whatever).

I'm noodling on an idea that'd let me mount the dink's engine on our boarding ladder, making it easily removable, and able to be used in a pinch to drive the main boat. That's another thread though.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2008 : 15:35:05

Flipping a submerged dink with a motor on it is nearly impossible. Took 4 guys at a dock to break the seal once. 3-5 foot chop can flip a dink in a gust if the timing is off. The mark of a newbie IS towing a dink with a motor attached in blustery conditions. I've done it and regretted it. Get a kicker board for the stern rail and put the dink motor there.

Use a bridle attached to the D rings - I like the floating one at WM - AND attach an emergency line to any other D ring or motor lock spot. Floating line.

So now you have two lines to the dink. I like different colored line for the safety line.

How far back to tow depends on your heading, wind speed, wave height and direction, and whatever else mother nature throws at you to try to seperate the dink from the mother ship. Try different lengths as suggested, bring it up snug or a ways away. I have found that in some conditions, running the dink on the leeward side up nice and personal actually protects the dink from the chop as the keel and hull of the vessel act as a buffer, ditto for the wind.

Downside - you have to switch when you tack. PITA

Other options I have seen involve lifting the bow of the dink out of the water, OR with a bracket, lifting the stern of the dink out of the water after installing strong D rings et al.

Should you flip the dink, you will be tempted to cut the line. Been there. Even a motorless inflatable dink towed for a brief period will develop a vacuum quickly. It becomes like an drogue making it tough to make headway. Your best option is to depower the vessel, i.e. drop sails and stop engine if running (actually neutral is a better idea) and bring the dink along side the leeward side to a point amidships where you can attach the towline to a winch or to the main halyard. Once you break the vacuum, you may be able to use a boathook to flip it back over, or with the safety line. Register your dink and put a name on it to enable recovery - you may have to cut it. You must notify the Coasties if you do as it is a hazard to navigation.

One more tip. Attaching 5 gallons of fuel to internal D rings allows you to "trim" the vessel in tow, just don't flip it!

Sten

DPO Zephyr - '82 C25, FK, SR
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - on the hard - temporary timeout in Portland OR to care for mom

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2008 : 16:47:52

Sten... Hope things are looking up in Portland.

Edited by - on

hinmo
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
248 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2008 : 17:02:05

Me's thinkin maybe I'll deflate the tubecraft and bring her aboard. Kinda a pain, but you're all scaring me.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2008 : 18:21:43

BTW, in my 8'6" roll-up Achilles, I replaced the very heavy wood floorboards with three pieces of 2"-thick polyethylene construction foam from a sheet I found floating on the river--cut just wide enough to wedge between the side tubes. She's 20 lbs lighter--much easier to pull aboard and roll up, and the foam isn't as slippery as the painted wood. (Air floors are nice, but my budget weighed against them.)

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2008 : 08:29:29

I was a little apprehensive a year ago when I towed my 8' inflatable but quickly relaxed. Floating line or at least bridal with floats. As said adjust the distance from the boat as to weather conditions and don't mess around in heavy weather, get the motor off the thing!

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2008 : 09:13:16

On one trip we towed my friend's 8' Zodiac behind his C-25 SR/SK from Block Island back home to the Narragansett Bay. We used a bridle attached to the Zodiac with a 20-25' line to the top of the stern rail on the boat. Floating line would have been better.

Most of that trip was a broad reach in nice conditions for the sailboat, but the dink would surf down waves and then ride back up, flipping over several times over a few hours. We kept it out there for safety sake while out on the ocean. Dinghy motor was stowed below on the boat, of course. It's not relaxing to tow an inflatable in windy choppy conditions, and, as you know, Buzzards Bay often has heavy seas.

Edited by - on

glen
Captain

Members Avatar

359 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2008 : 13:15:11

Dave thank you for the idea of the foam floor board. How many seasons have you used them, and do they feel strong enough to support four people

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2008 : 16:39:11

I just made the foam boards last summer. They seem plenty stiff for good footing--the number of people shouldn't be an issue. I pop them out to roll up the boat. They're just wide enough that they haven't flown out on their own (yet).

Edited by - on

hinmo
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
248 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2008 : 17:15:01

JohnP - you settled it, no towing for me. Buzzards is a vortex 99% of the time. I guess I'll be rolling and stowing.

thx

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 12/30/2008 : 14:50:22

Just depends on the conditions. Recently our dink was tied on the foredeck and tried to get away in rough conditions. Towing has some advantages in terms of convenience and safety. I towed our Zodiac 10' from MV to Newport with our C25 and while motorsailing thru the strong current we picked up a heavy duty plastic bag on the prop. Nice to be able to climb into the dink and quickly free ourselves. Ditto for cutting away the crab pot under the Newport Bridge in the fog with an inbound freighter.

sten

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2009 : 08:37:46

I'm just wondering (never having worked with a dink, but trying to learn all that I can...) Why not use the inflator you use to blow up the dinghy to break the vaccum if it flipped?

I am envisioning running a piece of hose under th eflipped dink, attaching it to the air pump, plugging it in to the boat and walking away for half an hour. It seems to me that this would pressurize the space beneath the dinghy, and help to break the vaccum. As I said, I have no experience here, but this seems like a possible solution to me.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2009 : 09:14:18

How about drilling a small hole in the transom--a little above the waterline? Then impregnate it with Git Rot.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 01/06/2009 09:17:00

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2009 : 14:15:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 How about drilling a small hole in the transom--a little above the waterline? Then impregnate it with Git Rot.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I seem to remember that we pulled out the 2 transom plugs on my friend's Zodiac before towing it, so it could drain with all the waves and spray. And I don't think it was held down by suction when it flipped. It was still a pain to stop sailing and re-flip the Zodiac.

I bet there are good ways to tow dinghies in choppy conditions, and it might mean you would have to experiment. Putting your dinghy on the foredeck looks really nice, if you can lift the thing to get it there without damaging the lifelines or the stanchions, or cutting a hole in it!

Edited by - on

BengeB
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 00:15:29

I just got done sailing in the Keys and towing the dink with a motor. I didn't want to and even purchased a bracket to hang the 2hp on the boat but where. It was going to interfer with the ladder or the main motor. Does anyone have pictures of how they mount their dink motor.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 07:28:06

I've wondered the same thing Benge. I guess on the ladder side. I'm thinking you can step around the dink motor to get to the ladder (although I haven't tried this yet) but there's no way to deal with the main motor with it on that side.

Edited by - on

DoubleD
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
61 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 08:04:03

I put a Dingy motor bracket on the stern rail by the ladder. I will be testing it out in a couple weeks. I think I will have to play with the ladder and the motor to use the ladder.

Edited by - on

glen
Captain

Members Avatar

359 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 09:14:29

We made a bracket that fit around the port aft station and rail, on our 25. The routed channel that wraps over the rail resembles a “T” (of course the vertical portion of the channel follows the angle of the station, and is not square to the top rail). This locates our 2 horse dingy out board, behind the gate and ahead of the main out board. I also have a small padded cushion I tie on the motor when it is secured to this bracket. This prevents getting hurt if you should bang into it underway. One final note, securing the motor the boat allows me to LOCK IT with a cable, to prevent it from falling over board or someone else taking it. (Things can vanish)

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 12:58:26

I use an electric fishing motor (30 lb thrust) on my zodiac. You can store a battery in the battery box and use it as a house battery when not on the dink. I keep my batts topped up with the outboard alternator and a 10 amp solar panel. The electric motor is far easier to store than a gas motor.

As far as towing, I towed for 12 years and the only problem I've had is when it filled with water on a particularly stormy, rainy day. It was a bear to dump the water while under way - didn't think of pulling the plug before departure. A cover would help to keep water out and aid in uprighting when flipped. Could be expensive though unless you are handy with a sewing machine.

Edited by - aeckhart on 02/24/2009 13:03:58

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2009 : 23:13:02

I made a motor backet for the stern rail as well but have never needed it yet. I have always towed the dinghy with the motor attached w/o incident. Only once with dinghy in tow, did the weather turn and the seas were a little rough as we were coming into port but she did fine. But I would not make a habit of that.
Steve A

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2009 : 00:32:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by piseas
 ...I have always towed the dinghy with the motor attached w/o incident. Only once with dinghy in tow, did the weather turn and the seas were a little rough as we were coming into port but she did fine...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You haven't seen Buzzard's Bay.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2009 : 15:11:26

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Look at [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7u2yLR85sY"]this example of sailing there.[/url] Looks beautiful, but with a good chop.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2009 : 22:11:00

John, Loved the music. Oh nice day of sailing too. I see some chop. Its says you were sailing about about 12 knots? What was the wind speed?
BTW, I would not tow a dinghy in that.
Steve A

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2009 : 12:06:45

Sedate compared to Lake Superior with any breeze at all. What's really exciting is 4 to 6 foot chop.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2009 : 13:42:10

Sorry to burst your bubble, Steve, but I was not sailing my boat at 12 knots! That was a video of a trimaran I found. Here's [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y19LSRZKRho"]another video[/url] of somebody else's boat on another windy day in Buzzard's Bay.

It's brought to you by the magic of the internet, you know!

Edited by - on

Page: of 2

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.